ID
string | chapter
string | text
string |
|---|---|---|
LNWNCentral_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles - WN Chapter 00-18_Duke's-Daughter-Who-is-Liable-to-Die-and-the-Seven-Nobles-WN-Chapter-00-18-[Unknown][Trollo]
|
s16.txt
|
EpubPress - Wed Jun 20 2018 - Chapter 15: Megalithic Altar (part three)
Chapter 15: Megalithic Altar (part three)
As we escaped until a certain distance, the sound of destruction
by Zaratan couldn’t be heard anymore from behind us.
Turning from the branch point many times, it was a place that
was of a considerable distance from the cathedral.
We were totally lost, but in the end there was no problem
because we planned to escape with Pass Wall and Levitation.
……There was no problem, right?
“In short, we had to earn more time.”
After a little while of quietness, Klaus broke the ice and
immediately got to the point.
“When a big monster is your opponent, in many cases you couldn’t
escape because of its legs’ length and strength. No matter how
stupid they seem to be, you cannot underestimate them.”
“He certainly was rushing at an extremely high speed, that’s why
we hurriedly created some distance from him…”
“Oh, yeah. It’s dangerous to face that monster in a place where
there is no shielding even if we have some distance.”
“That speed was unexpected since he was in the state where he
lost one of his legs, Klaus-sama.”
The rush at that time was really scary.
I felt a sudden fear, I knew that my body had solidified.
“But, why did you let Ann-sama attack……you told me not to attack
him.”
“That couldn’t be helped.”
“Because Erica-sama, concentrating magical powers is my special
quality.”
Ann talked with her hand raised to her chest in a windshield
style.
By the way, I heard that personal qualities were heavily
involved with the mages of Harvan.
“Ann can release a magic of higher power than ordinary mages
against the amount of magical power used.”
“It takes time to do so, and I’m not good at wide area
magic.”
“Because she is also good at precision manipulation, she’s
perfect for range attacks.”
“I see……You’re amazing even though you’re still very young,
Ann-sama.”
His sister Ann was good at concentrating her magical power
instead of using wide area magic.
It was a focused, high-density precision magic, so it could have
penetrated Zaratan’s body which couldn’t be penetrated by Aurelia’s
wands or Klaus’ spell cards.
“That’s why, usually I wouldn’t use large firepower magic like
Scorching Ray, instead used beginner offensive magic,
Onii-sama.”
“Isn’t it seriously better than shooting low-power magic and
failed to penetrate the shell?”
“Huh? Then why didn’t Klaus-sama attack with Scorching Ray?”
Klaus was a man who would become a versatile mage.
Then, shouldn’t he be able to use any type of magic to some
extent?
“My hands were full with keeping up the Protective Circle. I
couldn’t take on the pressure of that monster’s power unless I
expanded the spell cards to the maximum.”
“I see……”
“By the way, Onii-sama. Before long, the Protective Circle would
dispel, right? Let’s hurry and use the Pass Wall to escape.”
“That’s right……There are things I’m concerned about. Both of you
had seen it too, right? The ability of that monster.”
“Yes, Onii-sama.”
“Eh? What ability, Klaus-sama, Ann-sama?”
I had known about the monster’s character, but I didn’t know the
details of his ability.
What was it?
“You didn’t use the Glam Sight, huh. That said, the effect time
of Glam Sight that I used from the wand was short.”
“Yes, during battle I didn’t have time to redo the Wand of Glam
Sight.”
“Do you know that magic didn’t work on that monster?”
“Yes, I can deduce that much.”
“When the magic was erased, it seemed that his ability in
controlling space slightly came into play. Since then I was
suspicious, but when that monster blew fire, that suspicion turned
into certainty when I saw that the Fire Bolt’s creator was Edward
Aurelia.”
That flame, was a magic made by my older brother?
I thought that it certainly looked like Fire Bolt, but
perhaps—
“Is it a monster that absorbs and reflects magic……?”
“Aah. I guess that’s the case.”
What a pesky ability.
It was hard enough that his defense was strong, and his power
was strong, and now in addition that he was strong, magic didn’t
work on him.
No, then, that attack after all was peculiar since it wasn’t
absorbed.
“Why was Ann-sama’s Scorching Ray not reflected?”
“Probably because it isn’t an ability that activated
automatically. He responds to attack manually by absorbing and
reflecting, so it was probably an effective surprise attack.”
“It’s the same as Aurelia’s alchemists, huh. It seems to be a
monster of ancient Aurelia.”
That means, that kind of shooting wouldn’t work for that monster
the second time.
Based on the assumption that he would be shot, next time he
would absorb the shooting magic itself.
Terrible.
“But Klaus-sama. So why did you postpone in using the Pass
Wall?”
“The moment we touch that monster in the Pass Wall state, we may
burn up and die.”
“Eh……!?”
“That monster has absorbed one more Fire Bolt. In other words,
there is a possibility that flames are burning inside of him.”
I see, the inside was the same as the acid hydrogel golem.
After passing through the object that was saving the flames
inside of him, we would definitely burn to death.
It was extremely dangerous.
“What should we do, Klaus-sama?”
“I will put up a Protective Circle and prevent contact with the
monster. Meanwhile, Ann, you will cast the Pass Wall on
everyone.”
Klaus prevented contact with the monster, so that we wouldn’t
pass through the monster’s body when we used the Pass Wall even in
the unlikely event.
If we got to that point, we might not be able to successfully
escape next time.
“……What about me?”
“Only mages can use the Harvan’s scrolls.”
“I’m sorry, Ann-sama, Klaus-sama……”
“N-no! Erica-sama doesn’t need to apologize.”
I was full of guilty feelings since I wasn’t useful.
Was there anything that I can do?
“First, let’s find a small room of reasonable size, or a
corridor that leads to dead end. Because it’s impossible to protect
an entire area against that monster.”
“But Onii-sama, if that monster approached us after turning back
into his liquid form, doesn’t that mean he could attack us from
anywhere?”
“No, he seems to need a space of a certain size to create the
outer shell. If I cast a Protective Circle that specialized to the
opposing body throughout the room, he wouldn’t be able to enter the
room from the cracks between the stones.”
Somehow the visual was kind of like a Japanese horror or a house
with an evil spirit that would come out.
Speaking of which, this was the ruins where an evil
spirit came out……
When I was proceeding alone in this ruins, I thought that ghosts
were scary, but the fear I felt right now was completely different
from that time.
The evil spirit was not the exaggerated type either, since it
was a monster.
I seemed to be in a panic movie1 right now.
“Anyway, why is it so detailed, have you grasped the power of
Zaratan, Klaus-sama?”
“Huh? Onii-sama, you don’t understand that much from the Glam
Sight?”
“Oh, in fact, I tried to seal a part of that monster.”
Klaus showed a bottle to us.
It was a bottle of magical recovery potion, but inside was a
dubious-looking black liquid.
This, was this a part of that monster……?
“Klaus-sama, when did you get such things……”
“Onii-sama……”
“It was when Ann blew off the monster’s leg. The content of that
monster have a composition similar to a wraith. I thought that the
seal magic that works for a wraith would be effective.”
“You have that much free time, huh, Onii-sama……”
You had a considerable nerve to touch that thing, Klaus.
I didn’t want to touch it for a while. No, I didn’t want to ever
touch it.
Even the bottle was a bit much.
“The shell of that monster seems to have been made by
transforming the carcasses of the monsters that fell from the
eighth layer. Seal didn’t work on the outer shell.”
“That’s why it’s only when he was in his liquid state that you
can seal him in the bottle, huh.”
“That’s right. If we plan to seal him again, we need to destroy
all of the outer shells once and for all. This information must be
conveyed to the people of Aurelia.”
With Zaratan unleashed, not only us but other citizen of Aurelia
would be attacked.
Even if we could escape from here safely, the battle would
continue.
Especially the Duke of Aurelia, who was the lord, would fight at
the forefront.
Ann glared at her older brother with sharp eyes.
“Hey, Onii-sama. What do you think about the reason why that
monster could track us since forever?”
“Ah, that is……”
Did he sense where a part of him was and followed it with
purpose?
Or it might be that the part was attracting the main body.
Because of how angry Zaratan was, I thought that it was strange
that he would follow us forever even when he couldn’t see us.
“Onii-sama! Please hold it firmly! If it cracks it will be a
catastrophe!”
“Erica…what should I do?”
“Why did you ask me! Please don’t pass it to me because it’s
impossible!”
I was given the small bottle filled with the monster’s part and
I truly thought that I should have never come to this Ruins of
Visitor.
☆
As I stood at a branch point, I shook the Wand of Mage
Finger.
The invisible fingers grasped the bottle that sealed a part of
Zaratan, floated and went to a dark passage smoothly.
Ann’s Alarm was also set on the bottle.
If the monster picked it up, the bell that she held would emit a
sound.
“With this, if we move on to another passage, we will earn more
time.”
“As expected your craftiness function well, Erica. Your mind and
your face are an equal.”
This guy……
There were some things, do not despair.
“Oh my, I’m sorry that my mind and my face are bad.”
“N-no, it’s different Erica, what I mean was……”
“Onii-sama, Erica-sama, there is no meaning in earning time if
we don’t get out of here quickly.”
Ann kicked off Klaus’ back and urged him forward.
I would like for the sister to train her older brother more.
“Even so, Onii-sama, Erica-sama, the sense of direction has
become ambiguous.”
“It can be said even if there is little to no magical power
consumption of the guidepost Cantrip2, there is still
the magical power trap in this layer. So yeah, I can’t use it
frequently.”
Klaus and Ann’s complexions were dark with fatigue.
As expected, this ruins might be too harsh for mages.
“I am worried that we will go around and return to the monster.
What should we do in that case, Klaus-sama?”
“……It’s alright. The passage is narrow. If that monster was
approaching, you can tell by the sound of his claws digging the
wall.”
“Before the monster came to us, he is supposed to go towards the
bottle first. We are safe until the Alarm rings, Erica-sama.”
At that moment, there was a loud sound that seemed to make the
ground trembled.
We stood up reflexively.
However, I immediately noticed it. This was not the sound of
Zaratan digging.
Squeaking sound of gears, the sound of rubbing stones.
“This is the sound of the mechanical labyrinth, isn’t it? I
thought it was that monster.”
“Ah.”
“That said, the mechanical labyrinth has not changed as usually
it would, Erica-sama.”
The mechanical labyrinth kept moving even after we threw off
Zaratan.
This mechanism was kind of annoying, so it sounded somewhat
ominous.
At the end of the passage we saw something.
On the wall on the right side of the end of the passage, there
was an entrance to a room closed with an iron door.
“I hope it’s a small room this time.”
“Let’s open it first, Onii-sama.”
Klaus opened the door, which seemed to be a large room.
Should we search again?
However, the last branch point was the place where I put the
bottle for Zaratan to earn us time.
If we turned back, that strategy would be wasted.
I hope there was another entrance in this room.
Huh?
But as we entered the room, it seemed like another room I saw
today.
“Wait! It’s bad here……Erica, Ann, get out of this room
quick–”
I finally understood what Klaus said.
Decorative walls and pillars, countless of rubbles scattered
around, ceiling which had crashed down.
This was the cathedral where Zaratan was sealed – we were on its
side entrance.
At the moment we tried to retreat, something fell down before
the entrance where we entered.
Black rigid scales, empty orbits like the abyss, sharp nails
that could tear rocks easily like butter.
With his hind leg that was supposed to have been destroyed
already regenerated, Zaratan in his full condition was there.
Did he climb the wall and ambush us?
Even though he had such a huge body, somehow he was really agile
and shrewd.
『I am tired of waiting, humans.』
“What! No way, this must be a coincidence!”
『It is not a coincidence, I am the one who brought you
here.
I used the mechanism of the changing
labyrinth.
This is the place where my body was. I understand the
construction most intimately.』
Looking at the direction shown by Zaratan, the walls and the
others were destroyed, and there were places where the gears inside
were exposed.
Did he directly interfere with the gears and manipulate our
moving directions?
“Onii-sama, what about the scroll of Scorching Ray?”
“I don’t have another one. Before that, that monster would
reflect whatever other magic we use.”
“Then, what should we do……”
“I don’t know……, we have come this far……”
After running away so far, we were now like cornered rats.
All of our escape paths were blocked for sure.
“Ann, Erica! His assault is dangerous! Disperse and hide in the
shadow!”
Klaus scattered all his remaining spell cards and formed the
Protective Circle to the maximum.
With little hesitation, he rushed towards the monster.
Ann and I dispersed in two directions and hid in the shadows of
thick columns as he told us to.
However, as the huge monster sent Klaus flying with a blow, the
air froze.
The monster’s arms had become even thicker, longer, and brutally
distorted than how they were seen last time.
『I also got tired of playing with brats like
you.
Well, how should I kill you?
Hey, Golden Madness!?
That’s right, daughter of Aurelia.
First of all, let’s kill people other than you, in front
of you, for you.』
Zaratan declared with a voice full of pleasure while looking at
me.
“What did you say!?”
『Fu, ha, ha, ha, ha,
haaa……wonderful.
Your pain is my bliss!
Now, I will season your soul with deep despair and
loneliness!
Your soul and your tempting flesh and blood offering,
dedicate them to me!』
As he seemed happy, as if singing, the monster raised a
shriek-like sound.
『First of all, the smallest, most innocent and the
strongest among you.
Who gave me the deepest wound—
Your hope, I will cut it off!』
Zaratan crushed the pillar where Ann was hiding by swinging his
two arms.
She was freezing from fear, but she was still trying to fight
without giving up by shaking the staff towards the monster.
“Come, Monster! The one you’re really scared of is not Ann but
me, right? If you want to kill my sister, fight me first!”
Klaus stood up with body full of wounds.
Along with the provocation, he attacked with spell cards, but
Zaratan didn’t pay it any mind.
『Kuhahahahahaha! I can feel it, little
girl!
The smell of your noble and strong soul!
Your soul seems to be great next to the daughter of
Aurelia’s!』
The space in front of Zaratan became slightly distorted.
It was a magical phenomenon similar to spatial manipulation.
From there came something like a vast black shadow.
(He’s going to unleash the magic that would take in Ann’s
body!)
More than that, what Zaratan chose was the magic of Death.
If he struck against the small Ann with this, it would certainly
bring death.
“Stop it—–!!”
“Kya!”
Was Ann going to be killed?
I had come so far, but couldn’t escape from the fate of her
death!
In my mind, the memories of Ann would be gone.
I didn’t want that.
Did such thing have to happen?
Would such a small girl, who died before anyone else, forgive
such unreasonableness?
At that moment, I moved.
Without thinking of the consequences, I waved the Wand of
Castling3.
1 Panic movie or a disaster film is a genre of movies
depicting people who confront sudden abnormal situations such as
disasters and catastrophes.
2 Cantrip: is a category of spells that can be cast
at will, without using magical power and without having to prepare
in advance. Repeated practice has fixed the spells in the caster’s
mind and infused the caster with the magic needed to produce the
effect over and over. (source)
3 Wand of Castling: If you forget, this wand can
trade the user’s place with the target, just like a move in chess
where the King was swapped with one of the Rook. (I edited the
explanation in chapter 5 since this makes more sense)
The magic of Death that Zaratan used was the one he absorbed
from Erica’s attack earlier in the previous chapter.
|
LNWNCentral_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles - WN Chapter 00-18_Duke's-Daughter-Who-is-Liable-to-Die-and-the-Seven-Nobles-WN-Chapter-00-18-[Unknown][Trollo]
|
s17.txt
|
EpubPress - Wed Jun 20 2018 - Chapter 16: Megalithic Altar (part four)
Chapter 16: Megalithic Altar (part four)
Castling had succeeded.
I went to the coordinates where Ann was supposed to be, and Ann
went to the coordinates where I was in.
We were swapped in a blink of an eye by the magic circle
deployed beneath the feet of the two of us.
Before my eyes was Zaratan the vengeful huge beast.
From him, shadows that looked like countless number of black
arms, just like grotesque-looking black flower petals, were
stretching out.
It was an instant death curse which was absorbed from the Wand
of Death and amplified using the power of the Philosopher’s
Stone.
Black arms surrounded me without any gaps, all of which were
surely aiming at me.
They couldn’t be avoided.
At the corner of my eyes, I could see Klaus and Ann, who looked
at me with sorrowful expressions.
The object of the resentment of Zaratan was merely the Visitor’s
Clan……and I was their descendant.
The Harvan siblings were unrelated to the monster’s revenge.
So—
(Please escape. Please, even if it’s only both of you,
escape……)
There was no pain, no suffering.
The hands of the long black shadows touched me gently.
I closed my eyes and accepted it.
My body which lost its power slowly fell on my back.
Onii-sama, Otou-sama, please forgive me for dying before
you.
Thank you for being kind to someone who said nonsensical things
like me.
Erica went to Okaa-sama.
The eight years I had lived as Erica was a short but fulfilling
life.
It was a precious experience that I could spend all my time
freely.
If it was my precious life, I wouldn’t be able to do it at
all.
If I reincarnated again next time, I would like to be a pasture
emperor penguin.
(……Huh? Maybe, I’m not dead yet?)
Unlike the Curse of Merciful Death, death by the magic of Death
would be fulfilled promptly.
So, it was almost time…no, I should have lost my consciousness a
long time ago.
Then why?
Besides, it was high time I struck the ground.
I opened my eyes.
I saw Erica Aurelia’s trademark blonde vertical roll.
It was not a tightly rolled vertical roll that I always used to
see, but it was a bit messy due to intense exercise.
Such a difference could be clearly seen.
Her hair remained stationary as if it had stood in the wind.
No, it wasn’t just the hair.
The ribbon with plain color that had tied her hair was still
dancing in the air.
There was also the Wand of Castling that I had let go.
Dust in the air as well.
The remains of the pillars where Zaratan had destroyed.
And also the monster Zaratan.
(Is this…my lantern lights1?)
No, it wasn’t.
It was not that everything stopped.
Only the ones around 4 to 5 meters in radius from me had stopped
moving.
There couldn’t be such lantern lights like this.
Outside the space where everything stopped, there were countless
tiny objects circling at high speed while shining silver.
(Silver? Flying object? UFO……No, are those spell cards?)
Spell cards were flying over and formed a silver magic circle
with a radius of 5 meters.
It seemed that those spell cards formed the barrier that slowed
the speed of time.
But, it was strange.
Like the magic of spatial manipulation, the magic of time
manipulation was located at the top.
Both Klaus and Ann shouldn’t be able to use such magic.
Klaus who was standing upside down slowly walked toward this
direction.
He came into the barrier carelessly.
Apparently, Klaus didn’t seem to be affected by the time
manipulation.
『Br, ……brat……., yo, you……, bastard……, wh……what,
did……』
“Shut up.”
A voice full of deep hatred interrupted Zaratan’s words.
It was such an unfeeling and grave voice, I would never think it
came from a 10-years-old boy.
“……How dare you.”
As Klaus swung his arm, Zaratan was hit by something.
It was a sound like a heavy metal hammer striking a thick iron
plate.
There was a small crack in the armor of the attacked
monster.
“How dare you.”
Once again, Klaus swung his arm.
This time I saw it.
Spell cards jumped out of the Protective Circle he made and hit
Zaratan very hard.
The exterior of the monster that was attacked in the same place
cracked, black liquid splashed from inside, and stopped still
midair.
Klaus raised his face.
His facial expression was missing.
Cold, severe, rigid, expressionless face.
The eyes of Klaus, which looked like transparent sapphires,
turned into a grayish color that seemed to suck everything.
From one of his eyes, a single drop of tear was flowing.
“How dare you.”
The spell cards hit the monster.
Again, a little part of Zaratan’s body broke.
Even if the Protective Circle had a specialized effect on
Zaratan, there was a limit.
Just which one of them had a faster acceleration as they
clashed.
In this barrier to delay time, Zaratan had no technique to
resist.
He could neither avoid nor protect himself.
Neither regeneration nor transformation took place on time.
Even if he wanted to absorb the attack, he didn’t seem to be
able to adjust the timing by the difference between his
consciousness and his body.
Even if he could absorb the attack, it was a Protective
Circle.
The magical spell that merely became a defensive magic was
immediately destroyed by another spell.
“How dare you.”
Every time Klaus swung his arm, the armor of Zaratan broke, and
black liquid that was his main body became exposed.
It was just a one-sided violence.
Although the spell card was only a small piece of paper by
itself, the blows would crush the monster like a huge iron
hammer.
Swung his arm. Crush.
Swung his arm. Crush.
Swung his arm. Crush.
Swung his arm. Crush.
Just like a machine, Klaus kept striking in a quiet fury.
Unexpectedly, he stopped all of the spell cards in the air.
Klaus raised his staff overhead and assumed a stance.
From his clear grey eyes, one more tear dropped.
I thought indiscretely that it was very beautiful.
“How dare you……, how dare you, killed……my
friend……?”
With the end of his staff, he struck the stone floor.
With that as a signal, countless spell cards that formed the
Protective Circle leap upon Zaratan all at once.
Klaus’ magic looked like a silver tornado.
It was very beautiful in appearance, but it was a storm of
destruction that crushed everything just by touching it.
Zaratan, who had already been disintegrated into pieces, was
literally crushed until he couldn’t keep his current shape.
Zaratan returned to black liquid, spell cards wrapped around him
without any gap.
“I will never forgive you.”
The spell cards sphere gradually became smaller.
This time it emitted a rainbow-colored light, as if squeezing
Zaratan inside.
Eventually, the spell cards sphere which contained Zaratan
became about the size of a tennis ball.
Perhaps not just time manipulation magic but also spatial
manipulation magic?
They said an inexperienced body and an unstable mind would
hinder the eastern magic.
However, they also said that a strong emotion could amplify
magical power enough to overturn that disadvantage.
Klaus took out an empty potion bottle and cast a spell as if
singing.
The ancient monster, which was imprisoned with the spell cards,
was sucked into the small bottle .
The lonely huge beast Zaratan would be sealed and fell asleep
for the second time.
The spell of Seal that Klaus cast seemed like a sorrowful song
to me.
“……Erica, I, ……you.”
Klaus crouched down powerlessly when the sealing of the monster
was over.
At the same time, the time that had stopped started to move.
I fell to the floor on my back.
Uu……, I rubbed my waist.
“It huuuuurts~~~~!!”
While screaming, I crawled in search of a flat floor.
Klaus flinched, trembling, and then slowly turned to my
direction.
“Eh……?”
Oops, our eyes met.
I waved gently and smiled.
Expression returned to Klaus’ face.
Somehow, was he angry?
No, surprise, glad, embarrassed……
Wrong. Angry.
As expected, he was very mad.
This was bad.
How do I get away from him?
While I was worrying about that, Ann came running and hugged
me.
“Erica-sama! I’m glad, you are okay!”
“Yes……, it’s alright now, Ann-sama……”
Due to extreme tension, Ann’s cheeks were cold.
As I was stroking her back as gently as possible, Klaus was also
coming up to my side.
He was still mad, but in front of Ann it seemed that he couldn’t
say anything.
I felt like an aphid living together with ants.
If that was the case, I couldn’t let the Ladybug Klaus
attack!2
When I was thinking of such rude things, Ann turned over with a
bashful appearance, and separated from me.
Aah, Ann-sama, you could hug me a little longer!
Please protect me!
“You……, how come you are alive!”
“……How indeed?”
“If you are alive, then say that you are alive! You made me
misunderstood!”
“Erica-sama was taken into the barrier of Onii-sama’s time
manipulation, right?”
“Kuh……!”
“I live safely at great pains, so could you feel more
pleased?”
Where did the mature-looking expression go?
Klaus was resembling a 10-years-old child, with his clenched
fists trembling like that.
“Ha!? Klaus-sama, no way!”
“Wh-what?”
“Truthfully, do you dislike me being alive…?”
“Uwah……, Onii-sama……the lowest…”
“No! That’s not the case!”
No, no, I couldn’t thoughtlessly play around with this.
It seemed that I also felt embarrassed at expressing my
gratitude obediently.
I couldn’t say it to other people.
“Klaus-sama.”
“What’s next!”
“Thank you for your help.”
“A, ah……”
“Also, thank you for being angry as a friend.”
Although I was a little late, I told Klaus my heartfelt
appreciation.
Whether he felt irritated or embarrassed, I didn’t know him well
enough to understand it, he turned his eyes away from me.
“Well, good……I, if you’re okay, that, that’s good……I’m, about
you Erica……”
“Ah!”
“W-what is it suddenly!”
“What’s wrong, Erica-sama?”
“Maybe, the Curse of Death conflicted with the Onii-sama’s Curse
of Merciful Death?”
That was the reason why I didn’t die by the Curse of Death.
I was already destined to die in a few hours by the Curse of
Merciful Death.
This contradicted the destiny of Death’s immediate death.
As the result of conflicting destinies, the more powerfully made
Merciful Death won.
Fortune and misfortune twisted like a rope, and the future of
human beings was unpredictable, huh.
As expected, Onii-sama……
Not everyone could make such a powerful death trap.
I mean, this, could a serious practitioner even cancel
this……?
A tinge of anxiety crossed my mind, but I pushed it back.
“You……Didn’t you cast it aiming at that?”
“No, not at all. I completely forgot.”
“If so, why?”
“……Why indeed?”
“Don’t ask me……”
“Like this, I was swept by the mood, so I carelessly did
it?”
“You! Don’t throw away your life irresponsibly!”
“Klaus-oniisama! If you say more rude things toward Erica-sama,
I will not forgive you!!”
For some reason Klaus and Ann fell into a sibling fight.
I quietly leave that circle so as not to irritate the two of
them.
These two people were good friends in any way.
While thinking about such things about the other people’s
affairs, I enjoyed watching the exchange between the two of
them.
☆
The three of us could escape from the Ruins of Visitor
safely.
In the end, it was a simple task to swing the Wand of Levitation
in a Pass Wall state.
By the time we returned to Spring Palace, the date was about to
change.
About four hours had passed since I entered the ruins.
It was much shorter than the perceived time.
It was the longest and most intense four hours I had ever felt,
including the previous life.
Klaus cancelled the magic of Phantasmal Maze and we headed for
our fathers.
“So there was something like that happened, Erica.”
Because I was worried about how far should I talk honestly, I
only said that I caught the trap on the storage box that
Edward-oniisama set up in the Ruins of Visitor.
There was no courage to say more than that, such as going to the
lowest layer, released the seal of an ancient monster, not to
mention that it was resealed with my life on the line.
“……I apologize, Otou-sama.”
Just apologize.
It was a Japanese negotiation style learned in my previous
life.
When I showed that I was feeling remorse by keeping a
low-profile, Klaus came in and cut the conversation as if defending
me.
“That was my fault. I got her involved. Erica did nothing
wrong.”
“Klaus-kun……thank you for protecting Erica. Did she go into that
ruins and have returned unscathed because you guarded her?”
“No, that wasn’t it. Rather, I was—”
“Yes, that’s right, Otou-sama. Klaus-sama guarded me.”
I cut off Klaus’ words and said my piece to cover it.
The real reason was because the story got complicated, but it
was true that I was thankful that he guarded me.
“I see……Klaus-kun, for me, Erica is a treasure that can’t be
replaced by anything. As a father, as the Duke of Aurelia, I
promise that I will pay you back.”
That being said, the Aurelia official himself bowed to a boy who
was over thirty years his junior to express the highest respect for
a nobility.
It seemed that Klaus still wanted to say something, but he
didn’t persist.
My father let Klaus and Ann go back first.
The Harvan couple was waiting for them.
“Erica…”
“Yes.”
And my father said nothing more, just hugged me quietly and
gently.
I felt guiltier than if I was being scolded for a long time.
When I treated myself roughly, I realized there was someone who
would be sad.
After that, my father dispelled the Curse of Merciful Death
without delay.
☆
“Aah~~~~, I can finally sleep……”
It was two hours after my father finished the solution spell
that I came home to Spring Palace.
During the ceremony of the solution spell, the worried Klaus
came to check my situation many times.
Eventually, I was escorted to my bedroom.
He was a sincere person.
I threw the bag I borrowed from my older brother, took off my
clothes and left them scatter around, and then laid on the bed.
No more.
I would not move another step.
I mean, I would not go into the labyrinth ever again.
To play in a dungeon, inside a game was enough.
As I was idling about, my hand hit something hard, it seemed
that it rolled out from the pocket of the clothing I took off.
When we escaped from the labyrinth, I got it from Klaus.
“Oh, this is……, there is still some work to do.”
With vacant eyes, I headed to my working desk.
Searching the shelves containing alchemy materials in every
corner, somehow I found the material that I was looking for.
I wondered if I could put the skills I already learned into
practical use.
But, this, it seemed that this would take quite a while to
finish.
……This might take all night.
I looked back to my bed with bitter eyes.
Oh, my beloved duvet……
Shaking off my reluctance, I tried to concentrate on the loot
that I put on my working desk.
1 Like a lantern light: This is an expression in
Japan, expressing something like a shadow appearing in a lantern
light, it is referring to the various visions appearing in mind
when someone is about to die. The western equivalent would be
‘memories flashing before my eyes.’ So, Erica thought that what she
saw was visions as she was about to die.
2 Aphids are small sap-sucking insects. So-called
dairying ants have a mutualistic relationship with aphids, tending
them for their honeydew, and protecting them from predators. One of
aphids’ predators is Ladybug. (source) In this analogy, Erica is an aphid, Ann is
an ant, and Klaus is a Ladybug.
|
LNWNCentral_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles - WN Chapter 00-18_Duke's-Daughter-Who-is-Liable-to-Die-and-the-Seven-Nobles-WN-Chapter-00-18-[Unknown][Trollo]
|
s18.txt
|
EpubPress - Wed Jun 20 2018 - Chapter 17: To the Promised Land
Chapter 17: To the Promised Land
“Now, Klaus-sama, please hold this flower properly.”
I picked a faint thin pink rose with pruning shears.
I handed it to Klaus who turned into a bouquet-creation
machine.
Klaus seemed to have been scolded by his parents last night,
there were bags under his eyes.
He didn’t suffer major injuries, but his whole body should be
full of scrapes and abrasions.
There was also a large bandage plastered on his cheeks and
forehead, which made him look like a boy from a manga.
Nevertheless, the spots where his skin wasn’t ruined were
youthful as was his privilege as a beautiful character.
Ah, my Erica the Marvelous Villain’s body also didn’t have rough
skin.
It was appreciated by the plain fact that there wasn’t any
muscle pain even though usually I only exercised a little.
“Ufufu, Klaus-oniisama. Today you will listen to what I say,
right?”
Today we were walking through the Knot Garden of Spring Palace
as promised.
All of the gardeners were looking happily at Ann who seemed to
be in high spirits.
Followed by me with the pruning shears, and Klaus who held a lot
of flowers.
There was an impression about our group that Ann was a princess,
while Klaus and I were her attendants.
Spring green eyes froze.
Klaus’ eyes were also blinking rapidly. Ooh, comrade.
“Erica, did you stay up all night?”
“Yes, I was cleaning up a little……Klaus-sama, good work on
enduring the scoldings.”
“It’s not ‘good work.’”
Huh? Was he feeling tired?
I tried to think in Japanese, but in fact it was a conversation
in this world’s language.
Here the polite expressions were fuzzy, so there shouldn’t be
any regulation about that.
“……The preaching, ……no, my father’s teaching, it’s not over yet.
I just had a momentary break.”
“Hii.”
“After that, it seems to be my mother’s turn……”
“Hii……Klaus-sama, please live.”
It seemed to be a considerably strict family.
But, that was the Harvan couple way of showing their
affection.
They were strict because they were worried inside out.
Surely.
“There is a very beautiful rose over there!”
“I guess we have no choice. There are only two or three
more.”
“Onii-sama! If you don’t reflect properly, I would like to let
Otou-sama and Okaa-sama know……”
“Kuh…! Let’s go, Erica! If we let her be, she will reap all the
roses in this garden!”
“I won’t do that!”
“Yes, yes. Ann-sama, you can cut as much as you like.”
Klaus was reluctantly going along with his sister’s selfishness,
while his sister was enjoying herself to the utmost
uninhibitedly.
Above all, these siblings were good friends with each other.
(Aaah~~, at last, one of my death flags has completely
broken……it was a tough death flag……)
I felt completely out of my mind.
The lack of sleep was also adding to that, I was just like a
flower-picking machine with a fully automated garden commentary
feature.
It was wonderful that I wouldn’t die even if I was
absentminded.
“Erica-oneesama, what is that yellow flower over there?”
“It is a wooden rose native to the southern part of the
continent.”
“Lovely! Erica-oneesama, I’m going to see it up close!”
“Yes, go ahead, Ann-sama.”
Since last night, Ann had been calling me ‘Onee-sama.’
What was it, this classic girly novel sensation.
I felt a bit happy, but I was pretty embarrassed by the
compensation.
Could you let me replace the rosary?
Since there was no culture to wear a cross on this continent, as
expected, it became the star crystal necklace? Sounds ominous.
“Good grief……, I don’t know where she gets her inability to stay
calm, that girl.”
A lot of flowers chosen by Ann were held in both hands of
Klaus.
Today’s Ann was unforgiving towards her older brother because of
the lingering excitement of yesterday’s adventure.
I also dazedly cut the rose as Ann commanded and handed it over
to Klaus.
With that synergy, suddenly he was holding a tremendous amount
of roses.
Beside the massive amount of flowers that Klaus currently held,
what was horrible was that the flowers that had been brought to
Ann’s room was about three times of those flowers.
It was not a joke or a hyperbole, she could truly reap all the
flowers throughout the garden.
“She’s exactly like Klaus-sama. She’s very curious. Aah but,
Klaus-sama lacks Ann-sama’s courteousness.”
“Oi, Erica……no, Lady Erica. Just now, what did you say?”
“Oh my, Klaus-sama. Please, have a look. It’s a lovely
large-flowered rose.”
Slanders were more likely to carry to other people’s ears, how
troublesome.
While turning my eyes off him who was pouting, I cut out a
diluted crimson rose that caught my eyes with pruning shears.
I adorned Klaus’ hair with the cut out rose, glossing over his
previous question while making fun of him.
Fuhaha. How was it? It was inevitable if both hands were
blocked!
“Oh, it really suits you, Klaus-sama.”
“Wait a minute! Stop that!”
Klaus’ cheeks were dyed in shame.
This one was excellent!
In order to shake off the rose inserted in his hair, Klaus
hurriedly shook his head.
However, it seemed that the thorns tangled well with his hair,
and it didn’t fall off easily.
I did it, that was fun! Rose-san good job!
“Oya, Klaus-kun, you’re surprisingly pretty cute.”
“Well! Edward-oniisama, welcome back!”
“Geh, Edward!?”
My older brother’s traveling clothes were the same as when he
was about to leave, and in his hand he was holding a leather bag,
which was the Wunderkammer.
Although it was a groomed appearance and a graceful conduct with
no gap as usual, I could see a slight tiredness in his
complexion.
Did Edward-oniisama stayed up all night?
“Damn……! Stop it! Don’t look at me like this!”
Klaus concealed his face with a bunch of roses.
His ears were bright red.
Anyway, that phrase, you’d better quit it somehow, Klaus.
“You don’t have to hide. Isn’t it pretty?”
“Guh……Remember this, Edward Aurelia! This shame, I will
definitely get rid of it!”
Leaving behind a needlessly embarrassing parting remark, Klaus
ran in the direction of Ann and escaped.
I wondered if it was that embarrassing to be seen by
Onii-sama.
Maybe he had a one-sided rivalry with the alchemist Edward.
“Because the news reached me by owl delivery, I came home in a
hurry, but……I’m sorry, Erica. Did you almost die because of the
trap I set up?”
“No, I was able to dispel it safely, so it’s alright.”
Rather, I gave a lifetime of thanks to his super powerful death
trap.
I couldn’t go to bed with my feet facing
Onii-sama1.
“Rather than that, I’m sorry I devastated your supplies for
exploration.”
“It’s okay. I heard the story from father yesterday. To think
that the leftover of my supplies had helped my lovely little sister
to survive. I’d rather be proud.”
“Onii-sama……”
Onii-sama crouched down to look at me and gave a soft smile.
For a moment, I felt tears seeping out.
It was nice, to have an older brother.
However, with the next words, the angelic smile of Onii-sama
changed instantaneously to a dark smile.
“Oh, but for the time being, please tell me later, as much as
you remember about the details of who used it and how much they
used it.”
“……What are you going to do?”
“It’s a secret. Erica doesn’t need to be bothered by that, so
please be relieved.”
Klaus……Onii-sama seemed to charge a full payment for the wands
and the potions.
What a salt to his injury. Misfortunes never came singly.
If my older brother’s invoice arrived, I guessed he would be
selling out some forest from the planned inheritance.
Let me plead to my older brother at least to repaid my life
debt.
Anyway, after Klaus became Duke of Harvan, he should do his best
in territory management and compensated for the deficit.
Even so, I was at a loss.
Whether it was alright to tell my family about what happened in
the Ruins of Visitor.
That huge monster Zaratan could be a scandal of Aurelia of the
West.
“I also went to the ruins secretly a few times, but I could
hardly reach the place I wanted.”
“What is the destination place?”
“My friend investigated through literatures, but in the deep
part of that ruins, the remains of an unknown gigantic creature
seem to be sealed.”
“O-oh……, is that so–. I don’t believe it–”
“In relation to the surrounding soil and the distribution of
star crystals and the distribution of veins, with Ruins of Visitor
as the center, even if it is a small estimation, it is likely that
a diameter of at least 5 kilometers is formed on the base of the
remains of that creature.”
“Hii……5 kilometers, huh……?”
“It’s an impossible dream, isn’t it?”
I heard that it was formerly city sized, but to think that it
was a creature that exceeded 5 kilometers in length.
Somehow, the imagination was too much.
It was good that the Zaratan we met was in his small form.
I didn’t feel like we had a winning chance at all if it was the
original size Zaratan.
Ancient alchemists would be forced to use the Wand of Sailor’s
Song and risked their lives on that last resort.
“That’s right. I don’t think you will go to the ruins anymore,
but if you get lost for some reason, don’t go deeper than the
seventh layer.”
“Uu……why is that?”
“A group of tough monsters were living in the eighth layer. The
good thing is that they were barely wiped out, but if you used a
few big magic, you would unfortunately deal a fatal damage to the
labyrinth. Worst, the layer might collapse.”
“T-that is dangerous……”
“I was consulting with a collaborating researcher whether we
should reinforce the labyrinth or dig a tunnel to repair it. Either
way, since it is beyond the scope that can be investigated secretly
from father, I must arrange a way to send an official investigation
team through Leandez Magic Academy.”
The shrewd Onii-sama had to have secured a position in that
investigation team.
I understood.
Oh, by the way, my stomach was feeling painful because I was
feigning ignorance.
“That reminds me, yesterday, when we were inside, we heard a
loud noise that felt like the ground was breaking downstairs.”
“Ah, maybe it has collapsed already. Is digging a tunnel the
right choice? Even so……what was the trigger, there should have been
no mechanical linked with other layers……maybe I missed it……”
It was painful to be pointed out the inconsistencies more than
this.
After all they were poor lies and the secret was getting
ridiculous.
“By the way, Onii-sama! It’s amazing that there was such a big
creature!”
“Oya, are you also interested in the giant creature, Erica?”
Rather than interested, perhaps I should say that I had a bad
experience with that creature himself.
“Alchemist Jaconius, commonly known as Zaratan, Erica also knew
about that, right? There is a theory that the person called Zaratan
was possibly the name of that gigantic creature.”
“There are people in Leandez who noticed such a great thing,
huh…”
“There are also other theories, such as that theory, the secret
organization theory, and the alien theory, that it was an ancient
super-energy generator facility with a built-in space control
mechanism.”
As one would expect, those were such outrageous theories,
Onii-sama.
It seemed that he had a group of professional editor that loved
outrageous conspiracy theories.
“Onii-sama, the giant creature theory……”
“Oh, there are several folklores that supports it.”
Edward-oniisama was hesitating for a moment.
It was a gentle smile as ever, but a little bit of sad
atmosphere had been weaved into it.
“Alchemist Jaconius, as what recorded in Aurelia’s family’s
official history – there were differences between the story of the
Philosopher’s Stone and the solitary Zaratan, and the story that
was circulated in the ancient Aurelia’s family.”
“I only knew the story of Zaratan that appeared in the fairy
tale.”
“Yes. Actually, it is a hidden legend that is conveyed to the
dukes of Aurelia. In the legend of our family, Zaratan was killed
by the magic that drops a star, but in the official history that
Erica has yet to learn, in the end he was killed with a knife while
he was sleeping.”
I was surprised.
Certainly, that was what Zaratan himself had said. He was killed
in the gap when he was exhausted and slept.
For Aurelia, killing Zaratan should be a taboo.
That truth became a small fragment and it remained in the
present age.
“I have a friend who loved that story first. At first I was
helping him, but before I noticed, I was completely absorbed in the
story more than him……Our taciturn ancestors wanted to leave
something for their distant descendants……somehow, isn’t that kind
of story fascinating?”
“Onii-sama, do you know what happened to Zaratan?”
“It is not perfect because the folklore was being scattered and
ultimately lost, but–”
With that preliminary talk, Onii-sama started talking.
Our ancestors lived beyond the shining and distant seas of the
stars.
But, due to a disaster or some other reason, they were driven
out from their home land.
An ancient alchemist reported as Jaconius created one artificial
organism at sea.
The name of the creature was Zaratan.
Zaratan grew to the size of a huge island after a long period of
time, and carried our ancestors in place of an aging ship.
A city was built on the shell of Zaratan and the bones of
Zaratan became precious ores, including star crystals and star
steels.
After a long voyage, in which leadership had changed, they
arrived at Ichthyes.
However, the alchemist who was the leader at that time killed
Zaratan who was a meritorious creature and the person who was the
son or daughter of Jaconius.
It was said that they did it to obtain the Philosopher’s Stone
which was thought to be hidden in the body of Zaratan.
But no matter how much they dissected the body of Zaratan, they
couldn’t find the Philosopher’s Stone.
The alchemist opposed their own deeds and regretted their
sins.
They buried the child of Jaconius carefully in the depths of the
body of Zaratan.
The alchemists made a deep labyrinth that nobody could approach
its deep, while still being a tomb.
Do not let anyone interfere with the sleep of Zaratan along
with the child of Jaconius.
The youngest brother of Jaconius who survived and the daughter
of the leader got married and became the new head of the Visitor’s
Clan.
That was the beginning of the Duchy of Aurelia.
“The alchemists seemed to have broken one contract when killing
Zaratan, an artificial creature, but I don’t know yet what that
contract was.”
“It’s a sad story……”
“I don’t know if everything was true, but I think that the truth
is hidden somewhere in this story and it may be the role of us who
are the descendants of Jaconius to unravel it……that’s how it
is.”
Onii-sama smiled brightly to cheer me up.
“In my hypothesis, I think that they were not only buried, but
they were enshrined as gods. I believe that the faith of the
god2 Bren was made by combining the clan of Jaconius and
Zaratan.”
“Zaratan, a god……”
“If the altar of Bren faith was found at that ruins, it will
support my hypothesis……If the labyrinth collapsed, I wonder how
many years it will take for a full-scale investigation…”
Ah, so it was like Sugawara no Michizane3 or Taira no
Masakado4, huh.
Even though he bore grudges against humans, he had been made a
god by humans, huh.
Betrayed, killed, and to appease him, worshiped—
I thought that I could empathize with him somehow.
Defined unreasonably, loved selfishly, unreasonably killed,
wasn’t that the same as me?
He was also a companion who was beaten by a blunt weapon.
Well, a crowbar couldn’t compare to something like a meteor,
though.
“By the way, Erica, that golem……made of star steel, huh? When
did you make it?”
Oops!
I panicked and looked at my feet.
A large stuffed toy-sized, steel body, full-armor was sitting
quietly.
When did he followed me to the garden!?
“Ah……that, yesterday, I reused Onii-sama’s acid hydrogel golem’s
core……”
“Haha…I don’t mind, since I can make as many acid hydrogel golem
as I want.”
“I will appreciate it if you say so.”
“But, I thought that it was a golem made of star steel. Because
it will deform to some extent with magical powers, it could do
living organism’s natural movements.”
“Y-yes! That’s right!”
“It’s quite interesting–……Oya? Perhaps, this is a two-layer
structure?”
“Hii! It’s a top secret technology that is still under
experiment right now!”
“I see–, too bad……Oops, it’s already this time……”
I was already at my limit in glossing over the questions!
As I thought that, my older brother began to check his
watch.
Y-yosh! I seemed to dodge the bullet!
“I will return to my room at once. Erica seemed to have
completely devastated my supplies.”
“Uu.”
“Let’s talk about that necklace when you have calmed
down. I found out something interesting about it. Then, later,
Erica.”
That said, Edward-oniisama went back to his room.
When I looked at my feet, I could see the back of the star steel
golem.
In truth, it was not a golem.
A certain someone was just wearing a small armor made of star
steel.
“Why did you follow me?”
『I decided that I’m interested.』
“About what?”
『Why did you make use of me?』
“Pity, maybe?”
『I dislike compassion. You do not understand my feelings.』
“That’s true.”
『But, I also heard good things.』
“The story that Onii-sama just told us?”
『Aa.』
Tears were spilling from the black cavities.
『I was not betrayed by him. He was also killed. 』
“Looks like it. It is a thorough folklore.”
『I—』
“Yes.”
『May I cry for him too? 』
“Yes.”
Last night, after the ceremony of the solution spell, I was
handed the bottle where Klaus sealed Zaratan.
‘You can do whatever you want with it,’ he had
said.
So I immediately decided to take advantage of that and take up
on his offer, and unsealed him.
“I think that your revenge is justifiable, and I want to fulfil
the contract that my ancestors had with you.”
『Why is that?』
“Compassion, you don’t have to understand my feelings.”
The Zaratan that was unsealed got even smaller, due to the
effect of space compression magic by Klaus.
An anomalous dragon with the size of a cat.
That was what he was now.
Black scales like a night sky. Two twisted horns like a ram.
Sharp saw-like fangs were lining in lines like those of a
shark.
Short and sharp claws for all of his ten fingers.
The scales on his back were particularly thick and coalescing,
and they looked like a shell.
Perhaps he was taking shape as his juvenile form, his head and
forearms were large while his upper arms and tail were small.
The balance was exactly like a teddy bear.
He could be called a fish due to his scales and web-feet, and
could be called a turtle due to his shell.
Called the Philosopher’s Stone, called a god, called an evil
spirit.
But in the end, they couldn’t give him a name to call
himself.
There was only one lonely anomalous black dragon in this
world.
I made a small armor last night.
The material was the star steel which responded to magical power
and changed its shape as much as we liked.
The spell was physically carved and built with an athame
knife.
I was one of the few alchemists that couldn’t build spells or
charge magic.
And then I released his soul inside the armor.
One of the reasons was to disguise him as a golem.
The other was so that he could infinitely expand the cage of his
body.
『……My revenge is over.』
“Is that okay?”
『I thought I killed you once.
At that time, my heart was filled with joy to the extent that
nothing would matter.
You look like that guy.
I did not care about Aurelia.
I only care about killing him.
Only he was special to me.
Therefore, it is good. That guy has already gone.』
“The truth is, you wanted to kill him by using Alchemist’s Star
in revenge, right?”
『……You understand well.』
The small black dragon who passed the age of over six hundred
years laughed happily from the inside of the armor.
“If I can, I will carry out the contract in the behalf of my
ancestors.”
『My wishes have not change even now……I wish for a friend, and
then, I wish for a new name.』
“Is it okay with just that?”
『……That’s right.』
I bent over and touched the black dragon Zaratan’s clawed
hand.
“Then, I will give you a new name–”
At that time, the beautiful and brave Harvan siblings came home
with a lot of roses.
A refreshing wind blew through the flower-lined Spring
Palace.
In this way, the curtain for my first adventure had fallen.
☆
“Come, my friend, let’s give a new name to the Promised Land
over this sea: Tír na nÓg5.”
1 Referring to the idiom ‘cannot sleep with my feet
facing in his/her direction’: expressing that we are grateful for
what that person has done for us. In Japan, showing our feet is an
act of disrespect, so conversely, if you don’t show that person
your feet, you are showing him/her respect.
2 The god here is actually referring to an ancestor
that was worshiped as a deity.
3 Sugawara no Michizane was a scholar, poet, and
politician of the Heian Period of Japan. Today he is revered in
Shinto as the god of learning, Tenman-Tenjin. (source)
4 Taira no Masakado was a samurai in the Heian Period
of Japan who led one of the largest insurgent forces in the period
against the central government of Kyoto. He became a demigod to the
locals who were impressed by his stand against the central
government, while at the same time feeling the need to appease his
malevolent spirit. (source)
5 Tír na nÓg is the name of the Promised Land/The
Land of the Dead in the Irish mythology and folklore. (source)
Edit: So, in the folklore, Jaconius and Zaratan were the same
person, but that wasn’t true. In actuality, Jaconius was killed by
Alchemist’s Star while Zaratan was killed with a knife.
That’s what I inferred from reading between the lines, anyway.
Zaratan was happy that his maker, Jaconius actually didn’t betrayed
him.
Edit 2: While in the raw it said ‘Jaconius’ (ヤコニウス), I think the
author got her inspiration from Jasconius. In medieval bestiaries,
there is a fabled sea creature called Aspidochelon, described as a
vast sea turtle or a sea monster with huge spine on the ridge of
its back. It was so huge it often got mistaken as an island. In
Middle East, Aspidochelon was also called as Zaratan. And in Irish
folklore, this creature was also called as Jasconius, which also
mistaken as a vast island. (source)
If you remember, in chapter 6, the command words that were
engraved on the transfer gate was:
“Come, my friend, let’s give a new name to the Promised Land
over this sea.”
In this chapter, the words Promised Land has the readings of Tír
na nÓg on top of them, and I tried to incorporate it like what is
shown in this chapter.
If you don’t get it, the new name for Zaratan that Erica gave is
Tír na nÓg. But for later chapters, the author wrote it as
Tirnanog.
|
LNWNCentral_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles - WN Chapter 00-18_Duke's-Daughter-Who-is-Liable-to-Die-and-the-Seven-Nobles-WN-Chapter-00-18-[Unknown][Trollo]
|
s19.txt
|
EpubPress - Wed Jun 20 2018 - Chapter 18: Klaus Harvan’s Letter
Chapter 18: Klaus Harvan’s Letter
Klaus Harvan’s letter.
Dear Erica Aurelia,
A month has passed since we returned to Harvan’s Gineda
Castle.
Even now I still remember the case at the Spring Palace as if it
was yesterday.
I finally settled down, so I decided to send a letter to
you.
To tell the truth, I didn’t think much about the visit to
Aurelia at that time.
I think that I remembered that father and Duke Aurelia’s
conversation face to face was about mine development and forest
resources.
However, you may not have noticed, but it seems that they were
consulting about an engagement between you and me secretly behind
the scenes.
When we were gathered together, our parents’ arrangement about
the political marriage had already took part.
I have never thought that I would get into a political marriage
with you like this.
‘The Aurelia’s daughter would be a spoiled and an
intolerable girl anyway.’
‘Why should I be a couple with someone who is a showy,
ill-natured girl?’
I was thinking about such prejudiced things.
But the truth is different.
You are much stronger than I am.
Strong……?
No, your merit cannot be measured by a strong-weak
criterion.
You have been more than me……
I wonder what.
I cannot express it well.
The only thing that I can say is that it was the first time I
saw a woman like you.
Well, let’s get back to the story.
I was…At the bottom of that place, I couldn’t do anything.
Even when I was stuck with being blocked by the traps of the
labyrinth.
Even when my younger sister was likely to be killed by a strange
monster.
It was you that saved us all the time.
You thanked me for it, but it is not so. It is the opposite.
It is I who is thankful.
Thank you for protecting my sister, Ann.
If I couldn’t make it in time, I wouldn’t be able to forgive
myself for the rest of my life.
I want to be a person that balances you.
I am weak now.
So, someday I want to apply for an engagement with you if I
gained enough strength to suit you.
Of course, if you don’t like it, you may decide not to follow
through with this engagement.
Remember.
You do not need to be mine, but remember that I am yours.
When something happens to you, I will rush to you earlier than
anyone else.
And even if I have to throw my life away, I will protect
you.
From your eternal shield, Klaus Harvan.
☆
“Ann!!! Why are you reading other people’s letter without
permission!? Give it back!!”
“This is not good, Klaus-oniisama! Absolutely not good!”
Before Klaus noticed it, Ann was drawing near and snatched away
the letter he had just completed, and he became terribly
flustered.
Ann completely disregarded her older brother who was becoming
agitated.
Klaus was not good at dealing with his sister who was three
years younger than him.
“Onii-sama. Why are you writing a sultry letter?
As soon as I take my eyes off, you immediately wrote
incomprehensible things that was just an exercise in futility.”
“Who said it’s sultry!?”
“It’s definitely a declaration that you will become a yandere
stalker anyway!
If she received this, Erica-oneesama will definitely become
annoyed!!”
“What! What did you say!”
“Your feelings are too heavy!!”
“Before that, about the ‘yandere stalker’, I don’t understand
the meaning!!”
He didn’t understand the meaning, but Klaus also knew that there
were serious mistakes in his letter.
First of all, he had to listen properly to the argument of his
foolish sister who was exasperated.
No matter what, because Ann was one of his few source of
information about the Duke of Aurelia’s daughter.
“When I had a girl talk with Erica-oneesama……”
“‘Girl talk’?”
Klaus didn’t really understand the meaning of ‘girl talk.’
Ann was starting to use odd words due to the influence of Erica
Aurelia.
At present, it was only Ann that could grasp the meaning of
those words.
When such a story came out, Klaus was obliged to follow his
sister.
“I heard the type of Onee-sama’s favorite gentleman.
That is, she has no favorite type, but there are the types she
disliked.”
“……Then we can guess her preferences by elimination method.”
“That’s right.”
“This is important information, please continue.”
“A man who shoved his feelings without permission.
Also, a man who at first glance seemingly favourable, but in
fact he has no interest in communicating.”
“Certainly, that’s a man with a bad quality.”
“Worst of all, she doesn’t even want to breathe the same air
with them, you know?”
“Kuh, doesn’t even want to breathe the same air……!?”
“This is serious, you know?”
“This is serious……”
Klaus secretly recorded Ann’s information as an important item
in the memo pad of his heart.
These should be the profound reasons behind Erica’s state.
If he conducted those acts unintentionally, there was a
possibility that he would receive Erica’s absolute refusal.
Klaus thought so, not knowing anything.
“After that, a man who suddenly hit her from behind, and she
also refused any type of stabbing……”
“That……, isn’t that a matter of course?”
Klaus was ashamed.
What kind of experience did his fiancé candidate has when she
was still an 8-years-old?
Was it an assassination?
Was it because of an experience that someone she knew was likely
to be assassinated?
Was that why she sometimes has such gloomy eyes?
Klaus strongly set his will to ‘I must protect them as
well.’
“There are many things that I don’t understand in this
world…”
“Erica-oneesama is friendly to everyone at first glance, but in
fact she hates a fierce man……
No, there is even the likelihood of human dislikes.”
“Eh……?”
“Oh, Onii-sama is insensitive so you don’t understand.
Erica-oneesama has a smiling poker face, right?”
Klaus was further ashamed.
He recalled Erica’s figure when he was staying in Spring
Palace.
Even without saying that he would be liked, he didn’t think
about the possibility of being hated.
Because Erica smiled thinly all the time.
“It is a smile that everyone will accept gently, or rather it is
a smile that doesn’t let anyone come near—.
No way, did you not think about that at all?”
“Kuh……”
“That it was a smile that absolutely doesn’t allow people to
shrink their distance beyond a certain point?”
“That……that is……”
“Even when she was surrounded by a lot of people, did you notice
that she sometimes turned her lonely sight towards far away?”
“……Ah, I noticed that.”
“Good! Just barely above the safe line, Klaus-oniisama!”
Rather than lonely eyes, they were dazed eyes.
It seemed like that to Klaus, but he refused to go against
her.
No matter what he said to his sister when she was like this, he
couldn’t win with words.
Thinking about such a thing, Ann stared at Klaus with serious
eyes.
The older brother drew his body back a little. Those were
really serious eyes.
“As far as I concerned as a younger sister, it is nice for
Erica-oneesama to become my sister-in-law.”
“O-ou……”
“Klaus-oniisama, you can work harder, right? You haven’t gotten
serious yet, have you?”
“Ou……”
“Let’s forgive such a weak attitude for now.”
“Forgive, me?”
Why, do I have to be forgiven by you, Klaus trembled at
the unreasonableness of this world.
“Yes, you’re still fine now. Klaus-oniisama still has the
advantage of time.”
“What are you fighting against?”
“What are you talking about! Seriously, Klaus-oniisama is the
one that must take the initiative and fight!”
“Ou……”
For a moment, Klaus felt afraid of Ann’s threatening
attitude.
As expected women are difficult to deal with, he
thought.
“In other words, what do you mean?”
“It’s because Erica-oneesama is beautiful.”
“Nn……well, that’s right……that girl, is somewhat beautiful, I
guess……”
“Haa!? Look into my eyes, and say that once again, please?”
“Aa, I thought that she is beautiful for a child……Stop it, I can
see your eyes……”
Klaus lost his nerve and turned his eyes away.
Hidden behind her brother, Ann had a strange expression on her
face.
“In a few years Erica-oneesama will surely become as gorgeous
and bewitching as a large-flowered rose, she will become a peerless
beautiful woman.
With that indecisive attitude, it will be too late by then, you
know?
Do you understand, Klaus-oniisama?”
“What do you mean by ‘too late’?”
“Onii-sama. Erica-oneesama will inherit the vast territory of
her deceased mother when she reached adulthood.
Aurelia’s abundant silver ore……What do you think will happen if
there is a rare beauty there?”
“What’s wrong with that?”
Even if she was an incomprehensible girl, there was an elegance
to make her a wife after all.
It was Klaus who switched back with such a thing, but Ann’s
reaction to that was unexpected.
“It would be a property that exceeded excellent quality! It
would be very popular! Full of rivals all over the continent!”
“Wh……what……”
“For example, Urus of Lucanrant, the Margrave of Harlan, will
almost certainly aim for her.”
“W-what……!? He’s 26 years older than Erica, right!?”
The 34-years-old Urus of Lucanrant, the Margrave of Harlan was
rumored to be reeking of blood.
Moreover, they said that he slaughtered the husbands of the
female population of the fief to monopolize them.
Deliberately murdered his subordinates and such things as young
girls of the fief by having everybody enclosing on them.
A maid who appeared in the service, who was found pregnant by
the passing of the second month, regretted her circumstances and
threw away her life.
Etc. etc.
In vague places where the boundary between law and humanity was
ambiguous, plundering of women in barbarous degree by nobility was
a normal business.
But, even so, Harlan was killing too much people.
“The infamous First Prince of Ignitia, His Highness
Auguste-sama.
He is 10-years-old, the same age as Onii-sama. He might be the
biggest competitor.”
“What! That Auguste! That’s unforgivable!”
Auguste, First Prince of Ignitia, was also a person who only had
bad rumors surrounding him.
Born from the queen’s unfaithfulness, he grew up without
affection.
Because the blood of the royal family didn’t flow, he wasn’t
blessed by the dragons which were the guardians of Ignitia and he
was unable to ride on their backs.
He was doing improper conducts self-indulgently, exactly like a
foolish ruler.
The bishops unanimously predicted that the age of darkness would
come if he succeeded the throne.
However, concerning Prince Auguste, Ann didn’t hear that there
was a clear victim.
Ann was of the opinion that it wasn’t good to believe such
uncertain rumors.
Erica, who was notorious as a future wicked lady around here,
also was a real example that rumors and the real thing were
completely different.
However, if she considered it as a material to provoke her older
brother, it was another thing.
Let’s take advantage of uncertain rumors, Ann thought
so.
There were many aristocrats who didn’t want to get married, but
Klaus’ level of knowledge about evil deeds, this area was the
limit.
“If His Highness Auguste-sama was her partner, she will never be
happy even if she became a queen consort. Especially if she became
a concubine.”
“Concubine!? That Erica!?”
“But, His Highness Auguste-sama is the one who will be the king
of the Union Kingdom.
In the unlikely event that Klaus-oniisama tried to save
Erica-oneesama after the marriage was already decided, do you know
what would happen?”
Klaus furrowed his eyebrows.
If that happened, it would be a crisis of civil war.
It had to be avoided.
Because the old royal family would never endure humiliation by
their own vassal.
“But why are you familiar with the circumstances of aristocrats
other than Harvan?”
“Because it’s not an unrelated matter.”
“How so?”
“If the political circumstances of Harvan became worse, I could
also get married to the aforementioned Margrave or the First
Prince.”
“I will not allow that to happen.”
“Onii-sama should never do that.”
“Whatever happens, I will never allow that, especially you, do
you have an ideal man—”
“Mou! Enough about me!”
Incidentally, even though she was tough to her older brother
Klaus, her ideal type was her older brother.
She didn’t want to marry a man who was as strong or stronger
than her older brother.
So, in fact, it was Ann who had the most antipathy to this
engagement talk.
However, at first she was also on the fence about the girl
called Erica Aurelia.
It was when she was first guided along the rose garden of the
Spring Palace.
At that time, Ann already determined the character of Erica and
thought that maybe she could leave her older brother Klaus at the
hand of this woman.
It shouldn’t be necessary to explain that during their case in
the deepest part of the Ruins of Visitor, that conjecture turned
into certainty.
“As long as the relationship between Harvan and Aurelia is
strengthened, my marriage will also be fine.”
“Yes. Certainly, as far as you are concerned, this is not
somebody else’s problem.”
“That’s why, communicate properly with Erica-oneesama! In
moderation! Please convey your favor to her!”
“O, ou…….”
Klaus turned his eyes away from Ann’s sharp gaze.
Originally oblivious to his own feelings, now Klaus’ civilities
were at rock bottom.
He didn’t know how to process and arranged his true thoughts
into what moderate sentences would be like.
“……You’re making an embarrassed and unwilling look on your
face.”
“Uh.”
“……You look like you find it difficult and troublesome.”
“No. There is no such thing. Don’t worry.”
“Then, a little bit more mild and light, yet it is rewritten to
ensure that Onii-sama’s love is transmitted!”
“L-love!?”
“That’s not it?”
“N-no, absolutely, absolutely, that’s not it!!!”
“Aah mou! You’re so stubborn……!”
Ann’s scolding and Klaus’ scream echoed in the beautiful
Harvan’s Gineda Castle.
☆
It was around a month and a half since the case in the
ruins.
A letter arrived at the place of the western duke’s daughter
Erica Aurelia.
Written on a fine vellum paper, it was a letter from the eastern
young noble Klaus Harvan.
『A letter from that black haired, good-looking dwarf?』
The source of that voice was the Zaratan – now the black dragon
Tirnanog – who had completely adapted himself to Erica.
In the end, even if Tirnanog was to break free from the
constraint of his armor, there was no particular problem.
Right now, we were just in the middle of bathing leisurely in
the hot water set in the tub.
“Yes, that’s right. Gift from Ann-sama has also arrived.”
『Hou, is it an offering? As expected of the girl who had given
me sufferings in a fight. That girl showed promise.』
“Offering……? I wonder if it is an offering, hmm. Well,
perhaps.”
『Am I allowed to open them?』
“Yes, go ahead.”
When he received permission from Erica, Tirnanog finished up his
bath.
And then, he started unpacking with a cheerful air.
『Ooh! Pig’s thigh!』
“Wah~~……, a very top quality dry-cured ham. How nice~~……”
The ankle of the ham was wrapped with a label with an emblem of
Duke Harvan.
It was a gem that was aged carefully.
Or rather, I thought it was very large and heavy.
The specialties of the East were the abundant of acorns from the
forest, the fattened pigs, and calves that were brought up with
tender white clovers.
Such information was coming up to Erica’s mind.
『Can I eat it?』
“Yes. Ah, save a portion for me.”
『Umu. I will. I never starve my friend.』
As a girl, was it okay for me to feel pleased with meat?
At first she hesitated, but Erica decided to banish her doubt
immediately.
Anyway, people who produced meat were not bad people.
In the meantime, Tirnanog was sinking his teeth into the ham
heartily.
“Well, let’s take a look at the letter.”
Erica opened the seal of the letter.
At first, Erica was looking at the paper with a loose smile, but
gradually her expression clouded.
After reading, she stared into the air with a mysterious
expression.
Tirnanog noticed it and raised his face from the ham.
『What’s the matter?』
After holding her silence for a while with an expression that
seemed to be suffering from a headache, Erica showed her letter to
Tirnanog.
『‘You are strong. I will become a man who will not lose to
you.’ Wait a minute, this is……』
“……What do you think?”
『A letter of challenge.』
“Oh, so it’s not just my imagination……”
『He is strong, but you can definitely win. I knew it.』
“No, it’s not that…”
Erica understood that she might have been regarded as a rival by
the genius mage from the East.
She didn’t understand at all what went wrong.
This, perhaps, might be a new death flag.
She thought that she had made friends.
Or that she might have a decent friend of the opposite sex, for
the first time in her life, including her previous life.
Erica Aurelia chewed her bottom lip slightly.
Her level of human distrust seemed to have risen again by
one.
|
LNWNCentral_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles - WN Chapter 00-18_Duke's-Daughter-Who-is-Liable-to-Die-and-the-Seven-Nobles-WN-Chapter-00-18-[Unknown][Trollo]
|
s2.txt
|
EpubPress - Wed Jun 20 2018 - Chapter 1: Spring Palace (part one)
Chapter 1: Spring Palace (part one)
On the north of Ichthyes1 continent where we
lived, there was a country called Lucanrant.
It was a tough country in winter, it was also called Lucanrant
the Ice and Snow Country.
I knew about the tragedy that happened in Lucanrant from the
memory of my previous life.
One of the people in the Duchy of Lucanrant had gone mad and
killed all of his family members.
—It was rumored that he wasn’t mad, but he was a werewolf, and
somehow that whispered rumor seemed very plausible.
Actually, there was one person who survived this ‘Werewolf
Massacre Incident.’
That person was the heroine of this game, Chloe Lucanrant.
After this incident, Chloe was hidden by a wealthy merchant’s
family, and used the pseudonym Chloe Croakina.
She would enter the Leandez Magic Academy in the autumn when she
was 14-years-old, seven years after the Incident, and would be
involved again in a bizarre incident.
Pretty sure there were seven capture targets. And each hero had
an individual scenario.
If you cleared the initial scenario, it was the type of a game
where scenarios were released one after the other.
I was still in the middle of playing this game and had only
cleared up two scenarios.
I had just started the third scenario in the commuter train in
my last day.
Yeah, I had not completed the game.
I was stabbed three days after the release date!
Hahaha, it’s painful, isn’t it!
Apart from that.
First of all, I had to summarize the memory of my past life and
my current life.
Let’s spread out the large parchment of a map and let us
confirm the geography of this world.
This continent was roughly composed of four regions.
Lucanrant in the north, Harvan in the east, Aurelia in the west,
and Ignitia in the south.
These were all old country names, and royalty of those old
countries dominated these areas.
The northern Lucanrant was an extremely old country where its
people had to migrate north just to make their own country, and
they produced many brutal swordsmen who were strong and
healthy.
The eastern Harvan was the second oldest country made by an
ethnic group that visited this continent, it was located deep in
the forest, and they produced versatile mages.
The southern Ignitia was a country of dragon knights who could
ride on dragons.
At that time when they came to the southern region, the one who
dominated Ichthyes was a country called Cascadia.
Ignitia destroyed Cascadia by the mighty strength of the dragon
knights and conquered the southern part of this continent.
They were proud conquerors.
The western Aurelia was the alchemists’ country made by the
〈Visitor’s Clan〉 who was the last to come to this continent.
It was still impossible to turn lead into gold, but since we
found enormous gold veins, it was the wealthiest region.
The current Duke of Aurelia was my father.
My mother died before I was three years old. Since then, my
father was still single without remarrying.
My memory about mother was very few.
I could only remember her gentle singing voice and the touch of
a gentle fingertip touching my cheek.
Was it because I was an unfeeling child or because it was hard
to establish memory before three years old?
“Erica-sama~~, where are you~~?”
I heard the voice of the maid who was searching for me.
I was caught up in the sentimentality about my mother, but now
not so much.
An event that would probably trigger my death flag could start
anytime soon.
Now I wanted detailed information about the Aurelia in the west
and Harvan in the east.
I would like to reinforce the knowledge I had lived as Erica
Aurelia.
Especially, because—
“Oh, found you. Don’t trouble your maid too much, Erica.”
I was found by my older brother.
By the way, this was my older brother’s study room.
It was not impossible for him to find me here.
“Onii-sama, I wasn’t hiding or running away. Before triggering
my death flags, I have to collect information and be prepared!”
“Death flag……?”
Oops, my mouth slipped.
“Ah, no, never mind.”
“Hm, then, let’s go. Everyone is waiting for you.”
I didn’t think that I would meet that person the next day after
I remembered the memory of my previous life.
I was just barely surpassed the save line.
I would have committed an irreparable mistake if I was late
another day in remembering my past life.
Today was the day when the eastern Harvan family visited the
western Aurelia family.
Among them, he was the capture target of the starting scenario
of 『Liber Monstrorum』– he was Klaus Harvan.
The Klaus who I knew, that was, the Klaus who was one of the
game’s capture targets had such characters.
At the age of sixteen, he was a versatile mage.
A dignified sharp face.
A cruel character.
He was a boy with dark eyes filled with regrets that couldn’t be
wiped out and a human being who looked resigned all the time.
Although he was supposed to have blue eyes and black hair in the
setting, in the CG his eyes were drawn with a color as close to
black as possible.
Why did he become such a person?
That was because he thought Ann Harvan, his sister, was killed
due to his fault.
But, the one who actually killed Ann Harvan, was me.
To be precise, it was me who brought Ann to a place where the
danger of death was hanging in plain sight.
It was the young villainous lady Erica Aurelia, who was the
cause of Klaus’ sister’s death.
(This part will become the cause of my death six years
later.)
Every owl that were used to deliver a letter was killed, the
land where the magic academy resided become a solitary island.
And then, with her whole body turned into gold, the dead body of
Erica Aurelia was discovered.
This was the beginning of the first scenario, ‘The Golden
Madness Murder Case.’
If I had to spoil it, so Ann went into the ancient ruins of
Aurelia and was possessed by an evil spirit.
The evil spirit of the ancient ruins was a legendary
alchemist.
He, who was the only one that succeeded in creating the
Philosopher’s stone, had been killed by his compatriots who were
trying to get the secret of its creation.
An evil spirit possessed by revenge, nostalgia, love, and hate
caused a continuous death by ‘the Curse of Midas2’ at
the academy.
Ann, who had been assimilated with the evil spirit for six
years, aimed first at me who had killed her and killed me.
Yes, I could understand that feeling so much.
So.
Today I met that pair of brother and sister, Klaus and Ann!
I didn’t feel bad, but I didn’t know what would happen and I was
afraid of dying!
What if when I met Klaus and Ann, I woke up as a villain?
Like the original Erica, I might become a villainous lady that
pushed a person into a trap – I couldn’t stop trembling when I
thought about everything that could go wrong.
“Erica, are you okay? Are you cold, you seem to be
trembling……”
My gentle older brother carefully put his hand on my
forehead.
Thank you very much, Onii-sama.
He treasured his younger sister who had awaken the memory of her
past life without change.
“I’m okay, Onii-sama. I will be seeing some of Harvan’s people
for the first time, so I am a bit nervous.”
“You can rest assured, Erica. Eastern people are gentle and
kind. Oh yeah, the son of Duke Harvan is older than you by two
years, while his daughter is a year younger than you.”
“Yes, I have heard from Otou-sama. Klaus-sama and Ann-sama,
right?”
“It will be good if you can become friends.”
“Yes.”
I had calmed down when I was talking to my older brother.
I would do my best.
It was yesterday that I awaken the memory of my previous life,
so the countermeasure hadn’t been prepared properly.
Still, it wasn’t good to be crushed by tension from the
beginning.
“Aah, that’s right. I will give this to you. Because a spell for
courage was put on the stone, even the shy Erica surely can be
friendly to your new friends.”
As he said that, my older brother hung a necklace with a stone
which had a hint of blue light around my neck.
(This is, a star crystal……)
The star crystal was a mineral which was Aurelia’s special
product.
It had another name which was 〈star of the navigator〉.
It was a crystal of a special mineral that emits light as its
surroundings got darker in response to weak magical powers.
When you used a piece of star crystal in the size of the tip of
a fingernail into a glass tube and used it as a lamp, it kept the
same brightness as a candle.
In this 〈Spring Palace〉, such star crystal lamps had been
installed everywhere.
However, I had never seen crystals that were large in size and
weren’t put into a container like this necklace.
“Onii-sama, this is–”
“This is a secret from father, okay? This is the result of my
friend from the magic academy’s research into the Ruins of Visitor.
I thought that it’s a good gift for Erica. I had the stone cut and
tailored it to a necklace. Star crystals of this size, it shouldn’t
exist anywhere in this world except in that ruins.”
“Eeh……!?”
Ruins of Visitor.
The moment I heard those words, I stiffened.
“Onii-sama, thank you very much. But Otou-sama said that the
ruins are dangerous……?”
“That’s why, keep this a secret from father.”
〈Ruins of Visitor〉 was a place where Ann would lose her life and
it was the place where the evil spirit was sleeping.
The reason why Klaus and Ann sneaked into the Ruins of Visitor
at the game『Liber Monstrorum』was the star crystals.
To Ann who wanted this beautiful jewel, the young lady Erica
told Ann about the dangerous ruins.
Erica’s line in the game played in my head with her character’s
voice.
(This is an important stone from Onii-sama! If you want it,
you can find it yourself!)
This was–! This was my true death flag!!
I almost threw the necklace away from the window just now, but I
couldn’t do it to the present from my older brother and his
friend.
If possible, I would like to avoid wearing it too noticeably
when meeting with the Harvan family.
I spoke with my older brother carefully and smartly so that no
suspicious behaviors appeared.
“Onii-sama, I’m very happy, but……it’s too obvious. Otou-sama
will be there with us after all.”
“Hmm, as expected that’s not good.”
“Then, how about hiding it under my dress?”
“I see, that’s alright.”
I will steadily strike down the death flags.
1 Ichthyes (イクテュエス): means Pisces in Greek. The more
you know lol.
2 Midas: it was a story about a king who was so
greedy and wished that everything he touched turn into gold.
Meaning, the Curse of Midas is where people died by turning into a
gold statue.
|
LNWNCentral_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles - WN Chapter 00-18_Duke's-Daughter-Who-is-Liable-to-Die-and-the-Seven-Nobles-WN-Chapter-00-18-[Unknown][Trollo]
|
s3.txt
|
EpubPress - Wed Jun 20 2018 - Chapter 2: Spring Palace (part two)
Chapter 2: Spring Palace (part two)
At the drawing room of Spring Palace, we had a meeting with the
Duke of Harvan.
The theme of this visit seemed to be the conversation about the
development of the silver ore veins at the boundary between Aurelia
territory and Harvan territory and the surrounding forest
resources.
My father, Duke of Aurelia, was in his forties.
His stroked back golden hair had some white hairs mixed
within.
He had short beards on his jaw.
His looks and personality were similar to Edward-oniisama.
He was very sweet to his family, but he was also a proud person
with many meritorious deeds.
My older brother and I who had dressed up was lining next to
him.
Then, Duke Harvan and his wife, along with their two children
appeared before us.
The Duke of Harvan was younger than my father.
Although he was already in his thirties, he had a beautiful
youth style with black hair and gray eyes with a sharp
impression.
He was wearing the magician’s formal wear which consisted of
loose pale grey robe.
At first glance it was plain and simple, but it was a very
beautiful clothing with fine silver embroidery.
The Duchess was a bit young.
She was a woman who seemed energetic and refreshing.
She was wearing a light blue dress with little decorations, her
black hair was in an updo, and she had deep azure eyes.
She was an adult woman who combined elegant beauty with mellow
cuteness.
Then, there were Klaus the first child and Ann the second
child.
Klaus was wearing a black extravagant clothing with silver
threads, while Ann was wearing a neat white dress with silver
threads.
Both of them were similar to their father in facial expression,
while their hair and eyes were similar in color with their
mother.
Their straight black hair looked silky, and their intense blue
eyes were impressive.
Klaus was especially stood out with the transformation from his
dark impression in the game to the bright, child-like facial
expression he wore right now.
He looked like a healthy boy who had never been hurt with plenty
of confidence.
I wished he could grow up as a refreshing, healthy young lad as
he was.
After the greetings and introductions, Duke Harvan and my father
talked about the subject of today’s agenda.
The Duchess of Harvan deemed to decide to take a look around
inside the Spring Palace, accompanied by my older brother.
Then I, Erica Aurelia, along with the Harvan siblings, were told
to play in the palace’s extensive garden.
During this season, Spring Palace, just like its name, was a
flower-filled palace.
And the most beautiful place in the palace, Knot Garden, an
ornamental flower garden1, was a large garden with
hundreds of flowers, consisting of three gardens of roses.
“Then, from now on I will introduce the garden.”
“Oi, woman. I don’t feel like getting along with you, absolutely
no way.”
—Did this person have a personality like this?
I mean, why was a 10-years-old boy calling a girl who was
younger than him by two years with the term ‘woman’?
No, this was right.
Klaus Harvan was not only ruthless and gloomy, but he was also a
Do-S man. I forgot about that because of his refreshing boyish
looks.
“In the first place, I don’t even want to came here! I don’t
understand why should my father have to come here, the newcomer of
the west.”
Even if you told me such a thing.
In the Spring Palace of Aurelia, there were many transfer gates
installed, in addition it was perfect for observing the surrounding
mines and forest……that was how it was.
In the first place, Aurelia’s 〈Visitor’s Clan〉 arrived on this
continent about six hundred years ago, so it was troubling to be
called a newcomer.
“Hmph, I have no interest in such a place. Flowers are
crap.”
“Onii-sama, please don’t say something childish like that. That
is rude to Erica-sama.”
While I was thinking for a matter of seconds about how to
counter that in a friendly way, help came when I was silent.
Ann was one year younger than me.
“That was such a rude thing to say to Erica-sama who will guide
us through the gardens of Spring Palace, which is an honour.”
“Aah, I don’t want to be with you, Ann. If I’m together with
women I will become weak.”
Well, I guessed he was this kind of person, yeah.
As expected, opposite sex should be limited to 2D.
However, it was slightly surprising that he took this kind of
attitude towards his sister.
Even though he was a terrible siscon in the game.
“That’s alright. Then, Klaus-sama please do whatever you like. I
will show Ann-sama this garden.”
“……Aah, I will do that.”
Klaus left us and went into the palace quickly.
Even so, I wondered what he was going to do in other people’s
palace alone?
Well, whatever.
I should entertain Ann right now.
Today’s mission was to protect her safety, not to take care of
Klaus’ mood.
Absolutely, I wouldn’t even get close to the western Aurelia’s
number one Ruins of Visitor!
“I apologize, Erica-sama. My older brother has done something
very rude.”
“I don’t mind it. Thank you for your consideration,
Ann-sama.”
“I should be the one thanking you, Erica-sama.”
Even though she was younger than Klaus, Ann was prim and
polite.
Her favourable rating within me rose steadily.
Also, one of my concerns was solved.
As a result of meeting Klaus and Ann, Erica Aurelia, the
villainous lady who was sleeping within me, was awakened!
……Nothing like that happened, I was still me.
“I was looking forward for this very much. I heard it from the
rumors. This large garden is so wide that you can’t see everything
even if you exhaust yourself.”
“Oh my, is this your first garden?”
“Yes. There are no people in the east who have low-cut trees
like this. So it is very unusual – Ah, those flowers are–!?”
Although Ann was still seven years old, Ann was very
intelligent.
Then she seemed to have a lively, child-like sensitivity.
After we went to the area of Knot Garden that consisted only of
evergreen trees, we headed towards the ornamental garden in which a
wide variety of flowers were in full-bloom.
Each one seemed to be unusual for her.
“These are dwarf lavenders. It is an improvement form of the
original, so their petals are larger.”
“Their pale purple colors are very beautiful……Ah, what is that
single white flower?”
“It is one of our original rose species. If you like it, I will
tell the gardener to pick several of them for you.”
“……Is it alright?”
“Yes. Please add your favorite flowers to your liking.”
It wasn’t bothersome to listen to the little girl’s request.
I believed that being nice was the basic manner to become
intimate with children.
“Is it really alright?”
“Yes, Ann-sama is my precious guest.”
I kept smiling to her.
Ann’s face turned red.
“……Thank you very much……”
Unlike her brother, she was very honest and cute.
Well, Klaus was not honest because that was his selling point,
so it couldn’t be helped.
Because there was a demand for that in the world of my previous
life.
And, in my mind, I remembered the world where Ann had died.
(That kind of thing absolutely should not happen. I don’t want
such a child to die.)
Of course, there was also her cuteness.
I sincerely felt bad that she would be cursed and killed by an
evil spirit.
1 Actually written as a parterre (パーテア), which is an
ornamental garden with paths between the flower beds.
…And no, there is no yuri here.
|
LNWNCentral_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles - WN Chapter 00-18_Duke's-Daughter-Who-is-Liable-to-Die-and-the-Seven-Nobles-WN-Chapter-00-18-[Unknown][Trollo]
|
s4.txt
|
EpubPress - Wed Jun 20 2018 - Chapter 3: Spring Palace (part three)
Chapter 3: Spring Palace (part three)
The tour of the garden ended pleasantly.
Ann was very happy.
She looked very surprised at the improved flowers in the western
Aurelia and enjoyed the tour.
I remembered to return to the gardener on my way back to bundle
the flowers Ann picked up and decorate her room with them.
She would be pleased when she got to her room.
Once I was about to return to my room before the dinner party
began, I came across a surprising thing.
“…Haah, not yet, another round…!!”
“This in an embarrassment. Aren’t you already out of breath,
Klaus? I’m already hungry, so let’s stop this here…”
It seemed that Klaus and my older brother Edward had been
sparring in the courtyard of the palace.
Klaus had a long staff that was used by the mages of the East,
while Edward-oniisama had a short wand that was used by the
alchemists of the West.
Apparently, Edward-oniisama was winning.
As expected from Onii-sama.
No, wait, your sparring partner was a child so go easy on him,
you 20-years-old man.
The lawn of the courtyard roughly had hollowed out, huh.
“Oh, Erica. How was it for you?”
Edward-oniisama came over with a look like ‘I was
saved’ when he found me.
I saw Klaus trembling from hearing his voice…
A scene of being thoroughly defeated like that, he wouldn’t want
anyone to see it.
“Well, Ann-sama was very pleased. Have the two of you been
bonding with each other?”
“Aah, Klaus-kun said he wants to try my strength. Well, he’s
very good. I was defending against him.”
“Oh my, is that so?”
I hoped for your continued humility.
It was better for you to be careful as exaggerating humility
felt unpleasant to see, Onii-sama.
Perhaps he invalidated all aggressive magic that Klaus sent with
a calm face?
“Tch……!”
See, the trembling Klaus turned red.
In the first place, in this spar Klaus was in a disadvantage, if
you thought about it.
Basically, mages far outperform alchemists with their degrees of
freedom and variation of spells.
However, the physical and mental burden was correspondingly
high.
That was because to perform a spell, mages used magical power
that they generated from their own body.
Such things like inexperienced body and an unstable mind would
obstruct everything.
Conversely, the magic composed by evoking a strong emotion
became enormously powerful.
Alchemists created some constructions with built-in spells
beforehand and filled them with magical power, which could be
stored for various utilizations.
Then, performed magic as necessary afterwards.
Neither physical condition nor mental health was relevant.
The question was whether or not they had prepared for the
situation properly.
As the result, the alchemist Edward who had stored items
sufficiently, with the mage Klaus who had not complete his physical
maturity, it would not even be a match.
By the way, I, Erica was an inferior student which was rarely
found in Aurelia family in recent years.
The fatal thing was, I couldn’t build spells nor store magical
power.
I could barely use the items created by other alchemists.
Actually, that could be done by any human, even if they weren’t
alchemist…but…, hahaha.
Harsh!
Right now I was under the patronage of my father and older
brother, but what would happen when I entered the academy!?
Apart from that.
“Both of you, the dinner party will start soon. Isn’t it better
to use the time to prepare?”
I passed on my calm brother who was not sweating, and looked at
Klaus’ body.
“That’s why, Klaus-kun. This game is a draw, so time out.”
“…Tch, I will not lose next time…”
“Oh, that’s right. I was called by my friend from school a few
days ago. After dinner party I will be returning to Leandez Magic
Academy.”
“What did you say……!?”
“Well, I’m sorry. Klaus-kun.”
This was my first time hearing that my older brother would be
returning to Leandez Magic Academy tonight.
I guessed Edward-oniisama used this chance to flee from
Klaus.
“That’s so sudden, isn’t it possible to stay, at least while the
Harvan’s people are here?”
“This is urgent. Make friends with Klaus-kun for my part too,
Erica.”
“Eh……? Alright.”
And then Edward-oniisama left.
Klaus and I were left behind.
This was awkward.
I glanced at Klaus and caught him scowling at me openly.
Smiling while thinking on what to do, he scowled at me even
more.
“……I apologize for saying something rude before.”
He stopped scowling at me, just looking at me with honest
eyes.
“It’s fine, Klaus-sama.”
“It seems that I was originally weak even before I caught the
weakness from the others.”
Klaus looked like a dejected puppy.
Edward-oniisama, just what did you do……?
“You are the sister of that man. You must be a refined
alchemist.”
“No, I have no alchemy talent at all.”
“……Do you like such humility?”
Aah, after Edward-oniisama’s exaggerating humility, it
would be suspicious.
“No, it’s true. Unfortunately, the magical power for spells and
magic is obstructed inside my body.”
“……! I see, I’m sorry to hear that.”
Even in the western Aurelia this kind of constitution was a bit
severe, but in the eastern Harvan this was quite a fatal
constitution.
Suddenly Klaus’ eyes that were looking at me turned
sympathetic.
Reflecting on this, I was seriously concerned about my
future.
Surely the Erica in the original game would have been distorted
by her inferiority complex in this area.
“But, ah……don’t take this the wrong way, but there’s a problem,
I feel a trace of strange magic around you. If that is not your own
magical power, I wonder what generates that magic?”
Oops, what was it?
“Oh my, I have not noticed anything at all.”
Of course, I also had items with defense magic.
However, this was the home of Aurelia family.
There was no need to use such magic at home ground.
“That’s concerning. Sorry, can I come a little bit closer?”
“Eh? Yes, it’s alright.”
Klaus said so and came close to me.
He began to look at me closely.
“Hmm……”
Did you understand something?
As expected from someone who would be a versatile mage in the
future.
“I understand, it comes from your chest. Are you holding some
special ornaments with magical power?”
Aah, you mean that–!
The star crystal necklace I got from Onii-sama.
“I got this from my older brother this morning. I didn’t know
that such powerful magic was embedded within.”
I couldn’t show this to Ann, but since it was just Klaus there
shouldn’t be any problem.
Having said that, I pulled out my necklace from under my
dress.
Right now it was evening.
Blue light from the star crystal overflowed in the dim
surroundings.
“…Beautiful. So this is the famous Aurelia’s star light…”
“This is a good luck charm for me to make friends.”
I thought it was just on the level of a good luck charm, but it
seemed that it seriously fascinated other people?
Klaus stared at me as if he was fascinated.
“It is not your brother’s magic. On the contrary, it is a type
of magic I don’t know. It doesn’t belong to Harvan or to
Aurelia.”
“Well, I heard that this was what was found in the Ruins of
Visitor. It may be some kind of ancient magic.”
“Ruins of Visitor, huh.”
Oh no, something was wrong.
Somehow the fact that the keyword itself came out, it felt like
a prelude for bad things to happen.
“But, why didn’t Edward-oniisama notice the magic inside this
stone?”
“I also thought that it’s just my imagination since the magic is
very faint. But, magic that I don’t know, this is quite rare.”
This was Klaus who was an excellent mage.
He probably noticed it since he was using Glam Sight1
that could visually sense traces of magic.
His magic would activate automatically even when he was not
conscious.
Unfortunately, us western alchemists couldn’t respond to
unexpected events.
It was no wonder that Edward-oniisama didn’t notice this.
Even so, Klaus was surprisingly someone who had great ambition,
huh~
Although he had not entered the magic academy, he had covered
the East and West magic.
“It’s amazing that you noticed that, Klaus-sama.”
“Naturally. This is the result of training to my utmost every
day.”
I felt that Klaus’ eyes were glittering.
Talented people were curious and greedy for their favorite
field.
“I also want to go to the ruins. Erica, will you show me the
way?”
–This flow, I only had bad feelings about this.
Somehow my death flag seemed to have been raised.
In the game, Ann was possessed by the evil spirit in the Ruins
of Visitor.
If Klaus went to the ruins instead of Ann, Klaus would be
possessed by evil spirit, and then he would curse me~~!!
“That’s impossible. Because that is a dangerous place.”
“Wasn’t it possible for Edward to go there without problems? Or,
do you think it’s impossible for me?”
Oh no, I triggered a strange sense of rivalry from him!
I guessed I would hurt his pride if I said that was the
truth.
What should I do?
|
LNWNCentral_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles - WN Chapter 00-18_Duke's-Daughter-Who-is-Liable-to-Die-and-the-Seven-Nobles-WN-Chapter-00-18-[Unknown][Trollo]
|
s5.txt
|
EpubPress - Wed Jun 20 2018 - Chapter 4: Spring Palace (part four)
Chapter 4: Spring Palace (part four)
After that, I escaped from the pursuit of Klaus somehow and
headed for the dinner party.
As soon as Klaus talked about the matter of the ruins during
dinner, my father and Duke of Harvan stopped him very solemnly.
It couldn’t be helped. It was not a place where a 10-years-old
child could go.
When the topic about the ruins came out, I found it secretly
amusing that my older brother looked unruffled on the outside but
feeling anxious inside.
It was a good thing that I forbid Klaus to speak about the
matter of Edward-oniisama went into the Ruins of Visitor~~.
When the dinner party was over, Edward-oniisama was about to
head to Leandez Magic Academy that was located in the central part
of the continent through the Spring Palace’s transfer gate.
Transfer gates were located in the basement of important
buildings and provided warp function by magically connecting the
gates at each sites.
My older brother received one key from father after the dinner
party, and he would use the one-time-key to go to the academy.
I suddenly felt uneasy because of my conversation with
Klaus.
I wanted to hear about the magic that was spelled in this star
crystal, so I caught up with my older brother who was holding a
baggage in his room.
“Onii-sama, I’m sorry to hold you up when you are in a hurry,
but could I ask you something about this necklace?”
“Hm, what about the necklace, Erica?”
“Klaus-sama was concerned about the magic inside this necklace.
Very special magic.”
“Hee, a special magic, huh……Please lend it to me, Erica.”
With his eyebrows slightly furrowed, my older brother was
staring at the star crystal.
Edward-oniisama spread out his leather handbag on the floor
while crouching on the spot.
“Is that Wunderkammer……?”
We sorted our reservoir of gathered alchemists’ prepared items
into a miracle room, Wunderkammer.
The leather bag seemed to have an expanded interior space.
My older brother built a Wunderkammer inside it.
“Well, the magic for expanding space was very expensive…”
“That’s right…”
My older brother said that with distant eyes.
Incidentally, even the materials to create the kind of wands
that were stored inside cost an enormous amount of money.
I guessed this was quite a splurge, Edward-oniisama.
I didn’t know the specific price, but even if I just looked at
it roughly, I believed that I could sell off one or two silver
veins that my older brother would inherit in the future.
“Well, I will investigate it now.”
Edward-oniisama picked out a piece of sugar maple wand from
among the large number of short wands inside the Wunderkammer.
At the end of the wand was a piece of emerald.
On the part of the handle, there was a workmanship imitating a
feather of a peacock made from mother of pearls.
Perhaps the core material was a feather of a peacock.
The length of the short wand was just the length of a
conductor’s baton.
On such a small tool, more than 50 charges, or over 100 charges
if it was the finest wand, of magic was put into it.
How convenient~ I thought, but each one could only
contain one type of magic.
To deal with every situation, countless short wands were
needed.
So preparation was important for the western alchemists.
Edward-oniisama swung the wand like a conductor.
Green light spread around my older brother and converged on his
eyes.
With this, Edward-oniisama’s eyes temporarily turned into Glam
Sight.
The magic of an alchemist in this world was all done
manually.
“I see. This is amazing.”
“How is it?”
“Because I found it at the Ruins of Visitor, I thought that the
magic was of that era. But in actuality, it is older. At least
before Ignatia conquered the southern part of this continent.”
It was around 650 years ago that the founder of the western
Aurelia arrived at this place.
When the invading Ignatia destroyed Cascadia and placed the
southern part of this continent under their control, that was the
story of about 150 years ago before that.
Together it would be 800 years ago.
Cascadia was a country of vampires.
It was a dark nation where the vampire royalty and aristocracy
dominated human beings like a livestock—at least, that was how it
was reported.
In other words, the magic put on this stone was likely to belong
to the vampires of Cascadia.
It was not necessarily the truth, though.
“It means that it was the magic used by the vampires.”
“Aah, I see.”
On this continent, vampire was a phantom beast that had been
extinct hundreds of years ago.
But, it seemed that vampires would come out in the scenario
which I had not yet completed.
“Fortunately it is safe for us. Because us western human beings
are all dense to the magic of this kind. But—I’m afraid that both
East and North humans are sensitive and will be affected by
it.”
“What kind of magic was put inside the stone?”
“I will say that it’s close to a fascination, but it’s more than
that…Yes, it seems to be spelled to evoke desire…It seems better
for me to hold on to this stone a bit longer.”
Magic that evoked desire, huh.
Suddenly I remembered the tragedy of Klaus and Ann
in 『Liber Monstrorum』. In the first place, why would the very
polite Ann want the necklace that Erica had?
—It might be because of the desire evoked by this necklace.
“Erica, I don’t know if it will replace me, but here.”
This was the key for Onii-sama’s wonderful Wunderkammer.
The stored items were also equivalent to a lifeline for our
family.
“Onii-sama, why are you giving this important thing to me?”
“Because you seem very uneasy. I have to go to Leandez Magic
Academy for my friend. Actually I’d like to be by your side……But
I’m also needed there for something.”
“Onii-sama……”
“It’s alright, if there is nothing extraordinary, I should be
able to come back tomorrow morning.”
After he said that, my older brother went to Leandez Magic
Academy through the underground transfer gate.
I headed towards the guest room at Spring Palace.
It was to confirm the safety of Klaus and Ann.
I didn’t care that my long dress entangled with my legs, I was
running in the palace corridor at night.
Events that had occurred today were floating in my mind one
after the other.
Ann’s smile, with dyed cheeks among the blossoming flowers.
Klaus’ sparkling eyes when looking at the magic of my star
necklace.
The necklace with ancient magic—faint but bewitching blue
light.
I wanted to see Ann’s smile and Klaus’ scowl as soon as possible
to give me a peace of mind.
☆
The guest rooms that were used as accommodation for the children
of Duke Harvan, were plentifully decorated with the flowers of this
spring garden.
There was a fragrant scent of flowers in the room.
However, I couldn’t find the figures of Klaus and Ann.
All the maids serving Duke of Harvan were falling asleep by
magic.
I made sure that Ann was not confused among the sleeping maids,
but she wasn’t there either.
–Perhaps this was the work of Klaus.
Although he was only a 10-years-old boy, Klaus’ magical
abilities were exceptional.
These women weren’t just maids, but maids that had served the
duke.
In other words, they had some knowledge of magic.
If so, they should have a mild magic resistance.
I believed that the maids were took out by a powerful sleeping
magic so that he could sneak away.
I wondered what time was this magic used.
It was also worrying that the one who disappeared was not only
Klaus, but Ann too.
A person like Klaus would have headed for Ruins of Visitor.
Ten to one, no doubt.
For Ann, if good luck was on my side, she might be with the Duke
and Duchess of Harvan.
(For confirmation, I should hurry up and see the Duke of Harvan
or my father, shouldn’t I?)
It wasn’t good if this situation became widespread and panic
occurred.
I closed the door, crossed the corridor and headed to my
father’s room.
I walked about fifteen minutes.
I should have reached my father’s room since a long time ago,
but I reached the original room I set out from.
At this point, I understood that I was lost in a familiar
place.
It was a magic that turned the palace into a labyrinth.
However, no matter how much an excellent mage Klaus was, he
shouldn’t be able to use space distortion magic.
This was probably a Phantasmal Maze.
It was a magic that dazzles as though it was a labyrinth by
messing out the sense of direction of a passing human being and put
them under an illusion.
Because of this magic, Spring Palace seemed to have been divided
into several compartments.
I couldn’t even go to the Duke of Harvan or my father, the Duke
of Aurelia, and the adults would never reach their children’s
room.
For a 10-years-old to be able to master this complex magic……
I couldn’t hide my surprise at Klaus’ talent.
(I mean, this kind of careful preparation is too much,
Klaus–!)
Taking a deep breath, at this time I should calm down and
think.
“Edward-oniisama, it seems that I’m going to use it this
soon.”
I looked at the key to the Wunderkammer that I received from my
older brother earlier.
I put it into the keyhole of an appropriate room and turned
it.
This key itself was a magic item that could turn any door in
this palace into a door that was connected to my older brother’s
Wunderkammer.
When I opened the door, the Wunderkammer of the alchemist Edward
Aurelia appeared before me.
So if you don’t understand the work of a wand, the amount of
magic inside a wand is depending on the maker. For example, a wand
is charged 100 times with magic, that means the user can only use
that wand for 100 times. And each wand could only be powered with
one type of magic.
The difference with a staff of Harvan is that a staff is a
medium for mages to channel their magic. So it used the magical
power generated by the user, while a wand used the magical power
that had been stored inside it.
That’s why, while mages are depending on the versatility and the
magical power of the user, alchemists are depending on the type of
wands they have prepared beforehand.
|
LNWNCentral_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles - WN Chapter 00-18_Duke's-Daughter-Who-is-Liable-to-Die-and-the-Seven-Nobles-WN-Chapter-00-18-[Unknown][Trollo]
|
s6.txt
|
EpubPress - Wed Jun 20 2018 - Chapter 5: Spring Palace (part five)
Chapter 5: Spring Palace (part five)
This was my first time to step in to my older brother’s
Wunderkammer.
Wunderkammer was not only an alchemist’s workshop, but it was
also a museum of magical materials collected from every corner of
the world.
In the center of the room there was a large desk-like
workbench.
Some burn mark-like stains and traces of some kind of liquid
overflowing were there.
On the large desk, there were various laboratory equipment and
processing instruments.
Glass test tubes, distillation bottles, burners, oil lamps, etc.
were in order.
On the right cabinet, there were specimens of eidolon
beasts.
Especially noticeable was the horn of the unicorn that was
ordered from Harvan of the East and the fossil of a basilisk we got
from the southern region.
There were many fossil specimens, but a lot of bottled preserved
specimens were also stored.
On the left cabinet, there was a tightly displayed ore samples
from Aurelia.
Not only regular ores, but also special ores with original
magical effects were collected.
All specimens were stored in boxes and bottles of a certain
size, and labels describing their origins and characteristics were
stuck on them.
The meticulous older brother’s personality was well-represented
by the cabinets.
Inside the front cabinet were stocked a number of wands with
built-in magic that were made using these materials.
Boxes of wands were stacked so that they couldn’t be
counted.
Inside these small boxes were also stored detailed notes on the
spelled magic and materials that were used.
There were many wands that could use the same magic, but their
power and effects differ slightly depending on which material used
to make it.
It seemed that my older brother was living here day and night
researching to grasp the differences of each and draw out the best
magic.
From what I understood, there was no such wand to cancel Klaus’
Phantasmal Maze.
The next action was decided by this.
It would be difficult to seek help from my father or other
adults.
At least, I had to keep track of Klaus and Ann.
I examined the clothes boxes in one corner of the
Wunderkammer.
Of course the clothes boxes were also labelled.
While checking the label, I found the clothes box that my older
brother was using around eight years old and opened it.
I dragged out my older brother’s boyhood clothes that I had
found.
I took off my clothes and wore my older brother’s old
clothes.
My hair was gathered behind with a ribbon.
Put a silver pocket watch into the coat pocket.
Fitted on the alchemists’ leather gloves.
After putting on the black leather boots, I slung the biggest
leather bag I found in this room over my shoulder.
Both were waterproofed with grease.
Put two lamps made of fragments of star crystal quenched with
antioxidant in the bag.
The most important thing was choosing the wands that had been
filled with magic.
Wand of Glam Sight.
This was the same wand as what Edward-oniisama used.
The effect lasted for about 30 seconds.
Wand of Hold.
It was made of amber, and the stick head was made using the
fossil of cockatrice coated with celluloid.
On the handle, there were workmanships of a chicken and snake
made of sterling silver.
The core material was a dried basilisk tail.
The duration of the effect was about 3 seconds.
Stuffed two or three for each enchanted wand into the leather
bag along with other wands that could be used.
Wand of Gust.
Wand of Urd Sight1.
Wand of Levitation.
Wand of Castling2.
Wand of Feather Falling.
Wand of Lock.
Wand of Grease.
Wand of Mage Finger3.
Wand of Water Walking.
I was looking over the wands and found a wand that was strictly
locked.
This was……a Wand of Sailor’s Song.
Only this wand was special.
When singing a specific song while swinging this wand, it was
said that 〈Alchemist’s Star〉 would fall.
With the magic of 〈Alchemist’s Star〉, we were also called
〈Aurelia the Star〉.
On the other hand, the reaction when it was used was not on the
degree of other wands.
If a mediocre alchemist used it without understanding how to
make use of it, it was said that just dropping one star would drop
his own life.
It was too dangerous, I couldn’t use it.
One magical rope.
It seemed that the utilization was similar to a wand.
It could be used freely a certain number of times.
One bottle of Obscuring Mist.
One bottle of Moonlight Gallnut Ink.
It was an ink made from Harvan’s special ore.
The letters written with this ink emit light only when the moon
was out.
Because there was no ordinary Gallnut Ink, this had to be enough
for the time being.
A piece of chalk.
Just to be safe, I packed a pen and a scrap of parchment.
Put a bottle of distilled liquor and a small box of chocolate
for precaution.
Finally, I picked up an athame knife4.
I left my older brother’s Wunderkammer, close the door, and
locked it.
First of all, let’s use the Wand of Glam Sight.
Pale green magic circle appeared and converged on my eyes.
When the magic showed its effect, I quickly used it on Spring
Palace, and then detailed information about the magic of Phantasmal
Maze appeared before me.
Creator unknown, the performer was Klaus Harvan, the time it was
set up was about thirty minutes ago.
Speaking of thirty minutes ago, it was when I saw Onii-sama
off.
It seemed that Klaus went out of the room due to my blunder.
Duration of the magic was three to four hours from the time of
creation.
It was as I thought.
It would be too late if I waited for the effect to be over
before asking help from my father or Duke Harvan.
The creator and the performer were different, because it was a
magic that was launched from a scroll.
This magic was set up by the magical power of Klaus and the
spell cards.
There seemed to be small spell cards on several places in this
palace.
Both scrolls and spell cards were mainstream magic in the
eastern Harvan.
They should have roles like a blueprint and an amplifier
respectively.
It seemed that the spell cards that had been spread out create a
barrier and amplified the enchanted magic, so they created a vast
labyrinth.
Next, let’s examine the underground transfer gates.
As I began to run, I remembered the scene when my older brother
was going to go to the magic academy.
—Huh? The underground transfer gates were managed by one-time
keys.
How did Ann go to the Ruins of Visitor in the original
scenario?
1 Urd is the name of one of the three Norns (Fates)
in Norse mythology. Urd is the one representing the past. So, Wand
of Urd Sight means that the wand could be used to see the past.
2 Castling is the act of moving the King to a safe
position in a blink of an eye, by trading the King’s place with one
of the Rook. So, Wand of Castling is for trading the place of the
user with the target.
3 Wand of Mage Finger: The Japanese version of Mage
Hand in D&D, it appears as a spectral, floating hand. The hand
lasts for the duration or until the user dismisses it as an action.
In this novel, it can only be used for fine works. (source)
Edit: I have been translating this wrong as a hunting knife, but
it is actually this:
4 Athame knife: a ceremonial blade, generally with
black handle. The athame was not to be used for actual physical
cutting. (source)
So the Phantasmal Maze divided the palace into several
compartments. People in one compartment couldn’t go to another
compartment unless they cancel the magic. This was why Erica
couldn’t go to the adults’ rooms. Since Erica could go to Klaus and
Ann’s room from Edward’s room, and from there go to the underground
transfer gate, this means that all those rooms are in the same
compartment. Besides, if Klaus and Ann’s room were in different
compartment from the underground transfer gate, they wouldn’t be
able to go to the Ruins of Visitor either. (Thank you
thatguy572 for your helpful explanations!)
|
LNWNCentral_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles - WN Chapter 00-18_Duke's-Daughter-Who-is-Liable-to-Die-and-the-Seven-Nobles-WN-Chapter-00-18-[Unknown][Trollo]
|
s7.txt
|
EpubPress - Wed Jun 20 2018 - Chapter 6: Spring Palace (part six)
Chapter 6: Spring Palace (part six)
I ran down the dark stairs of the palace.
(Aah, it’s a great thing that I had changed my clothes–)
I felt light compared to when I ran in a dress.
I mean, it was painful to wear a dress as someone who had a
modern human’s sensitivity.
Or it might be just my low femininity.
After a while, I arrived in the underground transfer gates.
The place was illuminated in the night in the warm light by the
star crystal lamps.
“Maybe he’s not here anymore.”
I wished he was still sticking around in front of the transfer
gates, but this was not the easy mode.
All around me, there were a lot of arched stones of the transfer
gates lining up.
These were the transfer gates to go to the important places all
over the country.
Each transfer gate was given a design representing its
destination.
Every transfer gate had a faint glow with rotating magic circle
floating around it.
They were magically sealed so that it couldn’t be activated
without one-time keys.
Without hesitating, I ran towards the deepest transfer gate.
It was where the transfer gate to the ancient Ruins of Visitor
was.
I arrived in front of the intended transfer gate and I felt
disappointed.
“It needs keys…”
In addition to the one-time key magic circle, it also had a
physical lock.
Even if you falsified the one-time key in some way, you still
couldn’t use the transfer gate.
What an awful ending.
Even though I borrowed supplies from my older brother’s
Wunderkammer, and I had assembled the perfect battle
preparation.
However, rather than something happened, it was better that
nothing happened.
–A sense of relief……was it alright to feel it?
But then, where did Klaus go?
I used the Wand of Glam Sight just to be safe.
Huh? This – this lock, it was a phantom!
The genuine lock was destroyed by someone.
But, somehow the one-time key magic circle was also an
illusion.
The phantom that showed the lock as it was before destruction
was created by Klaus Harvan.
He made it about thirty minutes ago.
The illusion of the one-time key was the thing that Duke of
Aurelia, who was my father, made ten years ago.
The transfer gate to Ruins of Visitor was already outdated and
old.
Therefore, it might not have been possible to set up a one-time
key seal.
Instead, it was locked with a physical lock, and disguised it
with an illusion as if there was a one-time key seal.
It was an effective camouflage for the western Aurelia who
needed to spend a huge amount of money just to use Glam Sight.
But as the opponent was from the East, Klaus who was also an
excellent mage, it wasn’t effective at all.
Klaus looked at this camouflage and immediately realized that
the seal was fake.
After destroying the physical lock, he disguised it with a
phantom lock that was identical with the one my father made in
order to mislead.
As a result, the false images of the magic and physical locks
were completed.
“As expected, I have to go to the ruins and bring them
back.”
To be honest, I was scared.
Even in my past life I was not good with evil spirits and ghost
stories.
It was very scary to go to the Ruins of Visitor where such
things really exist.
But—
“Wait for me, Klaus, Ann.”
If the Harvan siblings were in such a place—
If they were lost in the ruins without knowing what was going on
or what was in there, then I had to save them.
I took a step forward into the transfer gate to the Ruins of
Visitor.
If I was not mistaken, the words praising the land of the
destination should be the command words to activate the magic.
I read the command words that were engraved on the transfer
gate.
“Come, my friend, let’s give a new name to the Promised Land
over this sea.”
☆
—I felt a slight dizziness.
When I opened my eyes, I was on the first layer of the Ruins of
Visitor.
The transfer gate was an ancient system in which spells were
engraved on the floor openly.
In contrast to the Spring Palace which was made of white solid
stones, the ruins were created by cutting out ordinary stones and
piling them up.
The ruins were located near the west coast of the Aurelia
territory.
I thought that I could smell the waves slightly.
Even though evening had come all the way, it was not completely
dark.
The lamps which contained star crystals were installed on the
wall, the weak gentle light which had a faintly yellowish color was
illuminating the room.
Long time ago, the family that founded Aurelia of the West, was
the last people who visited this continent.
Ethnic groups who had lived in this area first called them the
Visitor’s Clan.
They were excellent navigators, alchemists, and people of a
destroyed country who had lost their homeland.
Or maybe, they might have destroyed their homeland through
excessive alchemy……but the details were uncertain.
Where they came from and what kind of past they had, were all
covered in the darkness of history and disappeared.
Due to the inclusion of a piece of truth in those lore, the
people of Aurelia had destroyed some of their forbidden
technologies.
For example was their homunculus creation technology, which was
imparted only through the lore.
It was said that the secret of the ancient alchemy that had not
yet been elucidated was preserved in this Ruins of Visitor.
I looked at my surroundings carefully with the Wand of Glam
Sight.
At the moment, there was no other traces of magic than the magic
of the transfer gate.
First of all, that was a relief.
(As expected, this thing is useless when I applied it on the
ruins.)
Additionally, I used the Wand of Urd Sight five times.
Five white lights generated from the wand spread throughout the
room and converged on my eyes as the ripples reflected and
returned.
Through the Urd Sight which reads and interprets the incidents
that had passed, I could see the back of Klaus leaving from the
exit on the left side of the room.
“Klaus……you came alone.”
When I continued to look around the room, I saw Ann reached this
room through the transfer gate.
She seemed to have noticed something, and seemed that to have
searched for one point in the room.
After that, she also headed for the exit on the left—
The past view ended there.
Apparently, after Klaus headed alone for this ruins, Ann who had
noticed it seemed to have been following him. It would be
preferable if the only one who entered the ruins was Klaus who had
some skills.
I also looked at the place where Ann seemed to find
something.
There was a spell card.
But it seemed that the magic had not been executed yet.
Since it was in a state not holding magical power, my Glam Sight
didn’t notice it…!
The spell card which was made with a parchment, had spells
written in ancient characters of the eastern Harvan.
I was not particularly fluent in foreign languages.
If I could read the letters I might have gotten more hints, but
even this alone was enough for me to keep track of them.
Let’s chase Hansel and Gretel’s unused spell cards of bread
crumbs1.
As I passed through the exit on the left side of the room, there
seemed to be several rooms with similar composition.
Ah, I could see a narrow passage in the distance.
Once I arrived in the passage, there were lamps. It was not
completely dark.
But, this was scary, though?
This ancient building, the Ruins of Visitor was in the
underground and it had the atmosphere of an underground
dungeon.
“I’m not scared of ghosts, I’m not scared, not scared……!”
For the sake of giving myself a fighting spirit, I raised my
voice repeatedly.
Mustering a little bit of courage, I used the Wand of Glam Sight
and Wand of Urd Sight alternatingly, and chase the back of the past
Klaus and Ann.
Had I move 200 meters from the entrance? I had walked down the
stairs four times, so my sense of direction became ambiguous.
I thought that monsters and ghosts were scary, but as I ran down
the dark passage, I suddenly remembered my past life.
It was a memory when I was hit from behind at night during high
school.
It was not fear that froze my spine, it was just a dark, gloomy
feeling.
(No, I’m scared of human beings……Ah, I feel like I can score
easy victory with such things like ghosts.)
Yes, humans were very scary.
The resentment of living humans, the envy, the hatred.
Such things were really, truly frightening.
As I remembered that memory, I met a human.
“You, are you Erica……!?”
There was the exhausted face of the eastern mage, Klaus
Harvan.
1 She compared the Harvan siblings with Hansel and
Gretel, so if in the H&G story they used bread crumbs to
remember the way, the Harvan siblings used unused spell cards.
About the transfer gates, I imagined it combined three of these
pictures. Imagined it as the arched stone in the second picture
(without the stairs), with the circle in the number 2 in the first
picture, but changed the circle as the glowy magic circle in the
third picture.
|
LNWNCentral_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles - WN Chapter 00-18_Duke's-Daughter-Who-is-Liable-to-Die-and-the-Seven-Nobles-WN-Chapter-00-18-[Unknown][Trollo]
|
s8.txt
|
EpubPress - Wed Jun 20 2018 - Chapter 7: Ruins of Visitor (part one)
Chapter 7: Ruins of Visitor (part one)
“Klaus-sama! Are you okay? You’re okay, right!?”
I rushed towards Klaus in spite of myself.
I could finally see the face of Klaus who until now I could only
see the back of, I was relieved from the bottom of my heart.
I guessed I was also relieved since I met a familiar face.
Gradually, the harsh expression on Klaus’ face disappeared.
“Aah, I have no problem. You are the one who is alone……You,
what’s with that appearance?”
Uh, he got right to the point.
First of all, I thought about putting emphasis on practicality,
and more than that I was in a hurry.
Regarding my coordination, it was quite appropriate.
“I borrowed the clothes of Edward-oniisama, thinking that you
are in the ruins, because I couldn’t come to a place like this
wearing a dress.”
“Oh, that sort of thing……you, you suit this appearance
better.”
“Oh, it is a great honor to be praised by you.”
Well, it was still impossible for me to wear a luxurious dress
after all!
I thought that Erica’s face suits it well enough.
Was the femininity of my soul insufficient as expected?
No, it was good enough that practical clothing suits me.
Let’s feel good.
“I’m glad I found you, this is the most dangerous place in
Aurelia territory, you know?”
“I’m aware of that, I just didn’t expect to waste my magical
power to such extent by searching this ruins for such a short
time.”
Klaus had a hard face.
It was a dark and scary place, so I certainly felt like I was
getting frustrated—
Had I had any difficulty in spending magic so far?
“Klaus-sama, what do you mean by that?”
“Erica, you, didn’t you notice it when you come to this
place?”
“Not at all.”
“……You’re dense.”
“It couldn’t be helped because Western human beings are
different from Eastern human beings.”
A dense place with a good sense, that was the virtue of the
human beings from Aurelia territory.
I might not have noticed it because my efforts and talent
weren’t enough, though.
“The magical effect that absorbs magical power is working on
this ruins, even the activation of lower tier magic took a heavy
burden since a little while ago.”
“Is there such a trap put on somewhere? Can you find out
something if you use Glam Sight?”
“I already identified things that seem to be the starting point
of the trap. But the spell to solve it doesn’t seem to be
effective. I don’t know what kind of trap is this.”
“Surely, metals and jewels that impede magic are physically
embedded.”
I heard that there were metals with such effects in
Lucanrant.
Depending on the combination of minerals that I didn’t know, the
same effect might be invoked, it was not only limited to the
northern metals.
“It seems that wide area magic is blocked, and magic with
effective range of 5 m or more in radius has failed.”
“That said, I heard from Onii-sama that there is a trap that has
been activated, but I don’t know the effect.”
“Got it.”
Although we from Aurelia didn’t mind the effect, people from
Harvan seemed to be pretty incompatible with it.
Ruins of Visitor were like the culmination of the lost
techniques of Aurelia of the West.
Unexpectedly, these missing technologies might be said to be
‘abandoned’ by choice because of problems, rather than being
‘lost’.
Like a trap that obstructed the magical power that was not
friendly to outsiders, for example.
“Because of that……I’d like you to see this for a moment.”
Klaus spread a parchment.
There were large rectangular outline and the name of the god of
wind was written in twelve directions so as to surround it.
It was the most commonly used template in this world’s maps.
But, except for the frame and several lines of Harvan’s magic
language, it was almost blank, and things that seemed like maps
were not drawn.
“I tried to use Auto-mapping and put spell cards along the
route. However, thanks to the troublesome trap, even if I cast the
spell it wouldn’t react at all.”
“Oh, so it is a spell for that.”
“If I knew a little sooner that Auto-mapping would be
invalidated, I wouldn’t search so deeply.”
Klaus shrugged his shoulders.
When the talk finished, I asked what I was really concerned
about.
“Well, Klaus-sama. Where is Ann-sama?”
“Wha—! Why are you talking about Ann now?”
Klaus’ body jumped in alarm.
Huh, this guy, didn’t he feel like a small animal?
“In order to follow Klaus-sama, I was using Urd Sight. Then I
could see Ann-sama as well as Klaus-sama……”
“I have not brought my sister here.”
“It seemed that she was pursuing Klaus-sama.”
“But, I’m certain that I had put my sister to sleep with a
sleeping magic……, no way, that girl, did she use a reinforced Magic
Resist in anticipation of me getting out?”
In his own way, he devised a plan to make sure his sister didn’t
come to this dangerous place.
I thought that he was cold to Ann, but he was a good older
brother.
However, it seemed that his sister was one step ahead of
him.
The young Ann was also an excellent mage like Klaus.
So, as a result of her insight and effort, she successfully
Resist her brother’s magic.
This, Klaus’ secret was backfiring, wasn’t it?
The more he said that she couldn’t come, the more he hid it, the
more she would be worried about it.
They were a curious pair of brother and sister.
“I didn’t see my sister on the way so far, it seems that she
followed another road somewhere.”
In the middle of devoting myself pursuing Klaus’ back, I
neglected to confirm Ann’s whereabouts.
It was also because I was reluctant in using the expensive Wand
of Urd Sight.
Perhaps it should have been used more finely.
“Would you like to trace our way back again, Klaus-sama? Let’s
go find your younger sister on our way back.”
“……That’s right. Apparently, I’m not prepared enough to get
around these ruins.”
Klaus glanced at my appearance and said that.
His gaze moved steadily to my alchemist’s leather gloves, to my
leather bag that was overflowing with wands, and to my boots that
seemed to be durable on the floor.
“If I’m not cautious like you, it is likely to lose my way in
the ruins.”
I was feeling a bit relieved at being obediently heard.
I couldn’t beat him if he said, ‘I will definitely not turn
back!’
“If you decide so, let’s search for Ann-sama immediately.”
“Ah.”
“If we couldn’t find a way to find Ann-sama, we’ll go back to
Spring Palace at once.”
“Ah, this maze is too much for children to navigate alone.”
“Speaking of maze, please dispel the Phantasmal Maze in Spring
Palace.”
I had to ask him not to forget about it.
It was no wonder if many maids were distressed during this
time.
“Mmm, you noticed it, didn’t you?”
“If I didn’t notice, I wouldn’t bother to pick you up like
this.”
“I thought that you are much more enthusiastic in searching this
ruins, so that is not really the case?”
“It’s not!”
It would be troublesome if it was misunderstood.
I had not come to explore like Klaus. I came to stop Klaus from
exploring.
I didn’t even know if my father or Duke of Harvan would get
angry at me, alright?
“While tracing our way back, let’s use Urd Sight at each branch.
So we can see where Ann got deviated.”
“Is that a Wand of Urd Sight? Will you also let me use it? I
have been using Glam Sight until you joined, it seems that it will
take time to recover my magical power because of that.”
“I see. It might be more efficient for both of us to use Urd
Sight rather than just me.”
Eastern magic cut not only mental power but also physical
strength.
No matter how much a genius Klaus was, he was still a
10-years-old boy.
The Ruins of Visitor had an intense magical power obstruction,
and he had been using Glam Sight since the start.
Or rather, I admired that his magical power had been kept well
until now.
Then, I was concerned about the amount of magic that was charged
into the Wand of Urd Sight.
I had already consumed about 60 charges before finding
Klaus.
The leftover was about 40 charges.
The Wand of Urd Sight was a wand created from ash
tree1.
The top of the wand was a yellow tourmaline, while the handle
part was given a pattern that was weaved in gold.
It was the core material that was distinctive.
Silk weave of 10 meters in length stitched with gold and silver
threads.
It was compressed into several millimeters by space magic, it
was lightweight and used as a core.
Then, it was necessary to replace the core material when
recharging the magic inside a wand.
What was my point?
In other words, this magic was incredibly expensive.
(Edward-oniisama, I’m sorry……!!)
While apologizing in my mind, I opened my bag for the second
Wand of Urd Sight.
I wondered how many wands would I use overnight.
I was afraid of thinking about that for a moment.
1 Ash is a type of tree. In this story, it refers to
Fraxinus japonica, or Japanese ash.
|
LNWNCentral_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles_Duke's Daughter Who is Liable to Die and the Seven Nobles - WN Chapter 00-18_Duke's-Daughter-Who-is-Liable-to-Die-and-the-Seven-Nobles-WN-Chapter-00-18-[Unknown][Trollo]
|
s9.txt
|
EpubPress - Wed Jun 20 2018 - Chapter 8: Ruins of Visitor (part two)
Chapter 8: Ruins of Visitor (part two)
I handed over a Wand of Urd Sight and one of alchemist’s leather
gloves to alleviate the reaction of the wands to Klaus.
And for myself, I took out a brand new wand.
“This wand of Aurelia, how do you activate it?”
“To use it, just wave it while saying the spell in your
mind.”
“It looks like it’s surprisingly easy. Is it okay to try
it?”
“Sure. Go ahead.”
Klaus carefully swung the wand.
The magic of Urd Sight activated safely and white magic circle
converged on his eyes.
Klaus looked around while blinking over and over.
His long eyelashes made pachipachi sounds as he blinked
with vigour as if his eyes dried out.
“…This is useful. I myself didn’t consume any magical power at
all, I could see you from a few minutes ago.”
“Events that had passed over time cannot be pursued by Urd
Sight. Keep in mind about what you want to know when you activate
it, you should focus on events related to that particular
person.”
“Do I have to explore while thinking about Ann?”
“That’s right. Let’s go then.”
The lamps in the surroundings were weak because the oxidation of
the star crystals were proceeding.
This could make us overlooked the important places.
I searched my bag and took out a lamp.
“Klaus-sama, please also have this lamp.”
“Hm.”
Klaus attached the lamp he got from me to his staff.
When I thought of what he wanted to do, he demonstrated that he
could light up high places with his staff.
Ooh, that was great.
……Well, there was no Ann in such a place.
You still somewhat wanted to explore, right? That was not good,
you know?
We occasionally swung our wands and walked with two lamps
carefully shining on our way home.
“Somehow, I can see the past you were mumbling.”
“Please don’t tease me.”
“Erica……You, are you scared of monsters or ghosts?”
“Klaus-sama, please concentrate on finding your sister.”
Klaus looked amused as he turned his line of sight to the
front.
I would be in trouble for a while.
Because, right now I was an innocent 8-years-old girl, you
know?
Isn’t it okay to be scared of something?
Aah, but if I considered my actual age in the previous life, it
was painful to say whether it was okay or not……, ahaha.
“Your mood was terribly suspicious and you had gloomy eyes……Are
you really an 8-years-old child?”
“Hey! Please search for Ann-sama seriously!”
“You, you sometimes have eyes that said you give up on
life…”
Eei, I didn’t want you to tell me that!
Somehow, Klaus’ sensitivity increased until it almost felt like
he had a penetrating gaze1!
I would hold down what I wanted to say.
Even if Klaus sometimes seemed he had the tendency of a small
animal, when it came to it, he could grasp the opponent’s weakness
and play with it…!
Was this a glimpse of someone who would become a Do-S character
in the future!?
No, no, now I had to focus on searching for Ann!
“Klaus-sama, have you seen the back of Ann-sama yet?”
“No, I can’t see anything about Ann yet. For now, I have only
caught on to you in my Urd Sight.”
“Are you keeping in mind properly about your sister?”
“Oh, I definitely think about her. Even so I can only see you,
it’s annoying.”
This, this guy……!!
No, no, no, this was not the time for such a thing.
“Did you really see Ann? There is no trace that she ever went
through here before.”
—H-huh?
Just now, I felt like there was something weird.
“……Hey, Klaus-sama, could you please show me the place of the
spell card that you installed for Auto-mapping?”
“Oh, I remember…The spell card in this room is……”
Klaus ran to the corner of the room and looked around the
wall.
Oh, he seemed to have some trouble.
He walked around while lighting the walls many times and then
returned with a strange expression.
“It’s not here.”
“Really?”
“What does it mean? I’m certain that I put it there……It’s
strange, this is—”
He was not wrong.
I didn’t remember it very clearly, but I remembered seeing an
unused spell card around the area he was looking at.
But now that spell card didn’t exist.
—-I got a bad feeling.
“This Ruins of Visitor, seems to be moving the rooms and
passages, it’s probably not magic, but mechanical.”
At that time, I heard a bad sound.
It sounded somewhere in this ruins.
“A mechanical labyrinth……!”
“I have heard from my father that it was a kind of mechanism
that the ancient Aurelia people used to avoid thieves, but I never
thought that there is a mechanical labyrinth in such a large
building.”
Along with the tremendously loud sound of moving mechanism, our
feet shook unnaturally.
It was not an earthquake.
Right now, the room where Klaus and I stood was moving.
“……You saw Ann and I went out of the transfer gate.”
“Yes.”
“Did you see Ann that one time in the first room?”
“Yes.”
Klaus wrinkled across his brow,
Sharp eyes stared at me.
“When I passed through and when you chased me, it was probably
the same passage, but when Ann passed through, that passage was
connected to another place.”
“That’s probably right.”
“And now, too, the trick of the labyrinth has started, and we
lost our present position……That’s how it is, Erica.”
“Yes. In this way, there is no guarantee that we can go back to
the transfer gate.”
We lost the clues to find Ann and also lost the way to return to
the Spring Palace.
The mummy hunter himself became a mummy2.
We intended to find a lost child, but now we became lost
children.
We were too late in noticing it, and everything else might had
been lost.
“You’re quite calm.”
“Of course? I will act flustered when I feel flustered.”
“Well, aren’t you cheeky.”
The thing I most worried about now was Ann.
I was calm because we were still together.
A small girl was wandering around alone in this dimly lit Ruins
of Visitor.
Just thinking about it, I felt my heart squeezed tight.
Besides, if she had already been touched by an ancient evil
spirit—
No, I had to stop the pessimistic thoughts right now.
Look for Ann, return to the original place, I only had
to think about these two.
However, I felt stuck in this search.
Waiting for the night to come like this, wouldn’t father and
Duke of Harvan notice and send a search party?
—-No.
If that happened, Ann would die according to the original
game.
Because my relationship with her was changing, I didn’t know if
she would kill me six years later.
However, no matter how much death flags were broken, I didn’t
want such a thing to happen.
I didn’t want to give up on the life of a young girl I had
become emotionally attached to.
“If we move thoughtlessly, things will likely become worse.”
“There should be something we can do. Let’s think together for a
little while, Klaus-sama.”
I spread my leather bag on the floor.
What can we do with what we have right now? We had to
check the means that could be taken.
“You have brought so much.”
“I don’t know what will happen, because it is said that there is
no feeling of grief if you are prepared.”
Was there any magic that could break through our current
situation?
I turned over the box of wands and checked the label.
“……Wand of Grease? It’s a magic to improve slippage. If you put
it on your opponent’s hand, their hand would slip and they wouldn’t
be able to grasp anything. But what are you going to use in this
labyrinth? Something like a niche magic.”
“Because I was in a hurry, I packed it noncommittally!”
Klaus looked into the bag curiously and started picking out
items together with me.
“There is no convenient wand that will turn this situation
around in one shot. It’s difficult, huh. At most if the wide area
search magic is effective.”
“Please blame that matter towards my vigilant ancestors.”
Klaus also carefully read the labels, but it seemed that the
idea was not readily apparent.
But I couldn’t give up yet.
When I was persistently searching my leather bag, a weak light
that was different from the star crystal lamp came from the deepest
part.
“This is Moonlight Gallnut Ink, huh.”
“Ah, I often use it back in Harvan.”
There was a mineral particular to the eastern Harvan region
called moonlight ore.
It began to shine faintly as the moon rises, and lost its
radiance with the moonset.
When clouds shaded the moon, the moonlight ore became shaded as
well.
It was such a strange stone.
Since ancient time, the eastern mages utilized the
characteristic of the moonlight ore, that was specialized to
respond to the moon, to make Moonlight Gallnut Ink.
“The moon rise……right now it’s roughly 20 o’clock.”
In the ink bottle, a bluish yellow light that was permeated was
swaying gently.
It was a much weaker light compared to a star crystal lamp.
The night sky tonight was cloudy.
“Klaus-sama, this is……”
I covered my star crystal lamp and gazed at the moonlight ore’s
light, I noticed something.
Pale light of the same color as the ink was also shining on the
walls of the room.
Moreover, it was blinking repeatedly at the same timing as the
ink.
“You also noticed?”
“Well, it is as sparkling as the ink, isn’t it?”
Perhaps the intensity of the light was linked to the flow of
thin clouds that shaded the moon.
I noticed that it was such a weather.
I put the lamp into my leather bag, and Klaus covered his lamp
that was attached on the tip of his staff with the sleeve of his
robe.
Because the strong lights were blocked, the faint light of the
characters drawn on the wall was emphasized and emerged.
What was drawn on the wall was a crescent moon mark.
And under the mark was a familiar handwriting—
It was a message left by senior explorers who had challenged
this labyrinth.
What the golden moonlight illumination revealed was truly a
bright light3.
1 Actually it said レイプ目 (rape gaze), but I think it’s
inappropriate, so I changed it to penetrating gaze.
2 An idiomatic expression, means: intending to
persuade someone and instead being persuaded himself. Or, a person
who went to bring the person to his side will instead stay on the
other side.
3 Bright light here means hope, but the author made
it a pun, so I keep it as it is.
About the Auto-mapping, so Klaus installed spell cards en route
(the one Erica found in chapter 6). They are used to mark the
places where he goes through, and when he activated the spell, they
supposedly will create a map in the parchment he has in the
previous chapter. But, since there is a trap that invalidated wide
area magic, the spell cards were found by Erica in a state of
unused/inactive.
About the Moonlight Gallnut Ink, if the moon rose, the ink would
shine yellow/golden light. If the moon was shaded, it would shine
bluish yellow light just like in this chapter. It depends on the
current state of the moon, so even if it was indoor, as long as the
moon has risen, the ink would shine.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 02/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-02-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_01_01.txt
|
Chapter 1: Quite Good Friends
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 20 Niflheim, Hermes’ Plaza
“I heard everything. You had a big fight with your succubus lover, right?”
“Rumors really do spread fast.”
“I’m a girl who’s a bit sensitive to trends.”
Barbatos had come to visit me at my lodging.
For some reason this distinguished Demon Lord, who was ranked 8th, had become fairly fond of me. She probably had a good impression towards me because of the incident where I had knocked Paimon off her pedestal. Well, that wasn’t the only reason.
“Go ahead and let it all out. Why did you two fight?”
“Do you not see me applying ice still? It has only been 20 minutes since I was slapped by Lapis. Honestly, I don’t want to talk to anyone right now.”
“Oh, this poor male.”
Barbatos smiled slyly.
It was a bit annoying.
“Think carefully. Your lover is a half-breed succubus. She is an outcast who would normally get executed for merely touching a Demon Lord. If a child like that were to hit you, then she was doing so while literally putting her life on the line. What kind of misdeed could you have done to make her risk such a thing?”
“So are you saying that this is all my fault?”
“Yup. Throughout my entire life, whenever a problem occurs, males have always seemed to have a higher chance of being at fault than females.”
“You must be quite pleased to have been born as a female.”
Barbatos laughed.
Normally, we would not be in the position to be exchanging informal words so frankly.
Barbatos was the rank 8th Demon Lord. She had a standing army of 6,000 men and a countless number of followers under her command. She even led a huge political group known as the Plains Faction.
On the other hand, I was the rank 71st Demon Lord. Not only did I have no followers, but I was also not part of a proper faction either. I may have been overflowing with money, but that was all. Compared to Barbatos I was a mere fly.
Despite that, it felt like Barbatos vaguely wanted me to be her friend. What was I supposed to do when the other party wanted an easy-going style of speech from me first? I’ll more than gladly humor her.
“Dantalian. We may not be friends yet, but I believe that we have reached something similar to being friends.”
“That is quite the honor.”
“I’m being serious.”
Barbatos grinned.
That expression of hers was the reason why even if she told me that she was being serious, I felt no credibility from it.
“Most of the Demons Lords are a bunch of trash. None of them are promising. Yet, you’re the first rookie in 60 years to appear to be talented. I just wanted to treat you nicely as your senior in this business industry.”
A senior, huh.
Barbatos led the group known as the ‘Plains Faction’. This faction gained its name due to the fact that most of the Demon Lords who were in this group had castles that were located on the plains. As a result of residing in an open area, encounters with humans were frequent.
Thus, Barbatos naturally became a Demon Lord hostile towards humans. If the Demon Lord armies were to ever invade the human world, then Barbatos would, with no doubt, be the one to lead them. She had spread an information network across the human world and was constantly on watch as she prepared for a massive war.
On the other hand, Paimon, the Demon Lord that I had crushed, was known as the head of the ‘Mountain Faction’. As the name literally suggests, this faction consisted mostly of Demon Lords with castles located on the rugged mountain region, where they seldom met with humans face to face.
The Plains Faction and the Mountain Faction were locked in a rivalry.
Would the Aggressive Faction and the Moderate Faction be more appropriate?
So when Barbatos had called herself a ‘senior’ and myself a ‘rookie’, she was indirectly trying to lure me into her own faction. It was a statement with a plot in mind.
I gave a subtle glance at Barbatos.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 02/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-02-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_01_02.txt
|
Chapter 1: Quite Good Friends
“What’s your point.”
“If you’re trying to break up with that succubus lover of yours, then I can help. In the first place, it doesn’t make sense for an outcast to be having sex with a Demon Lord. It’s not too late yet, so ask for my help.”
“……”
We gazed at each other for a moment.
“Are you telling me to break up with Lapis?”
“Why? Are you embarrassed? Don’t worry about it. As much as people get quickly excited here, that excitement also goes away just as fast. Give it a year and people will have long forgotten that you ever fornificated with an outcast.”
Barbatos had spoken as if it was nothing of real importance.
I narrowed my brows.
“You’re not the one who gets to decide what happens between myself and Lapis, I am. Don’t get too deeply involved with someone else’s love life.”
“Usually, I’m not this nosy. But you’re not a normal kid. You’re the big rookie that was able to get a blow on Paimon. As a senior Demon Lord, I have the obligation to show some concern for my junior’s reputation.”
Barbatos crossed her legs.
Pure white thighs and calves entered my vision.
“Of course, it won’t be easy breaking up with the lover that you showed so much affection for. I understand. But people grow stronger each time they lose their love, kid.”
“……”
“The only significance love has is that it reveals your weakness. People don’t grow stronger through experiencing or giving love, they grow stronger after throwing it away.”
“Hou.”
I twisted the edges of my mouth.
“Is that really how it is?”
“Sure it is. Trust me. Despite my appearance, I’ve lived for 500 years already. The amount of lovers I’ve had a relationship with up till now is over 1,000. If you listen to my love advice then beautiful women will give you fellatio even if you’re just lying down.”
Barbatos smiled.
It was a smile that was as sly as an alley cat.
“Anyways, just tell me what led up to this split up. Let everything out and allow your mind to feel at ease. If you let it all out then you should feel lighter.”
I stayed silent for a while.
What happened to make Lapis Lazuli slap me.
The situation behind this was much too large. It contained a story that was so complexly twisted together that I had no idea where to start.
I opened my mouth slowly.
“Half a month ago an old woman visited.”
“Hmm.”
“At first, I thought she was just some beggar. Her appearance was pitiable and dirty, after all. But I soon found out that she wasn’t a mere bum. The old woman was……”
I closed my eyes for a second.
I could remember the entire scene distinctively.
“That old woman was Lapis’ mother.”
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 3 Niflheim, Governor’s Palace
“I see. So you’re Lala’s birth mother. What has brought you here?”
“Yes, oh great lord. This humble one has heard news of her daughter, whom this one has been roaming many years in search of. Despite having to risk discourtesy, this one had turned her path here, to your highness.”
An incredibly wrinkled old woman spoke.
I personally poured the old lady a cup of tea. She insisted that it was too much of an honor and tried to refuse many times, but despite my appearance, I put respecting the elderly foremost. Additionally, if this person was Lapis Lazuli’s mother then the game was over. Would that not make her my mother-in-law?
“Please do not make my kindness go to waste.”
“T-Thank you very much.”
The old lady, as if there was no other choice, carefully received the first glass of tea. Despite her actions, it didn’t feel like she truly disliked it.
“You said you have been roaming around in search of Lala, correct?”
“Yes, your highness.”
“To my knowledge, Lala became an orphan at a very young age. When she had gained her senses, her parents were already gone. This may be rude of me to say, but I thought that you had thrown Lala away and ran off on your own……”
“Oh no. That is not correct.”
The old lady had begun to shed tears.
“This humble woman was banished from her village as soon as she had given birth to that child. The mayor had chased this one away. A succubus who had made a matrimonial contract with a mere human could not possibly be accepted as a part of the village. That was our village’s rule.”
I listened to this old woman’s life story without a word.
“This one had given birth to the child on a cold winter day. This humble one’s consciousness was still coming to and fro and yet the mayor had suddenly ordered this one to leave. This humble one pleaded stubbornly for more time…… for a week or at least for one more day. But it was to no avail. This lowly one was expelled from the village without having been able to breastfeed her own child once.……”
The old woman lowered her tea-cup and got on her knees.
She crawled to me and grasped my left hand.
“Oh great lord. The only thing this woman of humble birth had left behind for that child is her name, Lapis Lazuli. Her father had the same lapis colored eyes, and thus this one had named her so. That child is most certainly this humble woman’s daughter. Please, if this one could see her daughter’s face…… see if her daughter is doing well…… that is this woman of humble birth’s only wish.”
This old lady’s plea most certainly touched my heart.
A succubus who bore a child because of her affection towards a human.
By nature, marriage between a demon and a human was prohibited. This old lady, for having violated such a taboo, was exiled and had lost her daughter. For a scar formed because of a single summer night love, one could only see it as severe.
“I see. I shall arrange for you to meet Lapis.”
“I-Is that true!? Thank you. Thank you very much, your highness!”
“A mother is meeting her child. I’m merely granting something that is obvious. There is no reason for you to be thanking me.”
I called for Lapis Lazuli to enter the room.
Shortly after, Lapis Lazuli, wearing the same as usual tidy uniform, arrived. Lala had glanced at the old woman but it seems she was unable to recognize who the woman was.
“Did your highness call for this one?”
“Lala. My eternal lover and loyal subject.”
“……Why is your highness behaving like that all of a sudden? Whenever your highness starts to imitate a weird way of speech, this one can’t help but feel a strange anxiety.”
“Examine this old woman here. Do you recognize her, perhaps?”
Lapis Lazuli narrowed her brows.
It was a face displaying that she had no idea.
“This one is sorry, but this individual is an utter stranger to this one.”
“Look more carefully. Do you truly not know?”
“This one is unable to guess what your highness is thinking.”
It was then that the old lady started to approach Lapis Lazuli.
While letting out a cry, the old lady hugged Lala.
“Aah……! My child! This is certainly my child!”
Due to the sudden situation, Lapis Lazuli froze. Instead of appearing confused, she more looked as if she was unable to understand what was happening. It was that kind of feeling. Lala turned to look this way.
“Your highness. Please explain.”
“As you heard just now, that person is your birth mother. Of course, there are many things that must be confirmed first, but surely a person wouldn’t tell a lie while in the presence of a Demon Lord, when the truth could be revealed at any time.”
I felt somewhat proud.
An orphan was able to reunite with their parent. Even for myself, who always thought pessimistically, I couldn’t help but be touched by this reunion. I leisurely waited for the words ‘thank you’ to come out from Lapis Lazuli’s mouth.
But.
“……”
Lapis Lazuli was strange.
A peculiar emotion had appeared in her eyes for an instant. It was truly a short moment. If one were to calculate the time, then it was as short as a blink. Lapis Lazuli’s face was indifferent—perhaps too indifferent.
Despite not knowing what exactly that emotion was.
It was certain that it wasn’t the type of expression a person should have made when meeting their own mother for the first time in decades.
I quickly made a decision.
“Lapis Lazuli.”
“Yes, your highness.”
“Kneel.”
Without asking any questions, Lapis Lazuli knelt down. I wonder if the old woman was confused by the sudden order I had given, but she was looking back and forth between Lapis and I with a bewildered gaze.
I approached Lazuli and swung my right hand. It wasn’t a joke. I had properly put strength into my arm and slapped her. Lapis Lazuli, unable to withstand the force, fell onto the floor. As soon as this happened, the old woman let out a sharp scream.
“W-What is your highness! What is your highness doing!?”
“Be silent, you shallow-minded succubus. Say another word and I will slice off your tongue and shove it into your ear.”
I ignored the old woman’s cry and grabbed Lapis Lazuli by the hair. I then lifted Lala’s body up by force. Lapis Lazuli didn’t let out a single sound and simply looked up at me with emotionless eyes.
“Confess. Did you dare to use dirty tricks?”
“……This one has found out for the first time that your highness is a lot more violent than this one had originally thought.”
“You’re quite good at shamelessly moving your trap like that. Did you become blinded just because you had gained my royal grace? I had allowed a mere peasant like you to stand by my side and now you want me to treat your parent as well? Speak. Am I your lord or your coin bag?”
I glanced slightly at the old woman and could see her lips trembling.
It seems she couldn’t understand what was going on before her.
“Your mother did not come looking for you. You’re the one who probably found your mother first. You and your mother planned this unamusing performance to ridicule me, am I right?”
“That’s not possible…… great lord, it’s a misunderstanding!”
The old lady shouted out as if she was screaming.
“This humble one has only met her daughter for the first time today! There was no occasion of this one and her daughter meeting beforehand and devising a plot against your highness. Please believe this one!”
“I know very well how crafty your daughter is. Always trying to fool me and stab me in the back whenever she gets the chance. This is the same. It wasn’t enough that you alone were living in wealth, so you brought in your own mother. You disgraceful woman.”
I slapped Lala’s cheek once more.
Once, twice, thrice, I continued to hit her.
Each time the old lady screamed over and over again. But that was it. Once I had taken out a dagger the old woman hurriedly ran out of the room and escaped off to somewhere.
“……”
The reception room was silent.
Lapis Lazuli stood up and silently dusted her skirt. Lala’s face was still expressionless, and it seems she didn’t feel any particular pain from her swollen red cheek.
“……Damn it.”
Thud
I stabbed the blade into the table.
“It was a lie. Your mother ridiculed us with her lie, Lala! She didn’t come looking for you because she was worried, she probably planned to simply latch onto you like some parasite.”
“That is most likely correct.”
Lapis Lazuli spoke calmly.
“This one has been officially approved as your highness Dantalian’s mistress. Adding to that, your highness has also joined the ranks of the wealthiest people on the continent. This one’s mother had mostly likely approached your highness and this one aiming for our wealth.”
“To run away by herself when her own daughter was being beaten……!”
It was a simple but extreme test.
To confirm what the old woman’s true intentions were.
If that old woman had truly wandered for 40 years in search for her child, then there was no chance that she would stand by idly and allow the violence to happen. She would have tried to stop me even if she had to risk her own life.
However, that old hag had ran away much too easily. What did this mean? It meant that that old woman, as a mother, did not love or treasure Lapis Lazuli.
The likelihood of her visit here was ten to one for money. She most likely crawled her way here to lean on her daughter and live a life of luxury. My heart became pitch-black with rage.
“For the person who had irresponsibly copulated with a man, irresponsibly had a child, and irresponsibly ran away from the village by herself— to try and come back and act as a mother now! How barefaced could someone be after abandoning their child for 40 years!”
“Your highness.”
“I’ll kill her!”
I shouted.
“I’ll cut off her tongue, break her limbs, and throw her in a pig sty. It’s only appropriate for that kind of mongrel to receive divine punishment. If the Gods are neglecting their duty then there’s no choice but for me to punish her in their stead!”
“Your highness.”
Lapis Lazuli looked straight at me.
“Compose yourself. There is no reason for your highness to dirty your hands.”
“No, there is more than enough reason, Lala. You are my lover. Be it a false cover or not you are still my fiancée. The ridicule you receive thus becomes my humiliation. The ridicule I receive thus becomes your humiliation. How could there possibly be no value!?”
“……”
“Don’t worry. How could I possibly tell you to kill your own mother. Just wait patiently. I’ll take care of it discretely. I’ll make sure to not allow that kind of trash from ever intervening with your life ever again. First bribe the guards and……”
Slap
I wasn’t able to comprehend what had happened to me for a moment.
It was because it was something that I had never expected to happen.
I looked at Lapis Lazuli with a dazed face, still unable to believe what had happened.
“Lord Dantalian.”
“……”
“This one said to compose yourself.”
The feeling in my chest settled down.
Lala had slapped me just now.
That itself was not a problem. Did I not also hit her cheek several times earlier? An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. She naturally had the rights to hit me as well. However, the fact that ‘Lazuli had hit me’ was what gave me a shock.
“Lala……”
“Has your highness finally calmed down?”
“I’m sorry. I did not hit you earlier because I wanted to. I apologize for swinging my hand like some brute. I really am. But I had to make sure if your mother was being sincere or not.”
I spoke in a low voice.
“If I did not properly make this fact clear, then I thought that in the end, you’d be the one to be hurt. At the price of becoming the bad guy, I wanted to guarantee your safety. I will vow on this, I did not have any ulterior motive.”
“This one knows, but that is not the problem.”
Lapis Lazuli shook her head.
“There is no reason to apologize for hitting this one. This one is a peasant. Just being by your highness Dantalian’s side this one is able to bask in an undeserved privilege. The real problem is something else.”
“What do you mean by the real problem……?”
“Does your highness not know?”
This type of questions drove me mad.
The other person had the answer but I did not. If that was so, then I should have the right to at least know the question, but for some reason the other person held back both the answer and the question. Was this not excessively unfair?
“Lala. I do not wish to have a debate with you.”
“It is not a debate.”
Lapis Lazuli bowed her head.
“It is a simple test.”
And then Lala left the room.
Without asking for my permission to be excused.
I suddenly found myself alone in the room and blankly stared at the empty space in front of me. It was then that a half-transparent notice window appeared.
Lapis Lazuli’s affection went down by 1.
For a long time I stared vacantly at the notice. Because there was no one else in the room to hear my words, I muttered weakly towards the empty air.
“…… What was the problem?”
The sound of birds chirping could be heard through the window.
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 20 Niflheim, Hermes’ Plaza
“What was the problem?”
Barbatos looked as if she was at a loss for words.
It was the kind of face that looked as if she wanted me to bite my tongue and commit suicide.
“You tried to kill your lover’s mom!”
Hm.
“……So what?”
“Oh Goddess Persephone. Good God. Why you haven’t taken away this idiotic wuss yet is beyond me.”
Barbatos covered her forehead with her hand.
“Dantalian. Do you want me to tell you really, really honestly?”
“A truthful answer would be much better than a hypocritical answer.”
“Before hearing your story, I sincerely advised you to break up with your succubus lover, right? But now it’s really vague. You retard. If you’re going to be slapped by an outcast, then you deserved to have been slapped hundreds and thousands of times.”
“Oi. What would you have done then?”
I lowered the ice pack.
The cheek that was slapped by Lala was still hot.
“There’s a girl that you really love. But this girl, disregarding her own volition, was born into this world purely because of her parent’s mistake. As soon as she had left the womb she was immediately branded as an ‘outcast’. Even now, Barbatos, you disregard her as well.”
Barbatos creased her brows.
“I don’t ignore people based on social status. I differentiate them.”
“You mean discriminate. Anyways, that’s fine. In brief, the main culprit to make Lapis Lazuli’s life turn into a gutter was that old hag. What was I supposed to do? What would you have done?”
The people who I despised the most was the group of individuals that had a child irresponsibly. My father had done so, and so had my mother.
Normal people couldn’t understand how frustrating it was for a child whose life was already ruined at the age of 10. However, compared to Lala, my life could be considered as a blessing. Her life was crumpled up like a piece of aluminum foil since the age of 1.
“I can’t forgive that old woman. Forgiving her would be wrong. Damn it. I shouldn’t have worried about what Lapis had in mind and just killed that woman then and there.”
“Dantalian……”
With a sound effect a hologram displayed in front of me.
The other party is disappointed in you.
Demon Lord Barbatos’ affection went down by 3.
“You’re quite the twisted guy, aren’t you.”
Barbatos gave me a look of sympathy.
“You look perfectly fine but the inside of your skull is defective. You don’t even realize that you look like a mental patient right now, do you?”
“I’m perfectly normal.”
“There are two types of people who claim that they are perfectly normal. One is a murderer, and the other is a soon to be murderer.”
Barbatos lowered her back slightly.
She stared at me very seriously.
“Anyone will make mistakes as they live their life. Of course, if they make a mistake then they should be punished. Up to that point is fine. But you’re stating that the punishment must be execution no matter what. And at your lover’s birth mother, at that.”
“If there is a whore who deserves to die, then they should.”
Barbatos let out a sigh.
“…… Did you say your lover’s name was Lapis Lazuli? Damn she’s admirable. How the hell was she able to deal with you? If it were me, I’d have cut your balls off and ran away a long time ago. You two really should just break up.”
“Are you taking my side right now or Lala’s?”
“I don’t know, you idiot.”
Barbatos scratched her head.
“I was hoping that an actual useful rookie had appeared after such a long time, but isn’t he just a complete mental patient? Haaa, my fate is always like this…… If you take out his love affairs then he sort of seems okay, but how the hell do I make this retard function like an actual person……”
“Hello? I can hear everything you’re saying.”
“Of course you did since I wanted you to hear it. Mr. Bitch, I’m thinking in a present progressive form on whether if I should appoint myself to be your nanny. This is quite the deep shit.”
Barbatos clutched her forehead and groaned.
It was like she was contemplating on how deep she was planning to step into someone else’s life.
If you become concerned with another person’s personal problem then you’d most likely end up in an endless swamp. Barbatos was probably thinking about that sticky feeling.
I wonder if she had finally made a decision.
“……Okay. Keep talking.”
Barbatos had an expression that appeared as if she had resigned herself to a knot somewhere in her mind.
“Keep talking? About what?”
“You dumbass. I’m talking about your love business. From what you’ve told me up till now, it doesn’t seem like there’s a huge problem between you and your succubus lover yet. You may have quarreled but that wasn’t a big enough fight to result in a break up. Just what kind of shit did you pull during the rest of the month that made that kid so appalled at you?”
“I see you’re talking in a tone as if you’re already certain that I’m the one at fault.”
“Yeah. I’m certain. If you think it’s unfair then prove your innocence, tsk……”
Barbatos gazed out the window.
It was still mid-day so the outside was bright.
As if she was estimating the weight of the sunlight, Barbatos narrowed her eyes. The sunlight polished her calves and slid down them.
Honestly speaking, it was charming.
Even the sunlight would be pleased by the fact that it had kissed Barbatos’ leg. There was no doubt that it’d at least be happier than falling onto my head. If it weren’t for her childish figure, then I may have even fallen for her.
“……Oi. Where are you looking at?”
Barbatos was glaring this way as if she was looking at something rotten.
I responded honestly.
“I was admiring your leg.”
“It’s not free so if you want to admire them then pay up.”
“You can just look at my leg instead.”
“Say that after you shave all your leg hair.”
I shrugged.
“I obtained information.”
Barbatos tilted her head.
“What information?”
“A small letter. There was no name and no sender written on it. Only two sentences were written on it with a quill pen. The content was quite memorable.”
I took out a piece of paper from my pocket and passed it over.
You have an enemy.
10 days from now, an army of 2,000 men will invade your Demon Lord castle.
“Hmm.”
Barbatos let out a noise from her nose.
“A straight up threat is written here, huh.”
“I see it more as a warning than a threat.”
“Why? Even at glance it looks like a bluff.”
“Look at the lines carefully, Barbatos. It may only be two sentences but many implications are hidden within them. First, ‘You have an enemy’ is written here. This is subtly hinting that ‘I am not your enemy’.”
This was too mild to be treated as a threat letter.
That was why when I had received this message a month ago, Lala and I had contemplated about it.
Who, with what intention, would have sent this kind of letter.
“Looking at the writing style, the personage who had written this letter is of the upperclass and has received professional education. By the way the words are slightly tilted, you can judge the person is either right-handed or ambidextrous.”
“…… You can tell all that?”
“These are all nothing more than assumptions.”
I leaned back into the chair.
I continued talking in a comfortable position.
“There’s also a high chance that the person is engaged in business at the top.”
Barbatos creased her brows.
“Haa? Why the top?”
“If you have eyes then look at the number.”
10 days from now, an army of 2,000 men will invade your Demon Lord castle.
“There’s a comma between the 2 and 0. That’s why there’s a high chance that the person is working in a high position.”
“……”
Barbatos still had a confused face.
It seemed that this violent child of a Demon Lord was not good at turning her head in this kind of place. I let out a sigh and kindly explained it for her.
“Normal people don’t put a comma when writing numbers in the thousands. They usually write it as 2000 without any special symbol. But the person to have written this letter had habitually added a comma.”
Thus meaning, a person who normally worked with a large amount of money.
A person who would always put a comma whenever three 0’s were beside each other.
A person who interacted with large numbers like 1,000,000 on a day-to-day basis.
“There’s no doubt that this person deals with either accounting documents or ledgers frequently. This person could be a grand chamberlain for a territory, or they could be a merchant that works in a high position.”
“Is that so……”
Barbatos made a wry face as she looked down at the letter.
“Your brain really isn’t there for nothing.”
“Don’t be moved already. There’re still 5 hidden truths in this letter. But if I were to explain each and every one of them then I’d die of boredom, so I’ll skip them.”
Since olden times, secrets were similar to sex.
When taking off your partner’s clothes you had to carefully remove a single layer at a time. What enjoyment could you possibly get from ripping their clothes off all at once?
Everything was at its highest point of beauty when half-stripped. Like a woman who was only half revealed would be more charming than a fully nude woman, secrets had the best taste when only stripped here and there and then cooked.
C’est si bon.
“This guy is a completely perverted bastard, isn’t he?”
After listening to my esthetics, Barbatos’ face distorted.
“Anyways, you’re saying that there’s a high possibility that the culprit is a merchant, right?”
“Mm. At least from the outside.”
I scratched my forehead.
“Thankfully, I have a deep friendship with merchants. If, perhaps, the person to have sent this letter really was a merchant and was merely playing a prank, then it would be more than easy to catch the culprit.”
“Hm? How?”
I smiled smoothly.
“I told you. Merchants are my friends.”
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 5 Niflheim, Governor’s Palace
“…… This one has never written a letter like this before.”
“Chief. I, too, wish to believe that you’re innocent. But you have conspired against me and attacked me in the past, have you not? In other words, you are not completely trustworthy yet.”
“This one no longer plans to be hostile against your highness.”
“That is quite the pity. I’m unable to believe you.”
“……”
Ivar Lodbrok ground his teeth.
It was clear that he was upset. He did have more than enough reason to be angry, after all.
This person before me was originally one of the highest people of authority. He was the richest person in the demon world as well as the behind-the-scenes ruler of the free city of Niflheim.
That person had fallen and was now acting as my puppet. He yipped like a dog at my every command. It became quite pitiable. Even so, I did not plan to forgive him so easily.
“What does this one have to do in order to gain your highness’ trust?”
“Simply do a couple of favors for me.”
“What kind of favors……?”
“First, I’d like to hire some soldiers.”
It was written on the anonymous letter that an army of two thousand men were going to invade.
Although it was still uncertain whether the letter was true or false, there was nothing bad about being prepared. At the very least three thousand. Yes, I wanted to be prepared with an army of at least three thousand soldiers.
“I consider this to be a light request. If it’s the marvelous Keuncuska Firm then surely you’ll be able to gather three thousand men easily. Do you not think so?”
“……Of course. Your highness.”
The other party had an expression as if he had chewed on shit.
Oi, your emotions are showing all over your face.
Was he perhaps looking at me with contempt? Was that it. Did he decide that he didn’t have to keep up appearances in front of me?
That was troubling. A pet that looked down on their own owner had no use. It seems I had to teach this vampire manners once more.
“Lodbrok. Do you perhaps dislike me?”
“…… That is not possible. This one holds respect and loyalty for the Demon Lords in this one’s chest at all times.”
“That is a relief. I like you quite a bit as well. I was worried that it might have been one-sided love. One-sided love is only beautiful during one’s childhood. But at this age, is it not vulgar to be caught up in such a thing?”
Ivar Lodbrok looked at me with a doubtful gaze. He was most likely trying to figure out what I was talking about.
I took something out from my sleeve. Well, it wasn’t anything too important. A single strand of hair. It was merely a single strand of blonde hair.
Ivar Lodbrok grimaced.
“What may that be?”
“I’ll say it again. I like you quite a bit as well. Except, not your elderly appearance but your original body. Your delicate and female form. I prefer that more.”
“……!”
Ivar Lodbrok’s eyes trembled with unease.
Lodbrok’s main body was a girl with blonde hair. The hair that I had just pulled out was also blonde. What could this mean?
“Surely……!”
“In regards to your body, I personally prefer your calves. Your petite chest and the outline of your waist is also fine. But I really do think that your calves are the best.”
I smiled.
“If you caress it carefully then you can feel both the firmness of your shin and the softness of your calves at the same time. It felt like my hands would melt because of how soft they were. The rose-like fragrance emanating from your skin almost made me unintentionally want to lick you.”
“Did your highness not promise not to touch this one’s main body!”
Ivar Lodbrok let out an enraged shout.
“This one had betrayed her highness Paimon as your highness had ordered! This one had protected your highness while sacrificing a firm executive! Then why……!”
“Do not misunderstand.”
I spoke in a carefree tone.
“We did not make a promise. Promises are something that are mutually benificial. However, our relationship is a bit simpler than that. Chief. It’s absolute obedience.”
“……”
“Kneel.”
Ivar Lodbrok stiffened.
I wonder if he wasn’t able to properly hear my request. Seeing that he was trapped in an old man’s body, was his hearing perhaps damaged as well? This was certainly possible. Do not worry. I believed in respecting the elderly. I’m a man who was able to show compassion towards elders as much as it is required.
With a gentle tone, I ordered once more.
“Kneel down, chief.”
“……”
“Go on.”
Ivar Lodbrok slowly bent his knees.
I nodded.
“Now come here.”
“……”
Humiliation and rage dyed the old gentleman’s face.
I couldn’t help but love whenever a person of power made an expression like that. It felt like I was watching a delinquent mending their own ways. I almost wanted to praise the beauty of mankind out loud.
Ivar Lodbrok crawled towards me.
I took off my shoe and pressed my right foot down against the old gentleman’s head. It was, of course, a ridiculing action. Ivar Lodbrok’s shoulders trembled.
“Chief.”
“……Yes, your highness.”
“Please conduct yourself with more caution while standing before me. I did not ridicule you the moment we met. Normally and softly. I treated you like an accomplice of equal standing, and yet, did you not look at me as if you were looking at trash?”
Press press.
I pushed his head down further.
Ivar Lodbrok’s nose touched the floor.
“This is why communication is impossible. How long do you plan to leave me in an unrequited love? If you desire for me to respect your dignity, then you must respect my dignity first. Do you understand?”
“This one will, most certainly keep that in mind……”
“Prepare the three thousand troops within 2 days.”
I withdrew my foot.
“It’d be troubling if you were to gather a bunch of random people, so I shall request for the best quality of soldiers. According to the message, the invasion will happen in 10 days, so do hurry.”
Ivar Lodbrok quickly brought his head back up.
“Your highness. Two days is much too short! At the very least, allow us a week…… no even if your highness were to give us half a month, it would be near impossible to hire three thousand soldiers of the best quality.”
“What are you talking about? There are plenty of troops nearby.”
“Pardon?”
“Are there not soldiers protecting Niflheim? I heard that the military force here was around 8,000 men. Lend me some from there.”
Ivar Lodbrok opened his mouth.
It was a face as if he had just heard an unbelievable suggestion.
“Your highness! Those are this city’s defenses!”
“And you are the actual ruler of Niflheim. You can move the forces around as much as you please.”
“Please understand! If the soldiers are gone then the method of defending Niflheim disappears with them. Niflheim is a free city that is responsible for all the economy in the demon world. If this place were to fall then a huge misfortune will fall over the entire demon world. If that were to happen while the Black Death is still running rampant……!”
“Whoa, whoa. Calm down.”
I stood from my chair.
I lifted Ivar Lodbrok back up on his feet and tidily brushed all the dust off of his clothes. Ivar Lodbrok, not sure how to react, was unable to say anything in response.
“Of course there are many things to worry about. The danger you’ll have to shoulder will also be large. I understand everything. I really do. But regardless of all that, chief. It is very unfortunate, but.”
Finally, dusted Ivar Lodbrok’s shoulder.
“That is your problem. Not mine.”
“……”
I smiled widely.
Ivar Lodbrok was at a loss for words.
“Ah. I should point out that this hair is not from your main body. How could I do such a thing when I respect you so much, chief? Do not worry.”
“Pardon? Then where……?”
“I plucked the hair off of a dog that was wandering around the governor’s palace after playing with him a bit. That dog’s color and charm was quite refined. As expected, if the owner is well off then even the pets live a life of luxury.”
Ivar Lodbrok’s expression quickly changed.
He must have realized that he had just ridiculed himself all because of some dog hair and was dumbfounded.
That’s why you shouldn’t have retaliated so uselessly. We could have happily gone off on our own ways without having to upset one another. I couldn’t understand the people who insisted on upholding their pride when they knew that they were obviously going to lose. Are you a masochist? Do you enjoy receiving pain on purpose? This is quite troubling that there are so many perverts in the world……
“Three thousand soldiers. Highest quality. I leave this within your hands, chief.”
“……Yes.”
“Oh, right. I would also like for you to acquire some information.”
I grinned.
“This as well isn’t a very difficult task so you have no need to be worried. It’s a task to find a single human. Ah, while you’re at it purchase the finest bottle of wine for me.”
“Whatever this one is ordered to……”
It seems he had finally given up on resisting. Ivar Lodbrok bowed his head. It was cute because his drooping hair resembled dog ears.
The fact that he had a lot of wrinkles was a flaw, but oh well. It’d be better if I just thought of it as raising a pet with a strong sense of pride. I’d feel sorry if I shoved him around too much, so I should give him a reward later on. Oh no. I shouldn’t have a hobby like raising a pet……
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 7 Niflheim, Governor’s Palace
I could hear the sound of paper being shuffled.
I wonder if I had been sweating throughout the night as my back felt wet. I rubbed my eyes and turned my head to see Lapis Lazuli reading a report next to me on the bed.
“Lodbrok?”
“Yes.”
In response to my short question asking if those were the reports from Lodbrok, Lapis Lazuli answered immediately.
One week had passed since we had become lovers. Curiously, our words got across to each other rather well. Should I say that our compatibility was good? No, it might be excessively easy-going to even regard her as my lover……
“How is it.”
“The level of the information is favorable. The total slave markets located in the northern region of Sardinia is 13. Among them, the amount of slave markets that handle in slaves born from noble families are 4. The slave which your highness is looking for is registered in Pavia.”
Lapis Lazuli took out a single document.
I shook my head and buried my nose into her thighs. It felt as if she had applied some kind of sweet oil on her skin. A delightful scent emanated from her.
“Olive oil?”
“It is Anatolia mountain rose oil. Your highness. If your highness has the time to sexually harass this one, then please take a look at the report first.”
“I do not wish to read words as soon as I wake up in the morning. I’d appreciate it if you could read it out loud in my stead.”
“It’s not morning but the afternoon.”
Lapis Lazuli let out a sigh.
“This one thinks that it’s because of your highness that this one’s life cycle is being ruined. Too much time is being consumed from having sexual relations once. This one advises your highness to lower 4 hours to 2.”
“What am I supposed to do when my stamina is peerless?”
I lightly pecked Lala’s bottom.
“I do not have the tendency to sate my desires quickly. In any case, it’s quite the problem that men these days do not know how to show consideration to women. How pleasant it is to enjoy each others’ warmth and……”
“This one knows. It is already well-known for this one that your highness is a pervert beyond imagination, so this one does not need another lesson.”
Lapis Lazuli resigned herself and began to read the report.
“—Laura De Farnese. Ever since her birth as an illegitimate child in Duke Farnese’s family, she was confined in the mansion at all times. Although it hasn’t been revealed on who her birth mother is, there is a rumor that she was born after the duke had raped one of the servants.”
“Hmm.”
I stroked Lapis Lazuli’s thigh as I listened to her talk.
Lala had no useless fat. It was most likely because she was born as an outcast and spent her childhood starving. Roaming the alleyways and finding scraps from garbage cans. Being cursed at for being a half-breed. Having stones tossed at her constantly.
……I should have killed that old woman.
I really did regret it.
“It seems Miss Farnesee lived a very underprivileged childhood.”
Lapis Lazuli continued.
“Not only the mansion, but she was strictly forbidden from leaving her bedroom as well. Her siblings did not consider Miss Farnese as a part of their family, and even the servants treated her as if she did not exist…… Your highness? Are you listening?”
“Of course. I’m listening diligently.”
“Although, this one thinks your highness has only been touching this one’s thigh since awhile ago.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re just seeing things.”
“……This one will continue reading.”
Laura De Farnese.
She was an important character that appeared in <Dungeon Attack>.
Similar to the protagonist, she was an influential individual of that era, but if one were to point out a difference, then it was that she pushed the world into terror instead of hope.
There was a slight complicated political reason that was involved behind this.
The <Dungeon Attack> protagonist, the hero, was affiliated with the ‘Empire of Habsburg’. On the other hand, Laura De Farnese worked for the nation known as the ‘Kingdom of Brittany’. The empire and the kingdom, wanting to decide who was the true ruler of the entire continent, started a massive war.
There was a chance that, compared to the Demon Lords, the amount of humans that died because of Miss Farnese was higher.
In other words, for the protagonist you could say that she was an opponent far more terrifying than the Demon Lords.
Well, these were things that would happen 15 to 20 years in the future.
In the current time, Laura De Farnese was nothing more than a frail and weak 16-year-old girl.
What was there to hide?
I wanted to snatch this girl who was fated to become a great general in the future in advance.
Since it seemed that 2,000 soldiers were going to invade from an unknown region. While I was hiring troops, I wanted to recruit a commander at the same time. Kill two birds with one stone.
Lapis Lazuli finished reading the report and spoke.
“Your highness. There is something that this one wishes to ask. Why does your highness have an interest in a child from the human race?”
“There is no particular reason. Simply that this child harbors the most hatred towards humans.”
I told her a lie nonchalantly.
There was no special reason. It would be more troubling if I were to answer her honestly and say ‘It’s something I know because I played the game, but that kid is going to grow up to be the greatest general in the continent’. I could only dramatize a reason and tell it to her.
“……Hatred, is it?”
“Yes. Think of it while in that girl’s position. She was born as an illegitimate child and spent her days forever trapped in her room. She received abuse from the people who were supposed to be her family. She was avoided by even the servants. And now that the family has fallen into ruin, Laura De Farnese has plummeted to being a slave and is being sold at a market. What do you think would be lurking in this girl’s mind? What would this girl earnestly desire for? Would she not be nourishing her hatred towards humans?”
“……”
“To me, I need this kind of child. A child burning with hatred more than anyone else. I need a child who would sell her own soul to the devil if it meant getting revenge on the humans. Laura De Farnese, an individual just to my preferences.”
I chuckled.
Lapis Lazuli looked at me with an impassive expression.
She had eyes that appeared as if she understood but also didn’t understand at the same time.
“What? Are you disappointed that it wasn’t the answer that you had hoped for?”
“Slightly.”
Lapis Lazuli tilted her head.
“This one was certain that your highness wanted to obtain and enjoy a high quality sex slave from a noble birth.”
“What? What kind of nonsense…… Wait. What kind of person do you see me as?”
“Of course, this one sees it as it is.”
There’s a vassal here that’s treating their lord like a human scumbag!
I vaguely understood the reason why Lapis Lazuli’s affection was yet to get past 10. No, well, I actually am a human, though! I’m not depraved enough to do something disgusting like getting a sex slave.
“Lala.”
I spoke in an incredibly serious tone.
“I’ll use this chance to tell you clearly.”
“What is it?”
“I prefer mature adults.”
It was truly so.
Lolita complex was a mental illness.
“I can’t stand people that still smell like a child. Of course, I prefer large chests over smaller ones, and I prefer a generous bottom over a petite one. Do you understand. People who like a child’s body are all insane with a bunch of loose screws in their heads.”
“Really?”
Lapis Lazuli nodded.
“To sum it up, more than her highness Barbatos, her highness Paimon is closer to your highness’ preference.”
“Before talking about whether it’s close or far, I just dislike a child’s body. Even if the other side approached and offered themselves to me, I’d decline!”
“That is a shame. If your highness was obtaining Miss Farnese with the intention to sate your highness’ sexual desires, then this one was going to actively support the decision, since it meant that this one’s burden would be reduced by quite the amount.”
“Did you dislike sleeping with me that much!? No, wait. In the end, wasn’t it you who came on to me first……!?”
“My apologies. At that time, this one had yet to realize that your highness was actually a stallion. Your highness had even satisfied yourself fully on the first night, 3 times in a row at that…… Honestly, this one has started to regret it.”
“Isn’t that too much!?”
I had ended up hearing from my lover of 1 week that she was already regretting her decision.
It may have been merely a physical relationship with no love whatsoever, but I couldn’t help but receive a blow……
While I was chatting with Lapis Lazuli, someone knocked on the door.
“Oh great lord. Your highness’ lunch has arrived.”
“Ah. It’s fine to enter.”
It was the maids that were working in the governor’s palace.
The maids opened the door and came into the room. Each maid was carrying a silver tray. They looked this way and all their faces froze at once. A man and woman were laying on the bed in the nude. Although we were covered up by a blanket, my upper body was in the open.
“E-Excuse us! Your highness!”
“It’s fine. The one to have ordered for you all to enter was myself, there is no reason for you all to apologize. Pay us no mind and set up lunch.”
“Ah…… Understood.”
The maids gratefully placed the cuisines down onto the table. Although they did their best to be indifferent to us and keep their heads in place, they ended up instinctively peeking at us. Hm? Was it their first time seeing a Demon Lord without clothes on?
Finding it amusing, I silently kept watch of the maids until I heard the sound of a tongue clicking with a ‘tsk’. It was so low that I could have missed the sound. My heart became drastically cold.
“The likes of us shall take our leave now.”
“All of you. Stop right there.”
The maids froze in place at the door.
I unintentionally ended up speaking in a cold voice.
“Who was the one to click their tongue.”
“Pardon?”
“Do not play innocent. I clearly heard one of you click your tongue. Confess who the culprit is.”
The maids looked at each other with a panicked gaze. But only for a short moment. Their eyes naturally gathered onto a single person. It was a girl with cat ears from the beast race.
Is that so. Are you the main culprit who clicked their tongue?
I put on a loose gown and got up from the bed.
“……”
During that time, the maid from the beast race had realized her mistake and started to tremble. Her teeth chattered. It seems her colleagues had predicted what her fate was going to be as they had taken a few steps away.
“Name.”
“J……J-Julia, is this one’s name.”
“I see. Julia. You have a pretty name.”
In contrast to the compliment, my face was stern.
“Why did you click your tongue earlier.”
“T-This one is terribly sorry, your highness. Please forgive this one!”
“I asked why you had clicked your tongue.”
The maid could not answer.
It was fine. I wasn’t asking her in hopes for her to answer me. I already knew the answer.
This girl didn’t click her tongue at me. Slightly to my side. In other words, while glaring at Lapis Lazuli, she had clicked her tongue.
That put me in a foul mood.
Incredibly.
To the point where I could barely control my rage.
“Are you looking down at the sight of myself being intimate with my lover?”
“No. Your highness, this one did not think anything like that……!”
“I understand. It must have been very unpleasant to see a mere half-breed peasant in the same bed as a Demon Lord. It must have been a sour sight for you. That’s why you clicked your tongue at my lover, right?”
“T-This one…… This one was……”
I had hit the mark.
That was the kind of feeling I got from her response.
There was nothing more to see.
I walked in long strides towards the wall where swords were being displayed on and pulled one out. The thin blade came out while making a metallic sound. Seeing this, the other maids let out a scream.
“Before being a peasant, she is my fiancée. With what authority are you mocking someone else’s lover. Am I ridiculous enough for you to mock?”
“Your highness…… at least this one’s life…… please, spare……”
It was really hard to understand.
After falling into this world, only incomprehensible things have been happening.
Why did people look down on others so easily?
Why did people not uphold even the least amount of etiquette?
And finally, why did people attack when they knew they were going to lose?
They had no caution, they had no common sense, and they had no knowledge. As did Paimon and as did Lodbrok. That old hag shook my insides a few days ago and now this maid was trying to start a fight.
That was why.
Since it was full of these kinds of people.
Because there were only these irresponsible people my siblings and I—.
Abruptly, choice boxes appeared with a sound effect.
[1. Punish.]
[2. Spare.]
A half-transparent window that could only be seen by myself.
I strengthened my grip on the hilt of the sword. The other maids held their breath. The beast girl muttered for forgiveness while shedding tears.
To kill or not to kill. All kinds of calculations went through my head. The threatened political status for murdering a servant of the governor’s palace. The social impact it would cause. The damage my public image would receive. However, despite considering all these demerits, it was difficult to forgive this girl. It was incredibly difficult. I didn’t clearly know the reason why I couldn’t, but—.
“Lord Dantalian.”
In a subdued
and always calm tone.
“That is far enough.”
Lapis Lazuli spoke.
I slowly turned my head to Lala.
At that spot were the same eyes which I saw a few days ago.
The same reproachful gaze that was asking if I did not realize what I had done wrong.
“……”
At that moment.
The inside of my head promptly cooled down.
I was now able to realize how insane my current actions were. For me to try and kill someone just because they had clicked their tongue once. It was ridiculous.
The old lady and this maid before me were different. The old lady was the main culprit to have completely ruined Lapis Lazuli’s life. However, all this maid had done was click her tongue. Although she certainly did not know her manners, but that was it. She did not commit a crime that was worth being killed for!
I semi-forcefully poured ice water into my head.
‘Calm down.’
‘Do not make enemies for no reason.’
‘If they’ve recognized their error, then step back.’
Behavior procedures engraved like a manual.
The doctrine that had become nearly instinctive because of my father’s education, started to take effect. 1 second, 2 second, and after the 3rd second I had regained my composure.
I arduously opened my mouth.
“……Have you reflected on your actions enough?”
“Y-Yes! Your highness! This one is terribly sorry! This one will never do it again!”
“Do not ever forget that emotion. A single mistake could threaten your life.”
I turned to look at the other maids and spoke.
“Keep that in mind. As servants like you all who attend to people of high nobility, each and every one of your actions could lead to an irremediable mistake. Your mistakes will soon be the mistake of Niflheim. Your impudence will soon be the impudence of Niflheim. Act with responsibility.”
The maids all bowed deeply at once.
“”We shall bear that in mind, your highness!””
I nodded.
With this, I had succeeded in giving an evasive response.
“Good. You may leave now.”
And then, the maids quickly made their way out.
[1. Punish.]
[2. Spare.]
The words shined brightly in mid-air.
Then they broke apart and formed new lines.
A kind and merciful decision!
Fame increased slightly.
The lines then split apart into small pieces and dispersed like petals.
I should be delighted that my fame had increased by even a slight amount, but honestly, my current mood was the absolute worst. It was truly at the very bottom. It has been a long time since my mood had been this terrible.
Lapis Lazuli gazed at me silently.
The moment our gaze met I instinctively apologized.
“I’m sorry.”
“What for?”
“That’s……”
I couldn’t answer.
The feeling of having done something wrong was pressing down against my heart. However, I couldn’t grasp hold of exactly what I had done wrong, not even the smallest amount. This was perplexing.
Silence went by.
In the end, Lapis Lazuli let out a sigh.
“…… Understood.”
What did she understand?
She got up from the bed and put her clothes on. After Lapis Lazuli had completely put on her uniform, she lowered her back and bowed. It was a fluid movement without even the slightest bit of error.
“This one shall make preparations to depart for the slave markets. It should be suitable to hire the Berbere sisters for travel this time as well. Please come out once your highness has finished eating lunch.”
“Lala.”
“This one shall take her leave first.”
Without looking this way, she opened the door and left.
As I did 4 days ago, I was left in the room alone. Lapis Lazuli may have already been gone, but her rosy scent was still drifting around.
And then, a notice window.
Lapis Lazuli’s affection went down by 1.
“……”
I silently covered my face with my hands.
As I lived my life, I belonged to the group of people who were disappointed by others, I was never part of the group who disappointed others.
But not today.
I had disappointed Lapis Lazuli.
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 20 Niflheim, Governor’s Palace
“You know what’s the worst part?”
“……”
“The fact that I had no idea what I did wrong.”
Late evening.
Before I knew it, the scenery outside the window had grown dark.
Barbatos was looking at me under the quietly shaking candle light.
As the outside grew darker, the shadow that covered Barbatos’ complexion spread across her face. While supporting her chin with her arm, she silently gazed at me.
“I could at least behave shamelessly if I didn’t feel like I had done something wrong. I could even question the other party about what the problem was. But not me, I understood that I had done something wrong; I just had no idea what that was. And…… that is quite the miserable feeling. Exceedingly……”
“……”
“Tell me. What could Lapis Lazuli have wanted from me?”
I stared at Barbatos with earnest eyes.
Barbatos had opened her mouth, but no words came out.
So there was no other choice but for me to continue talking.
“Did she want for me to get on my knees and beg? Was that what Lapis wanted from me? For me to throw away my dignity, like a slave. To toss away something like saving face and simply plea?…… That could be it. That was more than possible.”
“……”
“However, why wouldn’t she even tell me what my wrongdoings were?”
I grasped my forehead.
“This drives people mad. Barbatos. This truly is something that drives people mad. Do you know why Lapis didn’t tell me anything?”
“……I wonder.”
“There was one reason. Lapis wanted for me to realize my mistake on my own. That if she left it alone then I would figure it out by myself. Lapis had expectations for me. Damn it!”
Thud
I hit the floor.
“It was insulting and more insulting. Why it was so…… because she was treating me like a fool. Firstly, she was disappointed that I had not realized my wrongdoings. Second, she was hoping that I would figure out what I had done wrong. Do you understand? Hm? Do you understand how shitty this was?”
I sneered.
But it didn’t come out properly.
The sneer came off more as a forced smirk.
“Lapis was not only judging my current self, but my future self as well. On her own. To her own desire! As if she had me completely figured out! As if, she was considering herself to be standing in a higher position than myself……!”
I ground my teeth.
“It was so insulting that I could vomit. It was the first time in my life that I had received this kind of offense. Lapis’ disappointment and expectation became two walls that crushed me even further. In my chest a rage slowly…… an anger slowly built up towards Lapis.”
“Dantalian.”
“I made a resolution in my mind.”
I glared at the candle.
The candle gave off two colors.
The upper portion yellow, the bottom portion blue.
While giving off these colors of light, the light burned and descended down slowly.
“Get caught once. I will wait until the next time she showed disrespect. And if Lapis irrationally ignored me once more.”
I grabbed the wick of the candle with my fingers.
The flame soon flickered and died.
“—When that happens, I will not stay still.”
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 02/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-02-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_02_01.txt
|
Chapter 2: The Ethics of Monkey Hunting
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 10 Kingdom of Sardinia, Pavia Slave Markets
“Is two people all?”
“Yes. Myself and my wife.”
“Hm. We’ll accept 2 gold pieces for the escort fee.”
I passed 5 gold to the hired soldier and he grinned widely.
There was an unexpected charm overflowing from the smile of this mercenary who was lacking two front teeth.
“Thank you very much, your honor. Us mercenaries will protect you with our lives during your stay here. Please have an exciting day with your missus. Ooi, escort this couple to their spot! Make sure it’s of the highest class!”
“Roger.”
Outskirts of Pavia.
Slave merchants had set up stalls throughout the open plains in this area.
To prevent thieves from pilfering, soldiers were strictly guarding the entire market. There were 5 platforms of various sizes, approximately 70 guards, and market stalls so grand that you’d mistake this place as a military camp if you looked from afar. Most bandits wouldn’t even dare to mess with this market.
“This way, your honor.”
“Mm.”
Following the man’s guidance, we went to the center of the market.
Lapis Lazuli and I were pretending to be a young merchant couple. We had exquisitely forged our identification papers and names. With this, we wouldn’t have to worry about our actual identities being found out any time soon.
The slave market was overflowing with a shady and damp ambiance.
“Move it already! You damned dullards.”
“Snow elves here! Captured straight from the deep snowy mountains in the kingdom of Moscow. As a special occasion, I’ll be displaying them for free today. Please come and take a look!”
“I told you to walk more quickly!”
On one side, a guard was swinging a whip and forcing a group of slaves to move. A line of 6 male slaves were chained together and walked forward a little bit at a time. It felt like I was watching a caterpillar.
“Please look as much as you want. Looking is free!”
On another side, a naked elf was locked up behind iron bars. A sales promoter kept going on about how amazing his ‘product’ was while pointing at the elf’s breasts and ribs. There were many people gathered around the iron cage, and there were even kids among them. Little girls were sticking their heads through the bars and staring at the bare elf.
I could hear their conversation.
“Big sis, is it true that elves live off of only drinking dew?”
“……”
“Uhm, I don’t think she understands what we’re saying. I don’t know how to speak the language used in Moscow, too……”
“They say that elves drink the raw blood of kids every year. That’s why they stay pretty for a hundred and two hundred years.”
“You idiot! Don’t lie!”
The group of little girls giggled. The elf smiled softly as she watched the kids. When the children reached their hands out, the elf more than gladly put her arm out to let them touch her skin. Although the elf’s arm was thin and mostly bones, the little girls were making a commotion as if they were touching something like gold.
“These mischievous kids!”
The sales person lifted the children up while laughing heartily.
“You can’t touch the product thoughtlessly like that!”
I watched up to that point and turned away.
—Kuaaaaaaah……
The sound of a whip lashing and a slave screaming could be heard in the distance, and yet no one in the market area paid it any mind. The only ones to pay attention to the screaming were the kids. Each time they heard a moan, the children would get excited and ask “Did you hear that? Did you hear that?”. Every time they heard a scream, they would echo the sound with their own voices shouting “Kaah!” “Kueeak!”.
Was it because of their innocence, perhaps?
I muttered.
“This is quite the splendid place. Are all slave markets like this?”
“Yes. There are not a lot of differences.”
Lapis Lazuli responded.
“The slave market that this one was indebted to for a short period of time, during this one’s childhood, had the same feeling as this.”
“What? You worked at a slave market before?”
“To be precise, this one did not work at a slave market, but wanted to become a slave instead. At the time, this one was incredibly famished. This one had thought that as long as this one was able to obtain a meal, then it would be fine to become a slave. Since slaves were at least fed.”
Lapis Lazuli spoke calmly.
“However, once the slave merchant found out that this one was a half-breed, he had chased this one out. Apparently, outcasts did not have the ‘right’ to become a product to be dealt in. Regardless, before this one’s identity was revealed, this one was able to eat half of a stale bread. It is a good memory.”
“……”
Lapis Lazuli’s past was so dark that it was scary……
Doing whatever I could to change the topic, I cleared my throat.
“The succubus that used to wander these market grounds is now the mistress of a Demon Lord. Is that not splendid, Lala? A person’s worth is not determined by their birth. You, who was able to overcome all kinds of unfavorable conditions, have the most beautiful value out of them all.”
Lapis Lazuli gave me a side glance.
“……Your highness sure does make surprising remarks occasionally.”
“Hm?”
“It is nothing. Your highness had complimented that this one had succeeded, but that is woefully inadequate. Until your highness has become a true ruler of demons, until that moment is when this one’s success can be put up for debate.”
“You are quite the greedy woman.”
I smiled.
“That’s why I like you.”
“There is nothing for your highness to be flattering this one for.”
“I am not hoping for much. I would simply like it if there was more charm mixed in tonight’s affairs. In the first place, when we do ‘that’ your face is so stonelike that it’s rather fun to……”
Lapis Lazuli stepped on my right foot. The heel of her shoe was stabbing into the bridge of my foot so it hurt quite a lot, but in contrast, I felt delighted.
Yes. This was the same Lapis Lazuli as usual. The same Lapis Lazuli that was cool-headed, calm, and would react moderately to my teasing. Feeling a rare sense of relief from that, I unpacked my things at the quarters that the hired soldiers had guided us to.
That night, we had received an invitation to a banquet with the slave merchants.
It was worth giving that soldier 5 gold. The people on the market’s side had recognized us as VIPs and had given us an invitation.
I wonder if it was because the banquet was for slave merchants, but the gathering was rather extravagant. There were several guards standing as security and beautiful slaves were serving the food in the nude. I had soon mixed in with the group of merchants and chatted with them.
Alcohol went around appropriately. It was just the right amount for people to become intoxicated. During this sort of ambitious night, this was the most appropriate time to induce people into confessing their inner-thoughts. Now, shall we get down to the point……?
“This is the first time in my life seeing such a luxurious slave market. I have been to several slave markets in the past that were of a larger scale, but if you compared the quality of the products between here and there, they can’t possibly match with the excellence here. It is wonderful, everyone. I am truly moved.”
“Haha. You’re thinking too highly of us.”
The slave merchants laughed with bright red faces.
An enlivened mood flowed throughout the room. Everyone gave a favorable impression. For people who dealt in slaves, it was hard to believe how harmless these people appeared. Did they not even have the slightest amount of guilt for selling slaves?
Well, that was probably how the people of this current age were like. This wasn’t an issue that I should get involved with. Revolutions should be left in the hands of revolutionaries, and politics should be left in the hands of politicians. That was my creed. Albeit, there were many people who got these two jobs mixed up.
“There is something that I am slightly curious about, though.”
“What is it? Tell us.”
“Like how a single flower could overwhelm an entire ballroom of people, would there not be a slave with the highest value in this market as well? What does everyone here consider to be the flower of this market?”
The merchants looked at each after hearing my question.
Shortly after, they started to make a commotion.
“Of course, would it not be the snow elf that I captured from Moscow? I had to hire no less than 20 hunters just to catch that bugger. There is no doubt that my product is the best.”
“Pfft. Honestly, the elf trend is already over. These days, sirens and mermaids are the big thing. In that sense, the siren that I went through a lot of trouble getting my hands on……”
“Ha! How could some beast with wings cause any fuss? It’d be a doubtful if you could even get 20 gold off them. They may be a rare species and appropriate for livening up the atmosphere, but you can’t call them the leading star of the market. That’s for certain.”
“No, of course you should rate them higher based on their rarity. I’m actually thinking of putting out my ace in the hole and showcase a centaur. If it’s a horse than the noble ladies would……”
They clamored.
The argument on whose slave was better continued on.
After a while, a slave merchant pointed towards a young man and spoke.
“How about your side, Giacomo? I heard you really resolved yourself to prepare a product for this time.
“……It’s not as great as everyone else’s list of goods.”
The young man furrowed his brows as he responded.
He was the young man who had been silently drinking wine throughout the entire banquet. Although the other merchant was trying to bring attention to his slave, he had refused. Seeing the way his complexion had darkened, it appeared as if he was displeased about something.
“To say it’s nothing great! That’s quite modest of you!”
“That’s right, Giacomo. We aren’t deaf, we heard the rumors. We heard that you succeeded in obtaining the illegitimate child from a Duke’s family.”
The youngster made a bitter expression.
It seemed he was uncomfortable that the attention was focused onto him.
“……I was lucky. That is all.”
The man then tipped his wine glass.
I furtively curled the edges of my mouth as I stared at the young man.
Found him.
I was certain that that man was the slave merchant who was in possession of Laura De Farnese.
Enduring my laziness to participate in this banquet was worth it. To be able to find my target so quickly. I was lucky.
Acting surprised, I raised my voice.
“Wait, everyone. The illegitimate child from a Duke’s family? What is that about? I’d like to hear more details.”
“I’m not sure, but that fellow, Giacomo, obtained quite the prize at such a young age. It’s that guy’s first time debuting in the slave market industry, but my God, he got his hands on a product that’s a big shot among big shots!”
“They say it’s the illegitimate child from Duke Farnese’s House.”
The merchants got excited and started to make a big fuss.
“A duke’s family. And not some small family, but the Farnese family! Naturally, their status did indeed drop to the rock bottom after losing in the last War of Roses, but still……”
“Well, it’s an open secret. They probably didn’t want to shift the responsibility for their defeat to one of their actual heirs. So they sold off their illegitimate daughter as a compromise. Although, this is merely in the field of speculations.”
“Wouldn’t that probably be the right guess? Other possibilities are impossible…… That missy was selected as a scapegoat for the family.”
Someone clicked their tongue.
“The ones that came out on top after the War of Roses are happy they got to dishonor the Farnese family, and the Farnese family is happy that they were able to lower their losses to a minimum.”
“If you look carefully, those noble folks are better at business than we are. Keke. Those people on top sure know their stuff.”
“Furthermore, they say that ‘that’ isn’t a joke.”
A merchant mentioned while chewing on a chicken leg.
I put a fascinated expression on my face.
“What do you mean by ‘that’?”
“That, I’m talking about that. Her face and body are just so……kuuh!”
The merchant laughed wickedly. Sticky brown sauce was smeared all over his fingers. The other merchants agreed enthusiastically.
“I heard that rumor too. That she was the confined princess of Farnese!”
“Yeah. That because she was a woman of peerless beauty, they were afraid that it would cause a disturbance in the kingdom. That’s why the duke purposely hid her away in the deepest part of the mansion so no one could see her.”
“Well, honestly, it’s probably a bunch of lies.”
The merchants shrugged.
“No matter how you looked at it, they probably hid her because they were ashamed…… But what does that matter? Just the mere fact that those kinds of rumors came attached with her is special. Rumors raise the value of the product, after all.”
“Mm. I guess that’s right. For starters, she’s from one of the most noble families in the kingdom……”
“The rumor that she was the most beautiful girl on the continent went around once.”
“And she’s at the ripe age of 16!”
The merchants broke out into laughter all together.
The only person unable to go along with the mood was the young man. He had maintained a stoic face.
“…… Please excuse my going first. Good night.”
The man stood from the table and casually walked out.
The other merchants wished him a good night as well, but the young man received it absently. It’d be hard to look at it as a positive behaviour. Once the youngster was gone, the other merchants immediately voiced their opinions.
“Isn’t he acting a bit arrogantly? We invited everyone of the same trade like this so we could get to know our colleagues better, but if he behaves like that……”
“He really has no manners. He’s just running wild while relying on his father’s reputation. All the young folk are like that these days.”
It seems the way young people behaved in this world and my original world was the same.
I put on a smile and stood up.
“I wish to look around the marketplace early in the morning, so I shall be returning to my quarters for the day as well. Everyone, please have a pleasant night.”
“Ooh. Sleep well.”
After receiving the farewells from the merchants, I made my way out of the banquet hall. After instructing Lala to go outside the marketplace and prepare for any situation, I chased after the young man by myself. Not having gone far, the sight of the young man walking through the marketplace by himself came into view.
“Sir Giacomo. Sir Giacomo!”
“Yes……?”
The youngster turned to look at me.
He had eyes that appeared as if he was looking at a suspicious person.
I put a broad smile on my face.
“Would you, perhaps, like to share a conversation with myself?”
Let’s soften up this novice.
▯Methoranum Peddler, Slaver Merchant, Giacomo Petrarch Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 10 Kingdom of Sardinia, Pavia Slave Market
In one corner of the market area, I was drinking beer with a strange peddler.
It was weird. I couldn’t really remember how I ended up drinking like this. It sort of felt like I had been possessed. Well, there are days in your life where you just blank out……
“I’m only telling you this, Sir Giacomo.”
The strange man in front of me made a bitter smile.
“To tell you the truth, the very act of selling and buying slaves is discomforting for me. It feels like I’m doing a crime against humanity.”
“Is that so? I think so as well.”
I happily responded to his remark. This was it. It was because of this characteristic of this man, that naturally made us start drinking together. I wonder if it was a coincidence or pure luck, but the wavelength between the man in front of me and myself was surprisingly good.
“Originally, I didn’t want to be something like a slave dealer. However, my father pressured me into it. He said that if I wanted to become a veteran merchant quickly, then there was no better job than a slave dealer……”
“You have a good father. But, there are many things in the world that are more precious than becoming a veteran. It would have been nice if your father had realized that.”
“That’s what I’ve been saying!”
Oh dear, I unintentionally raised my voice.
But it wasn’t strange. It was the first time I had ever met a person who connected with me so well, and in the center of the slave market at that. Was this not quite the eccentric encounter?
“My father is too attached to money. Yes, a merchant’s job is to make money and transport goods. I don’t have a problem up to that point…… But, aren’t slaves people too? Be it humans, elves, or sirens…… to treat them like some exhibit……”
“I understand. Ah, I see your cup is empty. Here, have another glass.”
“Thank you……”
I gulped down the wine that the man poured me. I felt a very pleasant drunkenness rising. It seems I really needed a person that I could openly talk to. It felt like I was drinking more heavily than usual, but it was okay. This was within my acceptable range.
And thus, time flowed. Before I knew it, I found myself leading the man to the quarters on my platform. ……Huh, why did I bring him here?
“How marvelous. To refrain from putting chains on most of your slaves, that is quite the humane consideration you hold for them.”
The man looked on in admiration at the slaves on the wagons.
Aah, that’s right. I remembered now. He asked if he could take a look at my slaves and I had gladly accepted his request. Even though you aren’t allowed to bring guests into this area…… It shouldn’t be too much of a problem, right? This person wasn’t a simple guest, he was my friend. Now that I think about it, what was his name again?
“The majority of people only talk about it but never try it themselves. You are different, Giacomo. You are truly treating your slaves with warmth. I can see that with my own eyes. It is splendid.”
“Ahaha, you’re exaggerating.”
Oh well, something like names weren’t important. The most important part when judging a person was by their personality. This man was okay to be trusted. He possessed a good personality.
“Except, I don’t think every single slave would be satisfied.”
“Pardon?”
What could he be talking about?
It may not be a boast, but in my opinion, there was no other merchant that showed concern for their slaves as much as I did. I regularly gave them two meals a day, and obviously, the slaves liked me as well. But to say that they weren’t satisfied……
“Oh dear, that was rude of me. I was simply thinking while in the slaves’ perspective.”
The man smiled softly.
“Before being captured by us, did these slaves not live a rather peaceful life? They must have been able to move around freely and live their lives to their desire. I felt that they’d most certainly still have some dissatisfaction even if they were to receive their meals on time.”
“Think in the slave’s perspective……”
It was surprising. I had never considered this before.
I’m a free man and they’re slaves. We were clearly different. There was no reason for me to be forcing my own thoughts onto them when they were completely different from myself. But I had regarded it like that……
That it was more than enough to treat them with just the slightest bit of consideration. To think in the slave’s perspective? Was that possible? Was that not an excessively idealistic way of thinking……?
“How is it actually?”
While I was receiving a shock from the man’s words, he threw a question at me.
I perked up in alarm. What were we talking about? I couldn’t remember the context of our conversation. My head felt dizzy since awhile ago.
“What is actually……?”
“I’m referring to Miss Farnese. Have you already forgotten?”
Farnese? Was he talking about Miss Laura De Farnese?
No, since that family was deprived of their noble peerage, I couldn’t call her by using that family name anymore. But I couldn’t clearly remember if we really did have that kind of conversation. Oh dear, I think I drank way too much.
The man calmly explained.
“Did I not ask if Miss Farnese was satisfied with her life as a slave? Once I did, you, Sir Giacomo, said that you would personally show her to me.”
“Ah. That’s right. That’s right…… I forgot for a second.”
I still didn’t feel certain while I was responding.
Miss Farnese was a valuable of the highest quality. In order to prevent thieves from stealing her, I had hidden her at the deepest part of my platform. Even if he was my friend, I couldn’t show it to him lightly. I was starting to regret it. How could I have made such an irresponsible promise……
The other party immediately noticed my complexion and spoke.
“I see. It seems you’re actually conflicted to show her to me.”
“No, the truth is.”
“It is fine. Please do not feel any pressure from this. I was merely suggesting this with a light heart. I was just curious as to how you truly handled your slaves, and how your slaves sincerely felt towards you.”
The man smiled bitterly and muttered.
“I am the one who should be apologizing. Due to my curiosity, I had ended up forcing Sir Giacomo into a delicate situation. Let us return to the pub.”
“Ah……”
After seeing the man’s forlorn expression, an indescribable guilt built up in my chest. It was that. The other party had merely requested something of me while thinking of me as a friend. But what was I doing?
In the end, was I not treating him like a stranger? What made me different from those people at the banquet hall who whipped their slaves? I was the worst. If those merchants were the villains, then I was nothing more than a mere hypocrite.
“……No. Please wait. I shall guide you to where Miss Farnese is at.”
“Pardon?”
The man blinked his eyes in surprise.
“Is that truly okay?”
“Of course. There’s no problem if we’re to simply look and come back. Thankfully, Miss Farnese does not sleep at night, so it should be fine to visit now.”
“…… Sir Giacomo. If you feel any difficulty from my request, then you may refuse at any time.”
The man was giving me a worried look.
“It may have only been a few hours since we have met, Sir Giacomo, but I feel a friendship between us. I do not wish to burden a friend.”
I was moved by his consideration. I told him that it was okay, but the man was still being considerate of me and was trying to refuse. What was I possibly hesitating for in front of such a good-natured person!
A smile naturally formed on my lips; the touch of anxiety that remained in my chest had melted away like snow.
“No, it’s fine. I, myself, also want to hear Miss Farnese’s opinion. If anything, I’d like to request for you to come with me. If it’s possible for me to think while in the slaves’ position…… the things that I have been lacking up till now. I wish to discuss this with you.”
“……”
The man’s eyes widened.
Until eventually, he smiled. It was a very soft smile.
“Giacomo. You know how to respect others. That is a precious ability that comes from your heart. It’s not something just anyone can learn. I truly respect you.”
I was at a loss for words from his straightforward compliment.
Although I wasn’t able to say anything and my mouth was hanging agape, the man was simply smiling at me in silence. As if he was telling me that he understood everything about me…… No, it was as if he understood the amount of appreciation that I desired from the world, it was that kind of smile.
“Ah, well uh. You know.”
“Yes.”
The man grinned.
“Go ahead, Sir Giacomo.”
“That is…… T-This way. Please follow me.”
Feeling embarrassed, words wouldn’t come out properly.
For some reason, I felt too shy to look him in the face. Yes, it was because I was drunk. My emotions were going on and off because of the intoxication. There was no meaning beyond that. None at all. Really.
My head slowly became dizzier. It was becoming harder to keep myself steady. Even if I tried to pass it on while regarding it as my imagination, my vision was throbbing too much. It was weird. I shouldn’t be this weak to alcohol.
“J-Just a little further.”
My words started to become strained. My consciousness quickly drifted away.
“Just a little bit more and the cell that the Miss is confined in……”
“It’s alright, Giacomo.”
The man lightly supported myself, who was swaying left and right.
Once I rested my head on the man’s body, all my strength left my body.
While my eyes started to close slowly, I could hear the man’s voice.
“It seems you drank a bit too much tonight. I shall take responsibility and carry Sir Giacomo back to your quarters. That’s why, please rest easy.”
A voice that sounded like a mother’s lullaby.
Feeling comfort from that, I closed my eyes.
Despite the fact that the inside of my head was all disorganized, there was one truth that I was certain of. I had gained a friendship that would last forever……
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 10 Kingdom of Sardinia, Pavia Slave Market
Well then, that was a breeze.
I laid the young man down on the floor and smiled wryly.
“You shouldn’t trust a person like me so easily, friend.”
I had effortlessly conquered this youngster who appeared to be around 19 years old. I had merely complimented him moderately, but he got excited on his own and crossed over willingly. It was so easy that it was ridiculous. Was it thanks to my talent, or was it because this fellow was excessively pure as a merchant……?
Of course, the answer was because I was talented.
I knew that very well.
If I ever spoke modestly then it was simply because of etiquette.
Additionally, his affection went up by an outrageous amount.
We had only spent 2 hours drinking together, but his affection points had shot past the 10s, breached through the 20s, and lastly reached the 30s. And yet, Lapis Lazuli’s affection was still at 10. Why was it that I received more affection from men than I did women? It must be the end of the world.
“Status.”
After muttering the word under my breath, a hologram appeared before me.
A type of status window that only appeared if the affection was over 20.
Name: Giacomo Petrarch Race: Human Job: Merchant(E) Reputation: Previously Failed ScholarLeadership: F Might: F Intelligence: E Politics: F Charm: C Technique: FAffection: 32Current Mental State: ‘Friend……’
What an adorable nature this is.
In a certain meaning, instead of a girl like Lapis Lazuli, whose intentions I couldn’t even begin to grasp, these kinds of people were considerably more complacent.
A type of person who did their best to respect others, despite being weak-minded and slightly naive.
Most people may ridicule these kinds of people as pushovers.
But at the very least, I didn’t.
If anything, I slightly envied them.
……Because I could never become like them.
“Just think of it as being caught up with a rotten person.”
I searched through Giacomo’s coat until I got my hands on a bunch of keys.
The keys made a metallic jingle as I took them out. The key to Laura De Farnese’s cell was most likely among these.
Stealing is wrong? That’s a given. I’m a bad person, so I did something like stealing normally.
I sold off something like guilt a long time ago.
As I lived my life, I came to the realization that the need to carry around something like that was non-existent.
I’m not sure what a masochist, who enjoyed receiving pain, would think. As a healthy and sensible sadist, I was out of the question.
“Mmmm……”
Giacomo Petrich let out a sound while in his sleep.
Since I had laced his beer with rather strong sleeping pills, he was going to be snoring away like that for a while.
I patted Giacomo’s head.
“Sleep well. Laura De Farnese is an individual that is too much for someone as good-natured as you to handle. All you have to do is dream happily and leave her in my hands.”
“……”
“It’d be more beneficial for Laura De Farnese, for you, and for me. You did nothing wrong.”
I wonder if he was able to hear my words while unconscious.
Giacomo Petrich’s face slowly became relaxed.
The sound of deep breathing flowed from between his lips.
Good.
The sweet child has closed his eyes.
It was time for the utterly crooked individuals to skulk around like specters in the night.
Holding the keys in my hand, I walked forward. My destination soon came into view. Between two wooden wagons an iron cage resided.
The moonlight gently poured down.
Despite the iron bars being bathed under the moonlight, it did not shine but withdrew further into darkness instead. It was as if it repudiated anything on the outside from approaching it, even mere luminescence.
There was a separate thing that was being shined upon by the light. It was not the cage, but rather the girl who was trapped within.
The girl was wearing dirty rags similar to what a beggar would wear. It must have been several days since she was able to last wash, since there was dirt smeared over her skin here and there.
And then, the moon in the night sky was covered by clouds for a slight moment before reappearing once more. The moonlight descended again upon the girl’s skin making her shine brightly.
“……”
I unintentionally held my breath.
Whoever were to come, they would all be overwhelmed by this girl’s beauty.
However, the reason why I had my breath taken away from me for an instant was not because of this girl’s beauty. Something completely different had moved me emotionally.
—The slave girl was reading a book.
In the middle of this boundlessly dreary cage.
Using the moon as her only source of light.
With a thick book spread open on the floor before her, she silently turned the pages with her blistered hands.
There was something breathtaking about this extraordinary sight.
If one were to ask why, then it was because there was absolutely nothing that could get in her way.
This may have been my first time seeing her, but I immediately understood everything.
The disgrace and shame from having fallen from nobility and into slavery, the countless number of times people had beaten and hurled abuses at this girl, the despair and sorrow for being thrown away by her own parents. Miscellaneous emotions had absolutely no effect on her now.
She was already a completed human.
Closed off.
In darkness.
“……”
I approached the cage with loud steps.
Despite having purposely made my footsteps resound, the girl did not raise her head.
She simply stared down with no expression on her face.
Was she so focused on the book that she couldn’t hear any outside noise?
I stepped between the moon and girl.
A dark shadow loomed over her. Now, for the first time, the girl slowly raised her head to match my gaze, with eyes that lacked even the smallest amount of light.
Laura De Farnese.
The human to go against the hero and turn the continent into a sea of blood.
To the girl who was abandoned by her family and the world, I spoke.
“—My name is Dantalian, the rank 71st Demon Lord.”
Without any pretense.
Petty tricks didn’t work against people with these kinds of eyes.
Always straight and honest, that was the best persuasion method in this sort of situation.
“De Farnese. I came here in order to obtain you.”
“……”
“I am wealthy. Thus I can easily buy you at the slave auction whenever I please. My witches and military troops are lying in wait around this marketplace, thus taking you away by force is also fully a possibility.”
It was not a lie.
Around this time, Lapis Lazuli was most likely preparing to start an assault at the outskirts of the market. The Berbere Sisters were with her. My forces were waiting at a moment’s notice.
11 witches of the highest class, and 9 soldiers of the highest class.
The defenses of this slave market was comparatively sturdy, but it was still nothing more than 70 guards. Utilizing the witch’s firepower, we could easily turn them all into grilled meat. Snatching Laura De Farnese away and disappearing leisurely was not difficult.
If I were to give the order then it was simple.
Despite that.
“But I desire to be acknowledged by you.”
I wanted to leave those as a last resort.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 02/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-02-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_02_02.txt
|
Chapter 2: The Ethics of Monkey Hunting
“Not by wealth or by force. Purely person to person, I wish to be accepted by you. Please judge me with your dim eyes. Determine if I possess the caliber to take you in. Evaluate myself factually.”
“……”
“Can you allow me the opportunity to take your test?”
A stillness settled over us.
The girl gazed vacantly at me.
We didn’t avoid each other’s gaze. Until the third cloud had covered the moon, time flowed silently.
The girl moved her lips.
“—Stop blocking the moonlight and move aside.”
It was an inorganic voice.
Like a machine unnaturally trying to imitate a human’s voice.
Regardless, I nodded.
In this location, this girl had perfectly established her own kingdom. The book was her everything. Thus, the act of covering the light meant that I was invading her kingdom. I promptly complied to Miss Farnese’s request and stepped slightly to the side.
Miss Farnese nodded.
“I express my thanks. You are a gentle person.”
“Respecting another’s domain is a basic, after all. Even if you were to become my vassal, I shall always respect your will like I have done now.”
“Vassal?”
Miss Farnese tilted her head.
“Not claiming as a sex slave, but as a vassal instead?”
“That is so. If I wanted to treat you like a slave, then I would have bought you with gold or have undertaken action in a violent fashion. But I judged that wealth and power was not required to persuade you. Laura De Farnese. I purely wish to obtain you.”
“If that was a love confession just now, then this young lady would surely have been moved.”
Miss Farnese placed her hand on her chin.
Referentially, Laura De Farnese had spoken in 4 different languages. Sardinian, Habsburgian, Franconian, and Ancient Helasian. It wasn’t merely a simple conversation. She was testing me on how far I could keep up with her.
I easily passed her fundamental test. No matter where I was, if it involved languages then I couldn’t be brought down. If anything, I was rather self-confident that this was my specialty. From this point on was the main event.
“I am honestly thankful for your offer. The only other remaining fate left for this young lady is most likely being sold off to some wealthy noble and living a life as a tool for sexual release.”
“Aah. That is correct.”
Due to the information that I was able to obtain in <Dungeon Attack>, I had a general outline of what Laura De Farnese’s destiny was. It should be fine to mention future events briefly here.
“The person to buy you in the auction will be Count Roswell from the Kingdom of Brittany. Publicly, he is praised as a man with a noble personality, but in truth, he is a sadistic pervert.”
“Hou.”
Did I pique her curiosity? Miss Farnese showed an interested response. Although, her eyes were still dim.
“Tell me in more details.”
“With pleasure. Count Roswell considers locking up fallen nobles, like yourself, in his underground torture chamber as a joy in life. Because his preferences are so vast, he enjoys things from candle wax torture to amputation.”
“Amputation? What is that?”
“There are many types of perverts in the world, Miss De Farnese.”
I smiled gently.
“Among them, there are a type of people who gain carnal desires for women with their legs and arms cut off.”
I always felt satisfaction whenever I was able to reveal the cruel reality to a girl who was ignorant of the world. You could say that it felt like I was helping a bit in that child’s education.
I’m a friendly man, after all.
“If you were to be sold off to Count Roswell, then there is no doubt that you will be gang raped in a prison cell, where even sunlight cannot reach, for 10 years. If you are unlucky, then you may experience abortion several times as well.”
“That is indeed the worst individual to become a slave of. I can endure being tortured by candle wax, but this young lady does not think she could possibly manage having her limbs severed.”
“Is it because you will be unable to read books?”
“Yes. I’ll be unable to read books without my limbs.”
Miss Farnese answered seriously.
I had assumed she was this kind of girl.
“But, oh Demon Lord. It’s rather hard to believe that you’re planning to use this young lady for something other than a sex slave. As you can see, this young lady is quite beautiful. Even if you were to take myself in as a vassal, how could this young lady be certain that you won’t be captivated by this lady’s looks later on and violate her?”
It was a Missy who said nonsensical things as if it was natural.
Being slightly put off, I creased my brows.
“……You. Do you, perhaps, often hear from others that you’re very conceited?”
“Pardon me. I am simply evaluating my own beauty objectively. Throughout my life, 4 times from my own father, 11 times from my half-brothers, and 2 times from my half-sisters, this young lady had almost been raped by them. This lady’s beauty is most certainly out of the ordinary. It is quite unfortunate.”
“What? You were almost raped by your half-sisters?”
Even the Demon Lord was surprised by this.
Miss Farnese spoke bluntly.
“There are many types of perverts in the world, oh Demon Lord. Among them are women who feel carnal desire for people of the same-sex. Adding to that, there are also women who have an incestuous desire for people of the same blood.”
Her line had the exact same cadence as what I had said earlier while trying to show off. It was her counterattack to me for having behaved like a grown-up.
I unintentionally ended up admiring this girl’s wit.
“……Impressive.”
“You do not have to compliment this young lady, since this young lady had come to terms with her own genius when she was 6 years old.”
“Oh, really? What a coincidence. The time I realized that I was a prodigy was at the age of 6 as well.”
“Mm, is that so? This young lady should add that she had become self-aware of her own superiority in intellect after having witnessed her siblings struggling to master a single geometry theorem even after the age of 10.”
“I became self-aware after seeing that my younger half-siblings were unable to learn even 2 languages by the age of 5.”
“Aah. It’s certainly difficult to understand why people struggle with foreign languages. Do you not naturally master a language after listening to it for half a year?”
“Precisely so. It’s something that I can’t understand.”
“Whenever this young lady sees a group of people confused about the simplest of truth, while this lady feels sadness and pity for them, at the same time this young lady feels more suspicion instead. How could they have possibly lived for this long with that kind of head? If this young lady was ever to be in their position, this young lady would have immediately killed herself.”
“The majority of people are born pitiful. It can’t be helped. There’s no other choice but for people like us to politely teach them what intelligence and etiquette are.”
“Oh Demon Lord. Is that not a tedious task?”
“It is incredibly tedious. However, despite everything, we are still a part of the community that resides on this world. Very occasionally, we need to know how to sacrifice ourselves for a good cause.”
“By ‘very occasionally’, do you mean once in a lifetime?”
“If it’s that much then that’s more than enough—”
Ah!
I involuntarily got absorbed into the conversation.
The expression that I had put on for acting purposes had grown faint at some point.
The chemistry between myself and this girl was good beyond imagination.
“Oh, right. Furthermore, this young lady occasionally does not speak and goes into her own world for an entire week. If we are to spend time together, then please take this into account.”
“Ah, I too occasionally shut myself in my bed and refuse to come out for 4 days at a time. On those occasions, I do hope that you will respect my personal life.”
“Of course. Also, this young lady tends to play the violin very loudly. Additionally, there are times this young lady will be driven by her enthusiasm and begin to sing as well. So if you are to live with this young lady, then you must consider this as well.”
“Violins are the pleasure of life.”
I nodded my head earnestly.
“Oh, do you think so?”
“The melody from a harpsichord flows too stiffly, so it gives off a strong mechanical feeling. But do violins not express the intense vibrations of life? Music is vibrations, and nothing besides vibrations. An oboe is quite marvelous as well, but if you were to compare the two, then the violin would still be on top.”
“This young lady agrees entirely.”
“……”
“……”
We stared at each other.
I carefully opened my mouth.
“Say. I’m not sure if it’s a misunderstanding, but……”
“Mm?”
“I’m not sure why, but it feels like you and I will be able to get along quite peacefully.”
“What a peculiar coincidence. This young lady shares the same opinion.”
“This may be abrupt, but I have a few questions. Who is the most intelligent person in the world?”
The girl promptly answered.
“Of course, it is the individuals, themselves.”
“What about a person who irresponsibly throws aside a promise and disregards others?”
“It’d only be appropriate to immediately cut off their limbs and sentence them to death.”
“When you see a person who is pure, what thought crosses your mind?”
“How they could possibly live life so foolishly, but at the same time, this young lady is also blinded by their pureness and can’t help but admit that they are a race more superior than this young lady.”
“What is love?”
“A suicidal act of ruin disguised as romance.”
“What is friendship?”
“The emotion that this young lady randomly grants people who do not bother her.”
“What is labour?”
“Proof that God does not exist in this world, and that it’d only be appropriate for it to be eradicated.”
“……”
“……”
The girl and I nodded at the same time.
You could readily say that it was a fateful nod.
“Miss De Farnese. I personally dislike a child-like body. I feel more sexual appeal from women with more robust breasts. So thankfully, the chances of myself being captivated by you is incredibly low.”
“Oh Demon Lord. This young lady prefers men who are well advanced in years, so at the very least 50, but if possible 60 years of age. This young lady detests men without any wrinkles. A man’s charm solely comes from their years of experience, thus, the chances of this young lady being seduced by you is very slim.”
We reached out our arms and grabbed each other’s hand tightly.
“—Perfect.”
“—Splendid.”
This had long ago transcended being compatible or not.
I was her other half, and she was my other half. We were born on the same planet, but due to the whim of the Gods, we were separated. Until finally, we were able to reunite with one another here today. There may have been an age difference between us, but that was no problem. A companion that shared the same ideology was something that overcame generations and age. The decalcomania soul of mine which I couldn’t find in my original world was now before me.
A sound effect rang and a notice window appeared.
You’ve sincerely reached a communion with the other party.
Laura De Farnese’s affection went up by 15.
In a single burst the affection points broke past 10.
It took no more than 150 days just to raise Lapis Lazuli’s affection up to 10, however it only took 15 minutes in Laura De Farnese’s case. What was with this difference in degree?
I see.
Lapis Lazuli was indeed a special case.
I used the key to unlock the cage while being pleased by my own competence.
With a clunk, the cage door opened. After undoing the metal collar around Miss Farnese’s neck, every problem was now beautifully taken care of.
“Mmm. This is refreshing.”
Miss Farnese walked out from the cage. She then spread her arms out towards the moon in the night sky. It appeared as if she was trying to measure how much of the sky she could capture into her arms.
Time flowed like that for a long time.
Shortly after, De Farnese turned her body towards me.
“—Lord.”
She lowered herself to one knee.
“As long as your lordship does not betray this young lady first, she shall follow your commands loyally. As long as your lordship respects this young lady, she shall devote her soul to you. Laura De Farnese. As the third daughter of the Duchy of Parma and the rightful heir of Piacenza, on this night, continental calendar 1505th year, 9th month, and 10th day, with all the Gods here as witness, hereby vow: If your lordship orders for this young lady to be your sword, then she shall become your sword. If ordered to be your head, then she shall become your head. If ordered to be your legs, then she shall become your legs. This young lady’s will, this young lady’s knowledge, and this young lady’s efforts shall eternally be devoted to your lordship. Lord, I only request of you to bestow upon this young lady a small freedom.”
“I sincerely vow that I will protect thy freedom.”
I gripped Miss Farnese’s hand and stood her up.
Though this was nothing more than a formal verbal promise, this was also the first promise to be established between myself and this girl.
I could not treat it with negligence.
“Dantalian, rank 71st Demon Lord, as the sacred and inviolable representative that symbolizes absolute dignity, and as a member in an order of 72, who rules over all demons, I shall promise: Thy devotion shall be rewarded. Thy loyalty shall be honored. Thy mistakes shall be forgiven. People that hold animosity towards thee shall thus be mine enemies. The houses that had led thee into ruin, thus the House of Medici in Florence, the House of Sforza in Milan, the House of Agilolf in Pavia— and if thou so desires, then even the House of Farnese in Parma. By any means necessary, I shall avenge thee.”
“……”
Did my promise come off as a surprise?
Miss Farnese blinked her eyes.
“Are you sane? They are authorities that have entire kingdoms perfectly under their control. Certainly, they are the ones that contributed in this body’s fall into slavery, but……”
“Do not worry. I shall not repeat my vow.”
I grinned.
“I shall drown the archduke of Florence in the ocean, I shall execute the duke of Milan by puncturing 36 holes into his body, I shall decapitate the count of Pavia and display his head at a crossroad, and finally, I shall leave the fate of the duchy of Farnese in your hands. 10 years. No. I shall achieve your revenge on all these people within 9 years.”
“……”
“How’s that? If it’s this much then does my intent not come across clearly?”
“……By the looks of it, it seems this young lady has decided to serve under a preposterous lord.”
Laura De Farnese lightly shook her head.
“This is troubling. If you’re to present me with this many vows then it would be unfair. This young lady shall make one more promise.”
“One more?”
“Aah. If your lordship truly achieves revenge on this young lady’s behalf, then, I, Laura De Farnese, will more than gladly devote even my freedom to you. I will become your slave on my own volition, and happily be your lordship’s possession.”
“Excellent. Swearing on the River of Styx.”
“Swearing on the River of Styx.”
I lightly kissed Miss Farnese’s forehead.
The scent of dirt was strong since she was unable to wash for a long period of time , but for some reason I was fine with it.
It felt like I had gained a little sister who was a spitting image of myself.
While I was at it, I gave her a hug. Miss Farnese’s small body came into my arms. She did not resist. Rather, she leaned her head against my chest. How cute—.
“There is something this young lady is curious about, milord.”
“Speak.”
“Where exactly do you plan to use this young lady? Truthfully, this young lady has no talent in politics. Albeit, this young lady considers her ability to acquire and interpret studies to be an inborn talent and can confidently boast it.”
“Ah. I plan to make you into my acting general. From now on, you shall repel foreign enemies as the supreme commander of my forces.”
“This young lady as the general?”
Miss Farnese’s voice became slightly higher.
It was probably because it was a role that she wasn’t expecting at all.
In the original history, the time that Laura De Farnese’s genius regarding military warfare bloomed was 10 years from now. It was after Count Roswell died of poisoning and she had competed for the authority over the count’s house. Until then, Laura De Farnese did not know what her true talent was.
Of course.
I was going to wake up that monster inside of her 10 years early.
“What? Was this out of your expectations?”
“Obviously. Although this young lady has read many art of war manuals, this young lady’s talent regarding military warfare is most likely non-existent. War is not something an amateur should step forward in. This young lady believes that it’s a task that must be evaluated very thoroughly before assigning to someone. Rather than that, this young lady recommends something like a curator of a library……”
I chuckled.
You were only saying that because you didn’t understand yourself fully.
In a tactical battlefield, if you were to face an enemy with the same amount of troops as yourself, your chances of winning was 100%. If your forces were smaller by 3/10, then you had an 80% chance of victory. If your forces were smaller by 1/2 then 60%. You were an extraordinary commander that grabbed hold of victory with these chances no matter what.
Even the hero had to mobilize an army 3 times the size of your own in order to defeat you. Laura De Farnese, you were the symbol of both fear and nightmare on the continent. Just by the mere news that you were participating in the battle would make countless number of cities raise their white flag in surrender.
A girl loved by the Goddess of War.
No, the Goddess of War who had become a girl.
That was the girl in front of me who was tilting her head.
“Trust my discerning eyes. You’ll shine brighter when holding the baton in a battlefield than you would reading books. I’ll make it so that history will remember your name.”
“Mm. This young lady is strangely being filled with confidence……”
Miss Farnese sent me a dubious look.
“To assign a 16-year-old lady to military affairs, it’s an unheard of allocation of personnel. Although this young lady believes that it’s beyond foolish, your lordship’s resolve is very stern. Even if this young lady ends up screwing up the military affairs, do not reproach this lady too much, okay?”
“You’re quite the cynic. I will say this again. Believe in me.”
While lightly patting Miss Farnese’s head, I took out a scroll parchment from my coat and tore it apart. Once I did, a red flame appeared and shot into the sky.
Time to escape.
Boooooom—
The flame exploded like a firework. The guards that were standing night watch must have seen it. The slave market slowly became rowdy. The security forces were moving around desperately trying to find the culprit who had shot the flare.
“……Hey! Where’d that flare……”
“……Damn it, it’s from Methoranum’s side……”
“……Cause those loaded pricks are out somewhere throwing their money……”
In the distance, we could hear people shouting and giving orders urgently.
Moments later, a group of four to five guards came rushing towards us. The torches they were holding illuminated the surroundings. The guards then noticed that Miss Farnese was outside of her cage.
“Hey! Why is a slave outside without permission?”
One soldier showed a bitter face. His eyes were full of caution. If need be, he’d probably stab me if he had to.
I put a smooth smile on my lips as I told them to calm down.
“I am a friend of that merchant from Methoranum lying over there. I was checking the quality of the slave with Sir Giacomo, but he had accidentally tore a magic scroll during the process. I apologize for starting a ruckus in the middle of the night, gentlemen.”
The soldiers glanced down at Giacomo Petrarch who was on the floor. Giacomo Petrarch was still sleeping like a log.
“What do you mean by checking the slave’s quality?”
“Well. If I were to give you a demonstration, then it’s this.”
I kissed Laura De Farnese’s nape.
And with my right hand I glided it over her body and smiled.
The guards opened their eyes wide as they gaped at us.
“In a few days, this slave will be sold to Count Roswell in the Kingdom of Brittany. The honorable Count specifically ordered for a luxurious sex slave. But gentlemen, would it not be a big deal if the slave turned out to be frigid?”
“T-That is so, but……”
“Aah. Be it a big deal or not. As you all may know, the Methoranum merchant is rather young so he’s quite ignorant in regards to this type of thing. That’s why, as his friend, I was kindly doing the check up for him.”
“……”
The soldiers exchanged glances with one another. It was apparent that they were conflicted. They wanted to arrest the culprit that had fired the flare, but at the same time, they were worried that they might be disrupting a very important task.
“Regardless, this is all work for the honorable count. I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but I’ll let you all in on a secret. Count Roswell’s name is quite high up in the kingdom for his perverted hobby. If by any possibility, the slave is unable to satisfy Count Roswell then who knows what punishment will befall us.”
It was convenient to use prestige in a situation like this. Count, count, count, by uttering this word repetitively I could scare off these guards. If you guys mess with me then a noble is going to be upset, you know? Are you okay with that? I was half threatening them like this.
“Ah, okay okay. But be careful with the flares, will you? There’s a chance that the market will get noisy.”
The soldiers took a step back. For commoners like them, a count was an authority far above their reach. Naturally they wouldn’t want to unnecessarily provoke someone like that.
Anyway, they should be arriving to pick me up soon……
The guards were hesitating.
“Sir. That, uh, for at least security reasons we have to stay here. There’s a rule that 2 soldiers must stick as supervisors whenever a slave is out of their cage.”
“Mm? You can stand guard outside the quarters.”
“Hehe.”
The soldiers gave a dopey laugh.
Their hostility was gone but now appeal had appeared out of nowhere. I didn’t understand why they were suddenly behaving like that. If males tried to act cute and appealed towards me, then all that’d do was make my stomach churn. They should show some consideration to my health.
The men sheathed their swords and rubbed their hands together.
“If possible, while you’re checking the quality of the flower can we watch from the side? Hehe, to tell you the truth, we often bantered with our friends about having our way with that little missy.”
“……”
Wow.
My face ended up distorting by their honest comment.
The way these guards were squirming their bodies while pleading made them appear like dogs wagging their tails, which made it more unpleasant. Why were all men perverts no matter what time period?
“No, well. I too am a man so it’s not like I don’t understand how you all feel, but…… please leave obediently. I’m not an exhibitionist.”
“Goodness. Sir! Don’t be like that. Even if we’re standing as guards in a slave market, there are many things we are unable to do! Whenever a pretty lady walks around in the nude, all we can do is watch like statues while the thoughts, ‘So that’s a woman’ and ‘So that’s a hole’ goes through our heads. Is this what a person’s life is supposed to be like? Yeah?”
“……”
I was being told about a predicament that I never had any concern for……
Truthfully, I wanted to ask why I should care……
The soldiers continued whining with a distressed expression on their faces.
“There’s no place in this area to get any release, and it’s always standing, damn it. Prostitutes don’t do business here because they’re afraid that they’d be captured and turned into slaves. And even if we wanted to go to Pavia to let out our stress, we don’t have any spare time to go. Sir. No, boss! We aren’t asking if we can partake in it, we simply want to quietly watch on the side!”
I suddenly became the boss of these men who I was meeting for the first time.
I scratched the back of my head.
At that moment, something came up in my head. Lapis Lazuli’s face. As soon as I remembered the time that Lala had prevented me from killing the old lady and the maid, my mind slightly felt uneasy.
Should I do that? I’ll show some mercy here.
“……Gentlemen. After hearing your stories I feel sorry and pity for you. Though I also feel a bit of scorn, that’s still humane so it’s fine. That’s why I’ll specially spare your lives. Okay? Let’s settle everything with this.”
“Pardon?”
“—Take care of them.”
I waved my hand.
The guards tilted their heads in confusion, and at that moment.
The witches that were on stand by above us quickly descended and hit the backs of the guards’ necks. With an ‘Ack!’ all 5 men collapsed at the same time. The witches’ movements were efficient.
The witches gracefully dismounted from their brooms. 11 of the elite witches, the Berbere Sisters all knelt down at once in perfect sync.
“Oh sacred and inviolable representative that symbolizes absolute dignity, member in an order of 72, who rules over all demons. The servants of Goddess Selene has received your great lordship’s call and have presented ourselves.”
“Glad to see you all. But Humbaba, have we not known each other for the past month now? Are you not being too ceremonious?”
I spoke facetiously towards the leading witch.
“I worry that your jaw will fall off every time you give that long-winded speech of yours about sacred and inviolable whatever. From now on just refer to me as lord and omit all that civility procedures.”
“Ahaha. I understand, lord. If that’s your order.”
The head witch smiled broadly.
Her platinum blonde hair was tied into two pig tails and lightly flapped like a pair of bunny ears. I didn’t know by what principle they were moving with, but it was charming. For someone who looked like that to be a skilled soldier who also partook in a massive war 3 times, that was a bit unfair.
“Now then, everyone has been gathered here, Lord! Please give us your command. As long as your lordship pays the appropriate amount, we will even cut off our hair and weave it into silk.”
It was a saying in the demon world that meant that they will be liberal with their humble services.
I pulled Laura De Farnese closer to me.
“Turn this place into Hell.”
“Aha? By ‘Hell’, does your lordship mean?”
“I can smell a scent somewhere. It is the smell of fat emanating from disgusting masses of flesh. It is the smell of greed and hypocrisy.”
Matching the rhythm, I spoke festively.
“If they are pigs, then it would only be appropriate for them to behave like pigs and oink in a pigsty, and yet, why are they striding so boldly along the streets? What are you to do when these pigs are arrogantly trying to imitate people and shove their noses everywhere?”
“Naturally, you have to imprint onto them that they are pigs!”
The witches responded energetically.
“Only people can possess slaves. It seems those runts are arrogantly going against the moral of beasts and trying to handle slaves.”
“Please give us the order.”
The witches shouted together in one delighted voice.
“We shall make this place into a slaughterhouse tonight!”
“Yes. The command that I shall order is slaughter.”
I took a bag of coins from inside my coat and tossed it.
The head witch snatched the pouch containing 100 gold coins. She must have felt how heavy it was. A bright smile bloomed on the witch’s face.
“Slaughter those bastards without giving them the chance to even scream. This is not murder. Do not let your conscience weigh down your heart and hesitation take over your hands. As you are lords of all creation, with the authority granted to you all by the Goddesses, slaughter these livestock for our extensive cause.”
“As you command, our lord!”
In a single stroke, the witches got back onto their brooms and flew upwards.
Massive fireballs then rose up into the sky and plummeted down over the slave market. The flames exploded and pillars of fire shot upwards. Humans screamed. The massacre has begun.
The soldiers panicked and tried to retaliate, but it was in vain. The only type of troops that could go against Aerial Mage Forces were the same Aerial Mage Force. It’d be a different matter if they had many archers, but the guards in the slave market mainly consisted of foot soldiers equipped with swords. What a shame. You cannot defeat witches that are flying in the sky with mere swords. Just obediently be slaughtered like animals.
The security forces quickly fell. Gunpowder rained down from the sky and the witches spread fire magic over it. The slave market instantly turned into a sea of flame.
“R-Run away! Get out of here!”
After the organized resistance forces were eliminated, everything else became nothing more than a turkey hunt. While laughing with joy, the witches killed the guards and civilians indiscriminately. Their faces were full of leisure. This was not a battle. As I had said before, it was a slaughter.
“It’s over……”
Laura De Farnese muttered.
With interested eyes, she was chasing the movements of the witches in the sky. It seems she felt absolutely nothing for the civilians that were being slaughtered. Indeed, she was a human with a messed up head.
“I had read in an art of war manual that a single well-trained platoon of Aerial Mage Forces could win against an entire regiment of spearmen. After seeing it with this young lady’s own eyes, she understands. That it’s impossible for only infantrymen to defend against Aerial Demon Forces.”
“They’re the Berbere Sisters. One of the most elite troops in the demon world.”
“Berbere Sisters? Is that not the name of the unit that had a very active role in the Demon Lord’s forces during both the 7th and 5th Mercurian War?”
Oh, did she know of them?
Miss Farnese made an exclamation while staring up at the sky.
“To be able to see the elite troops that I’ve only seen in history books with my very own eyes…… This is quite inspiring. They are the living witnesses of history with over 250 years worth of tradition maintained inside of them. I wish to converse with them later on.”
“Uh…… If you act as my general then the Berbere Sister will soon be under your command.”
“What? Is that true!?”
Miss Farnese’s eyes shined brightly.
A very small light had returned to her dead fish eyes. Miss Farnese was clenching her small fists. It felt like a fan who was getting excited because they had just met their favorite idol.
“This is wonderful. No, this is quite wonderful! It’s an opportunity ask in person how people 250 years ago lived. All sorts of information that you can’t learn from books…… Ah, is that it!?”
Did she realize something?
Miss Farnese placed her hand on her chin and started to mutter seriously.
“……Demons usually live for hundreds of years. Just by that very fact they are no different from history books. If this young lady were to become the supreme commander, then she could use her authority to call for these demons whenever she wanted…… Is that so, is that what becomes possible. There was this kind of merit!”
It seems the Miss was able to find her own kind of charm from the position of general.
Mm. Although it sounded a bit absurd, the variety of meanings given from a job differed from person to person. I will not meddle in this matter.
“My lord! This young lady would like to know beforehand how much authority she will gain as an acting general.”
Miss Farnese had spoken in an obviously bright voice.
I chose the exact words she wanted to hear.
“I’ll be entrusting everything to you. The commandership, the judicial power within the troops, and even the authority over life and death, I shall gift this all to you.”
“T-That’s quite wonderful……slurp.”
Laura De Farnese wiped the drool from the side of her mouth.
At the moment, I could only see her as a simple pervert rather than a daughter of a duke’s family.
It seems this Miss normally maintained her cold and calm attitude, but when the topic involved something in her field of interest, she lost her mind.
Isn’t this completely a history otaku……? No, let’s call her a history enthusiast. Consider Miss Fernese’s dignity and honor.
“I shall pledge allegiance once more, my lord! Be it an acting general or anything else, leave it to this young lady. This young lady shall wipe out every last enemy that gets in your lordship’s way. As long as milord bestows upon this young lady commandership and judicial power!”
Miss Farnese grabbed onto my hand.
As soon as she did so, a message popped up.
Laura De Farnese has been recruited as a subordinate.
The degree of loyalty will appear in Laura De Farnese’s status.
Unstable loyalty. The other party purely regards you as a lord contractually. The other party can betray you at any time.
I smiled wryly.
After seeing the notice window appear at last, I became certain. That to this girl a grandiose position was of no importance. As long as it could satisfy her hobby or not. Only that could gain her interest.
That was fine.
A person with this sort of personality will not betray you unexpectedly. The contract was firm as long as the give and take principle was kept.
10 minutes since the slave market was turned into Hell.
Lapis Lazuli approached with 6 hired soldiers besides her. Despite the area around her being a sea of flame, Lala’s face was still cold. I happily welcomed her.
“Ooh, Lala. My love. How did it go?”
“We set the guard post on fire and took care of the 36 ‘prey’ that came running out of the main gate. There are no enemies that succeeded in escaping.”
“Well done. On a slim chance, we can’t have witnesses after all.”
While the witches were terrorizing the slave market from above, Lapis Lazuli took the mercenaries to assault the guard post. You could call it a small-scale feint operation. In any case, we were able to successfully clean out the slave market.
“During the suppression, three friendly forces fell in battle. Regardless of that, your highness. Please introduce the lady that is besides your highness to this one.”
“Ah, right. This is Miss Laura De Farnese that I told you about before. From now on, you shall help with domestic affairs, while Miss Farnese will help with my diplomatic affairs. I do hope that you two can cooperate together like a two-horse carriage.”
“This one understands.”
Lapis Lazuli lowered her head mechanically.
“This one’s name is Lapis Lazuli. Born between a Humbaba succubus and a no named human, this one is a half-breed. As his highness Dantalian’s grand chamberlain, this one holds the position of chamberlain and high steward. This one will be in your care.”
“Mm. This young lady is Laura De Farnese. I may be a bit weird in the head whenever I see something related to history, but do take care of me as well.”
Miss Farnese approached Lapis and put out her right hand.
Lapis Lazuli slightly creased her brows.
“This one apologizes, but this one is a half-breed peasant.”
An outcast was not allowed to come in contact with others.
It was an unwritten rule that was used by both humans and demons.
Despite that, Miss Farnese tilted her head side to side.
“Mm? Aah, it’s fine. It doesn’t matter. This young lady is also a love-child of a slave. I’m the daughter that was born when my father, the duke, raped my mother who was a slave. If you were to quibble about this young lady’s social status then it is not a bloodline that you can go anywhere bragging about, so please do not refuse.”
“……”
Everyone became silent by the sudden bombshell.
She was a child born by a slave being raped? Were you telling me that she wasn’t an illegitimate child gained from a normal servant? As we looked at her with an astonished gaze, Miss Farnese uttered an ‘Ah’ and spoke.
“Oh right. What this young lady had just said is a secret. This young lady is known as the daughter of a servant publicly in order to maintain the House’s reputation. This young lady’s birth mother was poisoned the very day she was born. From then on a nanny took care of this young lady. That person is the one publicly known as this lady’s mother.”
“That’s information that wasn’t written on the report……”
I spoke bitterly.
Even in <Dungeon Attack> that kind of secret wasn’t revealed.
While we were abhorring the thought of how shady and dark aristocracy was, Miss Farnese took both of Lala’s hands and shook them energetically.
“Since this young lady is the junior, please guide this young lady through many things. Is it fine to call you big sister Lazuli from now on?”
“…… It is fine to refer to this one by anything.”
“Mm. Then I shall call you big sister. Big sister Lazuli.”
Ooh.
Lapis Lazuli lowered her brows as if she was perplexed.
It was my first time seeing Lala be troubled by someone other than myself. It was somewhat amusing.
Hm? Lapis Lazuli gave a sideways glance towards my direction. She did not say anything out loud, but rather, moved her lips so that only I could understand.
‘It seems your highness recruited a girl that’s just like your highness.’
‘No. I won’t deny it, but I’m not as unruly as she is. I’m much more docile.’
If you got onto the level of Lala and I, then communication by only lip movements was possible.
‘Is it this one that’s misunderstanding the meaning of the word docile? Or does your highness have an arrow going through your highness’ head?’
What.
‘This one is at her limit taking care of your highness alone. But for there to exist in the world another person who is similar to your highness? There’s a limit to nightmares. From now on, please take care of Miss Farnese yourself, your highness.’
‘……’
That was strange. It felt like the way she was treating me was slowly getting worse……
Did I really deserve to receive this sort of abuse from my vassal merely because I’d spend my time sleeping for 12 hours, sharing intimacy for 4 hours, and working for 8 hours everyday? No matter how you saw it, this was a diligent schedule. Lapis Lazuli was being too fastidious. This forever-on-her-period succubus.
Well, the plan itself ended without a hitch. We should start making our way back now. I succeeded in taking Laura De Farnese under my wing and got rid of all the witnesses. It was a happy ending.
“Your highness. Please wait a second.”
“Mm?”
It was right before I got on the backseat of a witch’s broom.
Lapis Lazuli had called for me and was pointing towards a certain direction. Wondering what the problem was, I looked towards the area she was pointing at and saw Giacomo Petrarch and the delightful bunch of guards sleeping there.
“There are still survivors. Please take care of them.”
“Aah. Those humans are fine. I left them alive on purpose.”
“On…… purpose?”
Lapis Lazuli tilted her head with a face that appeared as if she didn’t understand.
“This one apologizes, but this one is unable to grasp what your highness’ intentions are. Is there any other benefit your highness gains for leaving survivors?”
“There are no benefits. I’m merely leaving them alive because I want to.”
I smiled.
“That sleeping young man over there is Giacomo Petrarch. He’s a rather pure fellow that was dropped into this savage era. Those kinds of humans must live. They leave hope in this world like a blank sheet of paper.”
“……”
At that moment, something strange happened.
Contrary to coming to an understanding like I expected her to come to, the doubt on Lapis Lazuli’s face had grown further.
“…… Then what about the other humans?”
“It was too pathetic to keep watching those fools, so I bestowed upon them mercy. They’re quite the lucky fellows. If they had behaved more unpleasantly then their heads would have flown off.”
I smirked.
Lapis Lazuli stared at me.
In her eyes that were as dark as the ocean depths, not even a single ounce of emotion could be seen.
Shortly after, Lala nodded.
“……Is that so. This one understands. Miss Humbaba, please take Miss Farnese and the hired soldiers to the back entrance of the slave market and wait there.”
“Huh?”
Because Lapis Lazuli had suddenly given an order to the witches, the head witch asked back.
“Go to the back entrance first?”
“Yes. There is something that his highness and this one must discuss in private. Since other people cannot be allowed to overhear, please take responsibility and lead everyone away, Miss Humbaba.”
“Eeh. But our duty to escort his lordship……”
“Do not worry. It will not take long.”
The head witch turned to look at me. Her eyes appeared as if they were asking me ‘Should we do as the succubus had ordered?’. I didn’t know exactly what was going on, but I took Lala’s side for now.
“Carry out the grand chamberlain’s order.”
Establishing a vassal’s authority in front of the other subordinates was important. There was nobody who would follow a king that disrespected his vassals.
The witches took to the night sky and flew off.
The only ones remaining in the ruins of the slave market was now just Lazuli and myself.
I tilted my head.
“What’s the problem all of a sudden? You didn’t even consult with me beforehand.”
“……”
Lapis Lazuli didn’t respond.
It could have been my imagination, but her complexion looked like it had become colder.
As her silence grew longer, the anxiety in my chest spread as well. It almost felt as if a caterpillar was slowly crawling over the surface of my heart.
I called out to her in a low voice.
“Lala?”
Silence again.
Instead of giving a response, Lapis Lazuli started to walk. It wasn’t a fast pace. With slow, but very distinctive steps, she approached Giacomo Petrarch and the guards.
Shiiiing
Lapis Lazuli unsheathed one of the guards’ swords.
“Wait, Lala. What are you……”
Without giving me the chance to stop her.
Lapis Lazuli swung the sword and stabbed into a guard’s neck.
“What……?”
The blade dug sharply into human flesh.
Lapis Lazuli did not stop there. After twisting the blade free, she immediately stabbed another guard. From a passed out state, the guards fell into an eternal slumber in an instant. By the time I could barely make out the situation that was happening before me, Lapis Lazuli had committed her third murder.
“What are you doing, Lazuli!?”
“Doing what must be done.”
“What must be done……?”
Even for myself, who usually never fell into panic, I couldn’t recover my senses as quickly in this situation.
“What does that mean? Explain it so I can understand!”
Despite having obviously heard my shout, Lapis Lazuli did not stop her sword. The sharp edge of the blade slit the throat of the fourth guard. Blood sprayed out like a fountain and covered Lala’s white skin with dirty blood.
“You…… Stop right this instant!”
“This one apologizes, but this one cannot follow that order.”
“Lapis Lazuli, I am warning you. If you move even a single hair, if you ignore my order once more, I swear on Zeus! I will personally tear off your flesh!”
Schunk
After killing off the final guard.
Lapis Lazuli silently turned to look at me.
The blood stench silence weighed down heavily around us.
Unsure of what to say, my lips shook. I couldn’t understand the other person’s behaviour at all.
……The plan had finished without a hitch. We had obtained a satisfying success. After covering up the incident here in the slave market as something another organization had done, we were going to leave casually. Subsequently to traversing across the continent and returning back to my Demon Lord castle, that was when the true preparation for battle was going to begin. And everything following after that was going to go by beautifully.
But why.
“……Why are you going against my orders? The operation is over. Everything is going smoothly just as planned. What are you discontent with? Why are you exercising this pointless slaughter?”
My voice shook because of the sense of betrayal.
The reason why I had spared these guards, who I originally planned to kill, was solely because I was being considerate of Lapis Lazuli. She disliked pointless killing. That’s why I had gone against my own preference to barely bring out mercy.
And yet, why?
Lapis Lazuli opened her mouth.
“Your highness. Please stop messing around.”
“What did you say?”
“Pointless slaughter? Please explain to this one if any of these deaths are pointless.”
Lapis Lazuli gestured around herself.
Everything was set ablaze. The only things that remained standing were the iron frames of cages. Below those were corpses and piles of flesh burning in the inferno.
“Your highness had ordered for us to slaughter the guards, the civilians, and even the slaves without discrimination. The reason is clear. In order to not leave evidence of your highness’ visit here.”
Lapis Lazuli gazed at me.
“Solely for that reason, 150 humans and 50 demons died tonight. But to come this far and now want to spare 6 people? This one is unable to understand no matter how hard this one tries. So please, your highness, explain to this foolish one.”
“……”
“Is there any pointless death here?”
A quiet question.
And at the same time, an endlessly cold comment.
“The lord Dantalian that this one had sworn loyalty to is a cold-hearted and ruthless individual. If by a rare chance he were to be threatened, his highness is thorough enough to not treat even the smallest of threats lightly. Where did that person go? Where did this one’s lord disappear to?”
“No. That’s not it. I was……”
“Has your highness lost your vision? After the outbreak of the Black Death, did becoming one of the richest Demon Lords on the continent put your highness’ mind at ease? Your highness. Mercy and generosity is a privilege for only the strong. The weak does not have the right to show mercy. Has your highness Dantalian already become powerful?”
Lapis Lazuli spoke flatly in all respect.
With emotionless eyes.
She stared straight at me.
For some reason, that gaze froze my heart.
“Lala……”
“This one shall list all of the strong people that she knows of. Rank 1st, Demon Lord Baal is powerful enough to start a massive war on his own. Rank 2nd, Demon Lord Agares is strong enough to annihilate an entire army by himself. Rank 5th Demon Lord Marbas controls the political world, rank 8th Demon Lord Barbatos has immortal warriors loyal to her, and rank 9th Demon Lord Paimon has all the support from every citizen in the demon world. This one shall ask. What does your highness Dantalian have?”
I have gold.
I have nothing but gold.
“Your highness had promised this one that she’ll be able to enjoy to the fullest the greatest of authority. That is fine. This one will tell your highness clearly. The level of authority that your highness currently has is still at the very bottom. Lord Dantalian. Is your highness already pleased that your highness has become a person of power?”
I couldn’t answer.
“……”
Lapis Lazuli turned her back and lifted the sword once more.
After killing all five of the guards, the only person remaining was Giacomo Petrarch.
The young man with a foolishly pure soul.
I forced my mouth to move.
“……Lazuli. That’s not what I intended. I simply thought it’d be okay to show generosity every once in awhile. Is that not what you wanted from me?”
Lapis Lazuli stopped.
She turned her head to gaze at me.
Hoping to resolve the misunderstanding, I spoke.
“It’s true. Did you not stop me when I tried to kill your mother and punish that maid? That’s why I judged that you wouldn’t dislike this.”
“That is incorrect.”
Lapis Lazuli shook her head.
“That is perfectly incorrect, Lord Dantalian. It seems your highness still does not know what kind of person this one is. This one is disappointed.”
“Lala……?”
“If your highness thinks that this one is similar to that of a middle-class maiden, then your highness is heavily mistaken. This one shall show your highness clearly what kind of person this one is.”
Lapis Lazuli raised the sword high into the air.
And then.
Lapis Lazuli’s affection went down by 1.
She swung down the blade.
The sword landed on the exact center of Giacomo Petrarch’s neck. Again, Lapis Lazuli swung the blade. Once. Twice. The blade slashed down without end. Even though the person had already died instantly, Lapis Lazuli did not stop. Blood spurted out and drenched her body with blood.
“…… Stop.”
Lapis Lazuli’s affection went down by 1.
“Stop it, Lazuli.”
Lapis Lazuli’s affection went down by 1.
“Is blood not getting on your face? You can stop now……”
Lapis Lazuli’s affection went down by 1.
Like a dog chasing its shadow.
She continued hacking away at the corpse.
Each time she did, it felt like a part of my mind was torn out.
♦
I wonder how much time had passed.
Lapis Lazuli had ceased.
The sound effect that kept ringing like crazy a moment ago could no longer be heard.
Name: Lapis Lazuli
Stamina: Rank E Power: Rank D Defense: Rank F
Affection: 0
It was because Lapis Lazuli’s affection had hit 0.
Because it had reached the point where it could drop no further, it had become quiet.
She bent down and picked something up.
It was Giacomo Petrarch’s head.
“Please look, your highness.”
Lapis Lazuli spoke.
“Remember the expression on this man’s face. Remember the white of his eyes and his stupidly opened mouth. Look at his unsightly demise after dying by this one’s hands so easily. If your highness ever forgets that your highness is still weak, then your highness will be forced to remember by someone else.”
“……”
“Who that someone is could end up being Paimon or Barbatos. In that moment, the face that your highness will make will be no different to this man’s face.”
The flame burning brightly to the side reflected off of Lapis Lazuli.
The light illuminated her body and dropped a pitch black shadow on the other side of her.
She was the center point. With her in the middle, the light and shadow was split in half.
Lapis Lazuli stood upright in the exact center. Doing so, she was demanding for me to do the same.
“Please etch this moment into your highness’ brain.”
Withstanding a long moment of silence.
I was barely able to spit out my words.
“Lazuli.”
“Yes, your highness. Please speak.”
“You are a devilish woman.”
As if it was obvious.
Lapis Lazuli nodded.
A dark crimson drop of blood slid down her slender jaw and dripped.
“Until now, what did your highness consider this one to be?”
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 02/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-02-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_02_03.txt
|
Chapter 2: The Ethics of Monkey Hunting
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 20 Niflheim, Governor’s Palace
Wax dripped down a candle.
It was night. The sky outside the window was already dark.
I spoke while gazing at the softly burning candle.
“I wonder what I had done wrong.”
“……”
“While traveling through the air from Pavia to the Empire of Habsburg, and all the way to my castle in the Black Mountain, Lapis and I did not share a single word. My head was in turmoil.”
I raised my head.
Barbatos was seated on the sofa to the other side of myself.
Her brows were knitted in the shape of 八, and her lips were retracted as if she was going to say something, except, Barbatos was unable to utter a single word. At some point while listening to my story, she had forgotten about drinking alcohol and was only staring at my face.
At a loss for words.
Literally.
“I had definitely resolved myself. That if Lapis stepped out of line one more time, then I would show her her place. But once it actually happened…… be it rage or whatever, every emotion disappeared and left behind only confusion.”
What exactly was Lapis hoping for.
“It was because I couldn’t understand. Lapis stopped me when I had tried to kill the old lady. She had stopped me again when I tried to kill that maid. Is it not weird? Isn’t it? Barbatos, this is abnormal.”
I raised the corners of my mouth.
I intended to smile but my mouth ended up twitching instead.
To Barbatos, my current state must appear incredibly unseemly.
As it was proof that my emotion was escaping my control, I left it alone.
……Right now, it was much better off like this.
“If she wished for me to be a ruthless villain. If Lapis’ request was for me to become a ruthless villain……Then she would have left me alone. When I tried to kill that old hag and when I was about to kill that maid. It would have been right to have left me to do what I wanted in those moments. That way her actions would have made sense, right?
“……That’s right.”
“Why did she request for me to show mercy at some times, and then request for me to be violent at others? What did she want from me? I started to become depressed whenever I thought about this……”
I covered my eyes with my hand.
“Barbatos. Believe me. I intended to consider whatever Lapis requested of me. If Lapis asked of me to become a merciful and generous lord, then I would have seriously complied. If she asked of me to become a cruel tyrant, then I would have gladly accepted that as well. I was prepared. I was prepared to walk down that path with her. It’s true.”
“……”
“However, I can’t be both. That’s impossible. Walking down 2 different paths at the same time is simply not possible. Then what other option remained? Hm? Move according to Lapis’ whim, was that the only option left?”
“……”
“That’s impossible as well. That’s the most absurd action I could possibly take. Even I have a last line. To spare people when Lapis tells me to, to kill people when Lapis tells me to…… I cannot become a puppet like that for her. Never.”
That meant death for me.
With no doubt, the relationship between Lala and myself was collapsing.
Even after returning to my castle, we did not share a single conversation. Our shared bedroom life naturally disappeared as well.
In preparation for the army of 2,000 that was going to invade, we did make plans and arrangements, but that was it.
Words exchanged were kept at a minimum.
Technical and business-like conversations.
Excluding those, no other words were shared between us.
Time went by helplessly.
Barbatos spoke.
“……Let’s rest a bit, Dantalian.”
The sneer and contempt that she showed initially was nowhere to be seen now.
There was a faint sorrow and clear hesitation left on her face.
The reason her sorrow was faint was because she was doing her best to not show sympathy for me, and the reason her hesitation was clear was because she was holding herself back from giving any rash advice. Just from that expression alone, I could tell that Barbatos was a good woman.
“Rest?”
“You idiot. It’s already night. You’ve been talking for several hours now. Your voice is cracked and your face looks as rotten as a corpse.”
I blankly took out a hand mirror and looked down at it.
As Barbatos had said, my face was drained like a zombie.
It seems I had excessively gotten immersed into my role.
“Right…… I guess we should rest a bit.”
“Don’t you have anything to drink?”
Barbatos shook the glass which was in her right hand. Her cup was empty. She grinned like an ill-natured child.
“Now that I think about it, isn’t this a funny fellow? Oi, Dantalian. I’ve been listening courteously to your love affairs for a while now, but you can’t even serve me proper alcohol? For a bastard who made a shit ton of money from selling black herbs, what’s with that? If you keep that up, you’re going to put people off.”
“Haha.”
She was probably nagging light-heartedly to shift the mood.
I could feel the small consideration coming from the other party.
Indeed, Barbatos is a good woman.
In this tedious life, consideration was like salt. No matter how awfully bland life was, if you added a little salt then it at least became somewhat appetizing. Barbatos knew how to utilize that properly.
“Of course, I knew you would come out like that.”
“Hmm. And what do you mean by that?”
“Wait a moment. I’ll bring something that you’ll surely like.”
I approached a corner of the reception room and took a bottle out of a cabinet. It was a wine bottle. After displaying the bottle to Barbatos with a ‘tadah’, her face froze immediately.
“D-Don’t tell me. That isn’t what I think it is, is it?”
Unlike her usual self, Barbatos’ words shook.
I grinned.
“The most famous region in the demon world to brew luxurious wine, Fire Spring Hell. Among the areas within that region, the highest quality bottle that’s only created once a year in the Count of Lava’s territory. Wine among wines. Made on the 1101st year of Balleleunium, it is wine that was brewed in commemoration of the 2nd Viet war. It’s the genuine product that has aged 400 years.”
“That’s ridiculous!”
Barbatos shouted.
“That’s high quality wine that even old man Baal has trouble getting his hands on!”
“I put in some effort.”
To be exact, I used Ivar Lodbrok’s effort.
This was a clear example that showed that having a pushover with many personal connections made life convenient.
“Goddesses, that’s insane! That’s genuine? That isn’t genuine, right!?”
Barbatos was already off the sofa at this point.
Demon Lord Barbatos’ love for wine was well-known.
She considered herself to be the greatest drinker, and the other Demon Lords recognized her as the strongest heavy drinker among them. To her, this wine was like a Holy Grail. Stripping off manners and dignity, she ran towards me.
“Give that to me!”
“Of course. Here.”
I tossed the bottle high into the air.
Lightly, as if I was playing with a ball.
“Kyaaaaaaaak!?”
“Do well to catch it nicely on your own.”
“This crazy fucker—!?”
Barbatos instantly utilized magic to grab the bottle which was high in the air. From what I could comprehend, 3 layers of black magic activated at the same time.
First, Barbatos had stepped down onto the room floor and leaped more than 3 meters into the air. A black mist appeared in the empty space near the bottle and wrapped itself around it. Thanks to that, the descent of the bottle slowed down. Following after, an invisible hand grabbed hold of the wine.
If other mages were to witness this scene, then they most likely wouldn’t have been able to hold back their bewilderment. First reason, the fact that 3 layers of magic were activated at the same time. Second reason, the fact that 3 layers of magic succeeded in activating without any chant or incantation whatsoever. And final reason, the fact that this great technique in magic was used merely to grab a single bottle of wine.
Sure, it was obvious that Barbatos didn’t care about what other mages thought of her. Her everything was focused onto that ‘1101st year of Balleleunium’. The magic ability which she had trained and trained throughout the 500 years of her life, in this moment, was used for a glass bottle with a mere 10cm diameter. I wonder if even the Goddesses would be moved by her concentration.
Finally, the bottle came into her hands and she landed safely on the floor.
“Uaaaaaaaah!”
Barbatos raised the bottle of wine into the air with both arms. Like a basketball player who had succeeded in getting a rebound shot in during a decisive moment.
In this moment, she was without a doubt, the ground ruler.
“Did you see that, fuck! This is the greatness of the fucking rank 8th Barbatos—!”
“Mm.”
I unconsciously sent her an applause.
“I’m not really sure, but it seems some amazing acrobatics happened.”
“Dantalian you son of a bitch!”
Barbatos glared at me fiercely.
“Swines like you don’t have the right to even have a drop of this delicacy! How dare you throw this Balleleunium like some child’s toy! Aaaang!?”
It was amazing. For a person who barely looked 13 years old, a terrifying aura was coming off from her glare. If it weren’t for the wine bottle being held desperately in her arms like a treasure, I may have really been scared. Yeah, really.
“For crying out loud! I really can’t believe it. Wine that’s aged 400 years! The brewer, using the most special magic in the world, a magic spell developed specifically for the purpose of preserving wine, would recast the spell every half month. This wine that was preserved through several generations just to barely become the finished product that it is now! For you to throw this wine that isn’t even released in the markets, and only gifted to individuals that the archduke of Fire Spring personally judges to be the most noble and beautiful! To throw it like some son of a bitch! You bastard aren’t even worth the same as the dirt on a crow’s talon!”
I nodded my head.
“I became more certain of how severe of a drunkard you are.”
“I’m not a drunkard. I simply love to drink, you half-wit moron!”
While grinding her teeth, Barbatos looked down at the glass bottle. A black magical energy flowed out from her hands. She must have been checking if the wine was genuine or not through magic.
“!?”
Barbatos let out a gasp.
Her expression became as slim as the face in Edvard Munch’s <The Scream>.
“Y-You…… If this isn’t the real thing, then really, I won’t leave you alone for the crime of deceiving……”
“I’ll let you have the first sip.”
“—!”
Barbatos hiccupped.
“But the very first sip…… t-tastes the best, you know?”
“That’s why I’m letting you have it.”
I gave her a big smile.
To her right now, I was an angel.
I probably appeared as radiant as a saint who had received word from the Gods.
“Are we not friends, Barbatos?”
“Dantalian……”
Barbatos gazed this way with touched eyes.
“You might be a son of a bitch, but you’re a really good son of a bitch.”
“……Although I’m considerably distressed on whether to take that as a compliment or not, but for the sake of politeness, I’ll receive it as a compliment.”
“T-This is not the time for that. Wine glass. Where did I leave my wine glass!?”
Barbatos swung her arm around frantically. Once she did, the glass cup that was rolling around on the carpet floor floated right into her hand. Barbatos gulped.
“G-Good, Balleleunium 1101. Show me the scent of your sensual skin.”
“Though I think the thing that’s sensual isn’t the wine, but the inside of your head……”
“Shut up.”
Barbatos started chanting a spell. I can guarantee that out of all the magic spells I’ve witnessed up until now, this was the most inspiring out of them all. The reason behind this was because this was really an absolutely useless spell. This magic, as a cork-remover-spell, was being chanted by Barbatos purely for the sake of removing the cork. As she muttered the incantation of the spell, the cork slowly inched upwards, until finally, with a ‘pop’ the cork shot out.
Barbatos brought the opening of the bottle to the end of her nose and inhaled.
“……”
Ah. That was the face of someone who had lost their mind.
It was like her consciousness had soared off 500 meters into the sky.
Despite not having even tasted the alcohol, Barbatos’ face was already enveloped in bliss.
“S-So Heaven does exist.”
“As the very person who had gifted that to you, I’m quite happy that you’re so pleased by the smell alone. Go ahead and drink it now.”
“Drink? This……?”
Barbatos started to tremble with the wine bottle and glass cup in her hands.
“Dantalian, you don’t know the value of this item. How could you drink a treasure? You don’t drink treasures. You aren’t supposed to……”
“I thought you said you liked alcohol. The greatest alcohol is right there. Are you still not going to drink it?”
“Keuuk……!”
Barbatos distorted her face in despair.
“What contradiction is this? Because I love alcohol more than anyone else, I desire for the Balleleunium. But because I love alcohol more than anyone else, even more so, I cannot drink the Balleleunium! A paradox! An agony! Is this what life was……!?”
A little further and she’d discover the truth of the universe.
Her highness Barbatos’ charisma was crumbling because of a single bottle of wine.
“Give it here. I’ll just pour it myself.”
“O-Okay.”
Barbatos obediently passed the glass bottle to me.
Following drinking etiquette, I courteously poured the wine with one arm. With a very nervous complexion, Barbatos watched the glass cup be filled with the scarlet liquid. I seriously thought she’d have me executed if I spilled a single drop.
“Cheers.”
“Ch……Cheers.”
Clink
A clear sound resonated as our glass cups collided. As I enjoyed the wine in a relaxed manner, Barbatos stared at me restlessly.
“I-Is it good?”
“Well, of course it’s good.”
“How does it taste, hm? Describe it with as much detail as you can.”
“…… I don’t know why you’re asking me to do that when you can just drink it yourself.”
“Cause it’d be a waste……”
I retract my previous statement.
Barbatos was a hopeless woman.
“Hoo haa. Hoo haa.”
Barbatos started breathing deeply. She even began muttering to herself that ‘this is nothing more than red wine’. I wonder if her muttering had an effect because her complexion became more relaxed. If I were to say something in my own personal point of view, I honestly thought she was crazy.
At last, Barbatos placed her glass on her lips and took a sip of the wine. Her eyes stayed closed for a long period of time. Then, her shoulders started to tremble and she suddenly burst into tears.
“Uwaah…… I did well to stay alive. It was hard times. It was difficult to live these 500 years, but, uwaah, I really did well to live this long.”
“……Sure.”
Even I couldn’t help but be stunned by this situation.
Barbatos was sipping the wine while shedding warm tears. The surprising thing was, that while she was drinking, the process of taking in the fragrance of the wine through her nose, the process of rolling the wine on her tongue, etc, she devotedly made sure to completely perform all the tasting procedures. Although she was insane, she was rationally insane.
“Give it here.”
Barbatos instantly emptied her glass and forcefully took the bottle from me. Without being able to resist, I passed the bottle to her.
“Heueuk. Heuk, gulp.”
While crying.
“Uwaaah.”
Pour another glass.
“It’s good. It’s so good, fuck.”
And cry again.
Quite the sincere scene was happening before me.
The image of a girl with the outer-appearance of a 12-year-old was bawling as she poured and drank alcohol. If you put it in good terms, it was surreal. If you put it in bad terms, she was considerably like a nut-case.
I spoke.
“Why are you making it unappetizing for others by cursing and drinking? I thought you said it was good.”
“Heueuk. As much as it’s delectable, each time you drink it, the same amount you drink is also disappearing from the total amount. That’s really, truly a fuck. Furthermore, people say that you can’t discuss this feeling with someone who had Balleleunium without shedding tears.”
It was a saying that made you seriously suspicious of the origin……
Anyway, we succeeded in properly shifting the mood between us.
Originally, because of a Demon Lord’s constitution, it was possible to drink as much alcohol as possible and not get drunk. It was thanks to the mana circulating in our bodies that automatically cleaned out the intoxication. However, according to Barbatos, when ‘receiving’ Balleleunium, it was considered a great discourtesy to not get drunk by it. Barbatos had purposely stopped the mana circulation in her body and allowed herself to become intoxicated.
Alcoholics are quite terrifying.
“And so? What happened next?”
Barbatos spoke with a slight redness on her face. It seems she was tipsy at just the appropriate amount.
“After listening to your story, that wasn’t the point when you broke up, right? Then that means there’s another decisive moment. Coolly let everything out, kid. Since I was able to savor the taste of Balleleunium, I’ll take responsibility of you till the very end.”
“That’s quite thankful.”
I smiled bitterly.
“Shall we cheers first?”
“Ooh, Yeah. Cheers!”
As the toasts continued, it grew deeper in the night. Through the window of the reception room, an owl hooted. I was able to move my lips with more ease than before, and Barbatos chimed in with further enthusiasm.
“First, the army invaded my castle.”
“Hou, so the message was the real deal.”
“Aah. Although the number was a bit lacking compared to what was written……”
With a ‘ding’.
The grandfather clock on the first floor of the governor’s palace rang dully.
Notifying everyone that it was midnight.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 02/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-02-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_03_01.txt
|
Chapter 3: Inhumane Anthem
▯The Northern Guardian, Margrave of Rosenberg, Georg von Rosenberg Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 15 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle vicinity
“It appears the enemy has no outposts ahead, your lordship.”
“Mm. So it is according to the information from our spies. It seems there’s nothing impressive about this Demon Lord named Dantalian……”
I nodded after hearing the report from my subordinate.
Currently, my troops, the troops of the Margrave of Rosenberg were marching slowly. The destination was Demon Lord Dantalian’s stronghold. Our advance was proceeding smoothly. The morale among the troops was high, and everyone’s steps were light.
It was an abrupt dispatch, but they were all compliant. I was honestly grateful. A force of 1,500 soldiers were all obediently following orders from their superior without voicing any complaints. There was nothing as fulfilling as this for a person of great stature.
“Your lordship. Do you think it’s true? The rumor that there’s an endless supply of black herbs piled up in Demon Lord Dantalian’s castle……?”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s true or not. The important thing is the fact that that kind of rumor has widely spread throughout our land.”
The decisive reason for our dispatch was because of the Black Death.
This terrifying plague had instantly established itself as a nightmare, reigning over all the people of the land. The friends and family that were fine yesterday would end up as cold corpses after a single night. It was terror itself.
Unfortunately, the people of my land were no different. Within a single month of the outbreak, 2,000 of my citizens had died.
Everyone trembled in fear of the plague, regardless of one’s social status. According to a report from a tax collector, the population of a small mountain village had all perished. He had initially gone there to collect taxes, but ended up burying corpses instead. It was a disturbing story……
“Insecurity and fear are at its peak for my subjects. If we were to stay still and take no action, then the public sentiment will be disturbed. If that were to happen, then there is the possibility that a revolt may occur as a result.”
“A revolt……”
My adjutant’s face stiffened.
He must have been surprised that I, the lord, would mention the possibility of a rebellion. My adjutant may have been competent, but his courage was a bit lacking. Would he relax if I smiled here?
“As far as things go, this is merely a hypothesis. Think about it yourself, what would my subjects do if their lord did nothing while their close friends and colleagues were dying? It would be difficult for my subjects to tolerate that.”
“But that’s irrational…… Is the Black Death not divine punishment from the gods? That’s not something within your lordship’s capability to handle.”
“Be it divine punishment or anything else, it is the lord’s duty to look after his subjects. If a lord were to run away from this situation, the only thing that awaits him or her is ruin.”
“Your lordship.”
My adjutant looked at me with a gaze full of admiration.
Stop looking at me with those kind of eyes. Have I not said something obvious? This is quite troubling that youngsters these days are so easily moved by anything.
Or is it perhaps that I’ve gotten so old that I’m unable to keep up with their sensibility? This is depressing. The only things which increase through age are wrinkles and thigh fat. It would be nice to quickly go into a battlefield and die an honorable death……
If I were to voice a complaint, then it would be the fact that there has been no war that felt like an actual war in these past few years. Something like a massive war was even more improbable due to the outbreak of the Black Death.
Thus, I had a substantial chance of dying, not on the rough grounds of a battlefield, but on top of a comfortable bed instead. In other words, a shameful death for a warrior. I wouldn’t have the honor to face my ancestors in the afterlife……
“At the very least, the citizens must know that the higher-ups are not fooling around. Whether there are black herbs in the demon lord castle or not, that is a secondary issue. Showing them that we’re exerting our utmost effort in order to do something is what’s important.”
“I understand. That’s what politics are, huh……”
“Mm.”
I nodded.
“The thing that we should be thankful for is that the main character of the rumor is Dantalian. It’s a relief that it’s the rank 71st Demon Lord.”
“A relief?”
That was so.
Suppose the rumor to have spread was that the one holding a monopoly over the black herb was the rank 8th Barbatos. It would be immensely difficult for my Margrave forces alone to assault Barbatos. Making use of the rumor politically would be impossible.
On the other hand, rank 71st Dantalian was a rookie.
He was on the level of an individual that you’d often forget about.
“We can bend Dantalian’s neck whenever we so desire. Honestly, it’s a waste to even call him a Demon Lord. He is simply a ricefish. Nothing more, and nothing less.”
According to the information we’ve gathered, Dantalian doesn’t have a proper base and resides in a cave. He doesn’t even have a single outpost as a rampart.
It would be fine to declare; subjugating Demon Lord Dantalian was as easy as breaking a child’s wrist.
Thus, it was fortunate.
“We’re able to dispatch our troops because our target is Dantalian. If it was Barbatos, then we wouldn’t have been able to move an inch. We would have had to sit and wait patiently until my subjects start to riot. It is fortunate that the source of the rumor is Dantalian……”
My adjutant marveled.
“After listening to your lordship’s words, I understand that the Goddess of Fortune is indeed looking over your lordship.”
“Mm? Is that so?”
“Yes. Aren’t the other domains so far away that it would be difficult to dispatch our troops even if we wanted to? But your lordship’s territory is comparatively closer to Dantalian’s Demon Lord castle. No matter how big the empire is, only your lordship was given this opportunity!”
“That is luck. You can only rely on this sort of luck a few times in your entire life.”
But I see. My adjutant has a point. Should I allow myself to be delighted that the Goddess presented me with this chance?
Bringing out my voice from my chest, I ordered.
“Soldiers, advance! There are only two days left until we arrive at Dantalian’s stronghold. We shall obtain our spoils of war there!”
“Yes, your lordship!”
The commanding officers dispersed and spurred on the rest of the soldiers.
“Move quickly. Break time is over. Lift your dirty rears and march like ducks!”
The troops began to move busily. All the soldiers were equipped lightly. We had mobilized lightly equipped troops on purpose in order to end this battle as quickly as possible. It would also be difficult to transport provisions if we did not do this, so it was an obvious tactic.
I gazed up at the sky and muttered.
“The weather is nice.”
The sun was hidden behind clouds. The wind was refreshing. It was the appropriate weather for marching. We will most likely go into battle in two days. Let us quickly sweep Dantalian’s castle and put my land at ease.
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 15 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle vicinity
The witches reported that an unknown army was approaching.
Their military strength, approximately 1,000 soldiers. An army that consisted of solely humans and no demons. According to the witches’ assumptions, by the looks of the enemy’s advancing rate, they were going to arrive soon.
“Did we discover them a bit too slowly……?”
I muttered dejectedly.
We had spotted them late. The reason was simple. It was because we had no idea which location the invaders were going to advance from. The note told us that the invaders were going to appear around this time, however, it didn’t tell us exactly who the invaders were and where they were going to attack from.
The result was this unpleasant situation. We had allowed the enemy forces to arrive right under our noses. It felt like I had become as blind as a bat. Fortunately, we at least had the witches doing reconnaissance from the sky, but if we didn’t have the witches then how late would we have found them……?
Game and reality were different. In a real-life war, there wasn’t something like a map window that would kindly display, ‘the enemy forces are approaching from this direction’. It was depressing. In the end, I had to go through the cumbersome task of searching for the attackers myself. It was the worst possible condition for a shut-in. Was there no magic spell that wiped out the opposition’s forces in a single hit like in the game? Was there really nothing? I see.
I wanted to kill myself……
Ever since the day I fought with Lazuli, I’ve been in a constant despondent mood. Everything in the world was tiresome.
Why was I still living my life? For someone who had already realized that their life was utter shit since the age of 6, why was I still alive. Am I a masochist?
……Yes, I knew the truth. Because of my damn personality disorder, as long as I could achieve my goal, I was fine with even massacring children and elderly people. I did not feel a single bit of remorse from that. The very act of turning another person’s life into a puppet and marionetting them to my desire was the joy of my life, and trampling arrogant fools then shoving them into a ditch was the fruit of my life. What was I supposed to do? When I was born, I was born like this.
Regardless, I did try to escape my fate once. After my father had died, I had given up on the inheritance and shut myself away. But for some reason, I fell back into a world that followed the law of the jungle. My life was in that shape and it had come back to this again……
“Haaa—”
A sigh came out on its own.
It was already difficult to live life diligently, but for it to also be difficult to live life lazily? This was indeed my destiny. It was certainly fitting for a life that was utter crap. Everyone should just eat shit.
Laura De Farnese spoke.
“Lord, your complexion is unwell. Are you okay?”
The two of us were currently having a strategy meeting. She was probably concerned since I had abruptly let out a sigh in the middle of our meeting. I looked at Miss Farnese with hollowed eyes.
“Farnese. When life feels like shit, what do you do?”
“Mm? What are you talking about? Life has always been shit. Has your lordship, perhaps, ever felt like your life was something besides crap?”
Miss Farnese blinked at me and I raised my shoulders.
“Well…… not as of yet.”
“See. Your lordship sure says useless things. Referentially, this young lady thinks on an average of 2 times a day of wanting to kill herself. Suicidal impulses are already a part of this young lady’s life.”
“I’m a bit less than that. Around an average of 1.5 times a day, perhaps.”
“I knew it. Is that not similar to that of a normal person’s mentality? Do not worry about pointless things, lord. We’re already fated to swim in a ditch for the rest of our lives anyway. Nothing will change even if your lordship worries.”
“Mmm.”
I nodded slowly.
She was definitely right. Without a doubt, I too am thinking like her so I agree in a present progressive form. But why was I suffering from relapses of depression all of a sudden? I didn’t know what the issue was. Where did the problem start……?
“…… My mood has become very spoiled. Oh Farnese. Seeing as it has come to this, I’ll have to relieve this stress by crushing the enemy. Let us quickly annihilate every last one of them.”
“Although this young lady doesn’t have any objections to that suggestion…… Lord? Acting on emotions is an extremely bad habit. Personal feelings only cause people to descend to 2nd rates.”
“I know that much as well. But what am I to do when I’m unable to improve my mood no matter what I do? I have no other choice but to calm my anger by watching the faces of others in pain.”
I grumbled.
Miss Farnese nodded her head reluctantly.
“Well. This young lady only follows your lordship’s orders. However, if your lordship truly feels that displeased, then why not command the army yourself? Your lordship’s frustration may dissipate further if you were to watch those humans fall by your lordship’s own orders.”
“It’s fine. The goal of this battle is to awaken your potential. It would be of no use if we put the cart before the horse here.”
“Your lordship is rather stubborn in peculiar places.”
Laura De Farnese shook her head.
“This young lady shall warn your lordship for the final time. There is a chance that this young lady could get all of the troops, that your lordship had hired, annihilated. This young lady is unsure, but there’s the possibility of defeat even if the enemy has 1,000 soldiers while we have 3,000. Is your lordship still okay with leaving the command to such a lady?”
“Please stop worrying.”
I pressed down on the top of Miss Farnese’s head.
It was a weak spot of hers which I discovered during our time spent together, for the past couple of days.
Miss Farnese swung her arms and squirmed.
“Ah—, ah—. Lord, not the crown. I don’t like it there.”
“Listen carefully. It doesn’t matter if all the troops die. The thing this world is overflowing with are soldiers, anyway. If they die then hire new ones, and if they run out then raise more. Your lord has so much gold that it might start rotting.”
“Ah— hoah, the crown is not alloowed……”
Miss Farnese melted down to a pulp. She had a perplexed expression on her face as she turned into jelly. For someone who wasn’t ticklish at all, she was a lady with a weird weak spot.
“However, you’re an individual that is impossible to replace. A personnel that cannot be made no matter how much gold I pour in. Let me ask you here. Do I seem like a person who’d throw away an outstanding individual, who could carry out the task of 500,000 people in the future, just because I felt like losing 3,000 soldiers would be a waste?”
“Because this young lady lacks military experience……”
“Damn it, be quiet. I don’t recall giving you the permission to talk back. Just obediently be pressed by me.”
“Aak—, aak—, aak—. That’s why the crown is cowardly……”
Hoo.
Seeing Miss Farnese shrink down like this, a bit of my stress disappeared. Indeed I was a healthy sadist. An exemplary individual.
Good. I was able to moderately return back to my normal state. The usual me that was unconditionally correct.
Forget about Lapis Lazuli for now. Immediately deal with these bandits, these half-wit fools, who didn’t know their place and were invading my territory of their own volition. Teach these fools what true etiquette is.
“De Farnese. Think of this place not as a battlefield, but as a playground. A small amount of 3,000 toys has been placed before you to play with at your own desire.”
“Hooah…… Toys, is it?”
“That is so. Treat the lives of these soldiers cheaply. Or simply consider them as mere dots on the map. Do you think I’d punish you for breaking some toys?”
On a normal occasion, I wouldn’t talk this frankly.
However, Laura De Farnese and I were similar. We were part of a set of people who were unexceptionably selfish. Limiting it to at least her, I had no inclination to watch my words.
The other party most likely thought the same.
“I understand. Then this young lady shall carry out your lordship’s order and play a bout of soldiers.”
Miss Farnese nodded her head.
“This young lady shall move the vanguard first.”
She moved the clay doll that was placed on the map.
The moment she placed the clay figure down with a ‘thud’.
—The battle commenced.
▯The Northern Guardian, Margrave of Rosenberg, Georg von Rosenberg Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 16 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle vicinity
“Your lordship. The reconnaissance unit has returned.”
“The battle is going to start soon. Call me general, not lord.”
I sternly corrected my adjutant’s mistake.
Becoming an excellent noble was difficult. In a standard occasion, you had to be immersed in social obligations while also taking care of domestic affairs. While in emergency situations, you had to take charge as the supreme commander in war. Magnanimity and leniency had to coexist with callousness.
Therefore, one’s title was imperative. There was a spiritual energy in words. People could change freely depending on the name that was placed on them.
Currently, I was not the sovereign of the duchy of Rosenberg, but the commander of an army of one thousand soldiers. Not his lordship margrave, but a mere general. It was fine to call this the obstinacy of an old man. It was my creed that if one’s name did not stand immediately, then everything else will collapse.
“Yes. My apologies, general. I shall correct my mistakes from now on.”
“Good. Give me the report from the reconnaissance team.”
“They reported that a unit of what is assumed to be the enemy, is blocking the path up ahead.”
“What’s that?”
I opened my eyes wide.
“Are you telling me that Demon Lord Dantalian has troops under his command?”
“Yes. However, it is not certain.”
Not certain? That wasn’t a pleasant phrase to hear. Vagueness was a foe of the military. One must speak with confidence.
“There were banners spotted at the enemy’s campsite, but the scouts reported that their affiliation was unknown. It seems to be a unit mainly composed of dwarves.”
“A unit of dwarves from an unknown affiliation, is it……? The numbers?”
“It is not an impressive amount, general. According to the report, at the very most, there are between 100 to 200 soldiers.”
“I will confirm this with my own eyes.”
With the mounted troops in tow, I made my way to the front of the army. Shortly after, I could see the enemy campsite stationed at the top of the hilly area. I narrowed my eyes and examined their camp.
“Mm, I see the reconnaissance team is doing their job properly. The enemy numbers do not reach 200.”
“That’s what I think as well. Should we send a messenger to see what affiliation those troops belong to?”
I shook my head.
“There’s no need. Excluding Dantalian, there are no other Demon Lords that reside in this region.”
“But in the small chance that it’s a completely unrelated unit……”
“I’m thankful for the advice, but I will have to turn it down. This unit appeared to block our path on the exact day our forces were advancing. There are no coincidences here.”
Once I responded to him sternly, my adjutant nodded in understanding and backed off.
Anyway, my mind felt uneasy.
For the opposition to be stationed in that location meant that they knew of our invasion beforehand. Where could the information have leaked from……
No, it wasn’t too late to research this later on. Carelessness must be avoided. We must first get rid of the enemy forces before us.
“Adjutant, convey my command! Mobilize the cavalry and assault the enemy forces on both sides. Infantrymen, stay on standby.”
“Roger! Cavalry company, rush their flanks!”
My adjutant repeated my order in a loud voice. As soon as the command reached the other companies, the buglers blew their horns. A grand and valiant sound. This was the horn unique to the northern region of Habsburg. I loved this echo in battlefields.
My adjutant muttered.
“The enemy forces must be desperate as well. This might become a difficult battle.”
Was he showing sympathy for the foe? That would be troubling. Personal feelings were nothing more than luxury items with no meaning on a battlefield. I admonished him.
“But we too, have our own circumstances. Although I feel sorry for Dantalian, there’s no other choice but for us to force him to be our scapegoat.”
“Of course.”
Hm. Was it unnecessary concern?
10 minutes since blowing the horn.
My adjutant spoke with a troubled expression on his face.
“……General. The enemies aren’t retaliating?”
“Mmm.”
My face wasn’t much different from my adjutant. Honestly, I was confused.
Currently, our light cavalry were firing from atop the hill. With crossbows, they were shooting bolts down at the enemy troops.
The enemy forces’ bleeding must have been getting severe, and yet they did not budge an inch. What was going on?
“Maybe they have some other plot in mind……?”
“Their intentions are unknown.”
I creased my brows.
“If they keep that up then only their casualty will increase.”
“There’s no movements at all, general. Maybe they’re receiving less injuries than we think they are?”
“No. There’s a very small chance of that actually being so.”
Of course, the range and power of crossbows used by cavalries were weaker than the ones used by infantrymen. But they were still crossbows. The concept of absorbing the magical energy from the surroundings to shoot a powerful bolt was still the same. You couldn’t treat this lightly. It’s certainly supposed to be that way, but……
“General, there’s the chance of an ambush.”
“On this vast open hill? There are no forests nearby. If they were to hide their troops, then where would they possibly hide them?”
“……”
My adjutant shut his mouth. The distraught expression on his face was apparent.
I didn’t feel the need to reproach him. My adjutant most likely knew full well that there wasn’t something like an ambush. It was just that he couldn’t understand the behavior of the enemy troops and was simply voicing his ‘Perhaps?’.
“That, well, they seem to be an elite unit. They’ve been under fire for the past 10 minutes, but there are still no signs of movement. General, they aren’t a ragtag group of soldiers.”
“…… That only brings up further questions.”
“…… That is true.”
The enemy forces were receiving a one-sided shower of arrows and yet they stayed adamant.
Their troops were less than 200. No matter how many crossbows they had, it most definitely wouldn’t be over 100.
On the other hand, we had 400 sentries. 400 soldiers that would fire in turn, allowing an endless stream of bolts to be shot. They weren’t even worthy as an opponent. A fight between an adult and a child would probably be more vigorous than this.
Despite that, their infantry continued to maintain their ranks. They kept their chins high, as if their comrades falling by arrows besides them was a trifling matter. Their courage was abnormal.
“Normally, we’d compliment them for their impressive military discipline……”
“……Is this not sad? What makes these men any different from a meat shield?”
“Yes. This is truly pitiful.”
My adjutant raised his voice in agreement.
We watched the battlefield in silence for a while.
Finally, after 20 minutes into the battle, my adjutant couldn’t contain his anger any longer.
“I am unable to understand!”
His face was a bright red.
He was most likely raging at the unknown enemy commander’s incompetence.
“What exactly is their commander doing?! Their soldiers are dying. Retaliate, turn the tides of the battle, do something! At the very least they should surrender……!”
In the end.
Around the 30 minute mark since the battle began, the enemy forces were finally defeated.
Unable to withstand the injuries any longer, their ranks fell apart. The sturdy wall had collapsed.
“…… Give the order to charge.”
“…… Yes, general.”
Both the general giving the order and the adjutant receiving the order were worn out. But, the only ones swallowed up by this somber mood was us two. Our troops were obviously enthusiastic by the easy victory.
Buuuuuu—
The sound of horns resonated.
Receiving the signal, our troops unsheathed their blades and boldly rushed forwards towards the enemy’s broken ranks.
It ended with that.
Unable to withstand our charge, the enemy soldiers quickly collapsed. The dwarves ran away left and right. Because of the much too obvious sequence, and the much too obvious result, the strength in my shoulders disappeared……
“General. Should we give the order to pursue?”
“Do it…… I truly can’t understand any of this.”
The enemy soldiers, unable to have run far, were swept away by our forces. Disturbing screams began to echo throughout the hills. My adjutant narrowed his eyes. It was a gruesome scene……
“What was that battle just now?”
“I’d like to ask that as much as you do.”
There were many mysteries in the world.
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 16 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle vicinity
“—I see. I’ve come to a realization.”
Laura De Farnese’s eyes sparkled.
“Infantrymen alone are not enough to beat cavalries!”
“Why are you realizing something that’s obvious!?”
I shouted with all my strength.
Steaming with anger, I firmly pressed down on the crown of this lady’s head.
“Ah—, ah—. I dislike it, lord. I dislike it there.”
“What was that battle just now? Was it not completely lackluster!?”
“Hoah—. That’s why this young lady requested for your lordship to not leave the command to this young lady……”
Miss Farnese spread out like a rice cake under my arm.
Even if a person had absolutely no experience in war, that battle just now was terrible. There was no end to how horrible it was. We had lost a company of 150 infantrymen in a blink of an eye, without having been able to do anything in return.
“You disgrace. I retract my previous statement. We are not in the same category of people. You aren’t like my little sister, either. You are nothing more than my personal stress ball.”
“What’s the difference between that and a sex slave, lord……?”
“At the very least, sex slave are able to resolve their sexual desires, but you are unable to resolve anything. That’s the tremendous difference. You useless thing.”
“This young lady abruptly became a girl lower than a sex slave……”
Miss Farnese became sullen.
In that last battle, the amount of soldiers that succeeded in escaping did not even reach 20. That meant that 9/10 of the total troops we had sent out had died.
With Miss Farnese, I had to watch that miserably lackluster scene from start to finish, while riding on one of the witch’s broom. It felt like I was being forced to watch a B-rated movie.
“Mm. But this is entirely your lordship’s responsibility.”
“Say that again?”
“Since this young lady has only read art of war manuals, it is obvious that this lady would be unfamiliar to real battle. In one of the art of war manuals this young lady had read, it was written that infantry were enough to oppose light cavalry. So there was no other choice but for this young lady to verify which books were correct.”
She was rather shameless for a person who had executed the worst battle in history.
I glanced at Miss Farnese with sullen eyes.
“So? Your true intention?”
“—Since it felt like I’d lose my first battle anyway, this young lady threw out 150 people as disposables to die.”
“I shall knead that loser mentality of yours.”
Press press press
“Ah, ah ah— I’m being kneaded, looord— Hoah. This young lady is being kneaded……”
“Try with a bit more enthusiasm. Do you understand? Victory is a maiden. She only smiles upon the bravest of challengers. Victory stays distant from fools that quietly stay huddled in a corner.”
“The bravest of challengers, is it……?”
Miss Farnese gazed up at me.
I sincerely met her gaze with my own.
“That is so. Boldly act recklessly.”
“Recklessly……”
“So daring that it makes you contemplate on whether what you’re doing is truly okay.”
“Daring……”
I wonder if my sincerity got across to her.
Laura De Farnese went into deep thought for a moment before nodding her head. It was a small movement, but there was a certain resolution within it. Since it was I, who was gifted in reading people’s psychology, that was saying this, it was certain.
“Understood. It is surely as your lordship has said. This young lady may have been somewhat half-hearted. Because it was this young lady’s first time, because it was an unknown territory, this young lady may have been cautious.”
“Mm.”
“In truth, the first time is the moment when one can test the amount of privilege they have. Even if a child were to fall down, there is no person who would blame them for doing so. Although this young lady may be the greatest genius in the world, this young lady is still a mere infant in regards to military affairs. There is no reason to take care of this lady’s pride here.”
“Mm……”
“That’s why, this young lady shall follow your lordship’s advice and overturn that way of thinking. This young lady shall even force the enemies to be shocked. It’s fine to have expectations. Swearing on this young lady’s name, Laura De Farnese, this lady will not disappoint your lordship.”
“Though it feels like modesty and self-pride were chaotically mixed together in that speech, whatever. That’s precisely the spirit, Laura De Farnese! Did I not assure you that it was fine to use up our soldiers as you please? I shall bear the responsibilities and the losses, while you take the glory and victory. That way there is no lucrative business.”
“As you command. My lord.”
Miss Farnese grabbed a clay doll.
“This is this young lady’s sincerity.”
With a ‘thud’, she placed the clay figure on the center of the map.
▯The Northern Guardian, Margrave of Rosenberg, Georg von Rosenberg Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 16 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle vicinity
“General. Another corp of enemy troops has appeared in the front.”
“What?”
I furrowed my brows because of my adjutant’s report.
After obtaining our incomprehensible victory from this morning —I may have gone through a countless number of battlefields in my life, but this was the first time I’ve ever obtained an ‘incomprehensible victory’ instead of an ‘incomprehensible defeat’— our troops reorganized their ranks and were marching again.
Normally, it would be appropriate to allow my soldiers to rest after a battle. The fatigue military personnel received while engaging in a battlefield was unimaginable. It was an obvious consideration.
However, this time I was unable to allow them such leisure. The reason was simple. My voice of reason and common sense fused together and declared that ‘that’ could not possibly be considered as a battle. Since there was no combat there was no rest. There was no hole in my logic. But for the enemy troops to appear again? What was he talking about?
“Give me the full details, adjutant.”
“Yes. It is estimated that the number of enemy soldiers is approximately around 150 this time as well. They seem to be in a battle formation on top of a relatively tall hill.”
“……Why wasn’t this unit with the troops we ‘clashed’ with this morning?”
“My apologies, but I am uncertain of that as well.”
My adjutant was as confused as I was. It would be difficult to expect a proper answer here.
With the cavalry following behind me, I made my way to the front. And sure enough, another unit of enemy forces lay ahead. Flags from an unknown affiliation were waving once more.
However, there was something decisively different about these soldiers compared to the troops we faced this morning.
“Adjutant. Don’t tell me that’s……”
“……Yes. General. After seeing it with my own eyes, I’ve come to the realization as well.
My adjutant murmured.
“That company, has nothing but crossbowmen.”
“……”
My vision felt faint.
In truth, this was an outrageous group.
It was my first time seeing a unit like this in my entire life.
Typically, an infantry unit consisted of spearmen and crossbowmen. It wasn’t like that for no reason. There was a rationale for all of this.
The spearmen used their long spears to prevent the other side’s troops from approaching. When the time came, they would keep their spear heads extended out to prevent things like cavalry from charging in.
As what happened in this morning’s ‘clash’ —Yes, I plan to use this term persistently— my men did not rush in recklessly from the start. It was because the enemy spearmen were standing their ranks without leaving a single gap. Thus, we had poured arrows down upon them from afar to force an opening in their ranks. The charge happened after that.
My adjutant spoke sourly.
“Though it seems they’ve set up wooden spikes around their position……”
“Hmm.”
The enemy forces had put down wooden spikes around themselves like a fence, for anti-cavalry purposes. As if they were trying to make up for what they lacked. Certainly, those were effective in hindering our cavalry from approaching, but spikes were inferior to actual puncture wounds. It would be impossible to completely block off our cavalry with just that.
“Adjutant. Is that, perhaps, a popular strategy in battlefields nowadays? Since I’ve aged, I’ve been unable follow recent trends.”
“My apologies, general. If something like that was a trend, then the empire would have united the entire continent long time ago. And I would have lost my job and currently be unemployed.”
“Should we…… judge it as an original strategy?”
“You’re quite kind, general. If it were me, I’d express it as nonsense.”
Overcoming the generation gap, I was able to identify with my adjutant……
At that moment, as if my adjutant had realized something, he opened his eyes wide.
“General. The enemy may be utilizing that kind of strategy involuntarily!”
“Involuntarily, you say?”
“Yes. This may be nothing more than my own speculation, but those soldiers over there must have been planning to meet up with the troops we clashed against this morning. They most likely intended to face us with these two units together. However, since their joining together was delayed, they ended up being defeated beforehand!”
“Hm……”
It felt like my vision had brightened. That was certainly possible.
“I see. Was that what it was…… That would explain why the troops we faced this morning did not retaliate. They were waiting for their reinforcement to arrive.”
“That is so, general. And we had arrived before their troops could join forces. They probably didn’t expect we would advance so quickly. It must have been completely out of their prediction.”
“Surely.”
At last, everything made sense.
The ‘clash’ this morning was simply the enemy’s mistake. They were engaged before their forces could properly gather together. In conclusion, it resulted in their exceedingly eccentric and ridiculous defeat.
Certainly, the enemy soldiers this morning most likely didn’t have their commander present. At the time, they were probably earnestly waiting for their commander and reinforcements to arrive. But in the end, their commander wasn’t able to arrive on time and their entire unit ended up being annihilated……
“This is all thanks to your insight, general! If you had organized our troops to mainly consist of heavy infantry and heavy cavalry, then our marching speed would have slowed down that much as well. We would have presumably arrived at the battlefield after the enemy units had joined together.”
“Mm, that is just luck.”
“They say that if a coincidence happens twice then it is destiny. There is no doubt that the Goddesses are looking after you, general. Ooh, Goddess Athena’s blessing is upon us!”
My adjutant became excited and exclaimed.
Soldiers had the tendency to rely heavily on religion because of their rough experiences in the battlefield. There was nothing that could put more courage into troops than the knowledge that the Goddesses were on their side. That was why my adjutant, who knew of this fact, was shouting enthusiastically.
“Goddess Athena has given our lordship, Rosenberg, her divine protection!”
“What’s the matter?”
At the mention of the Goddess’ name, the other commanding officers gathered.
Once my adjutant energetically explained to them the situation, their faces also bloomed brightly.
“Congratulations, your lordship!”
“It is clear that the Goddesses desires to protect your lordship’s land from the Black Death!”
The other commanding officers gave their congratulations as if we had already obtained victory.
With a cold expression, I shook my head.
“Silence. It is too soon to be celebrating our victory when the enemy is still there before us. It wouldn’t be too late to share a toast after we’ve returned to our land.”
Although, I too was delighted, this was being hasty.
The battle wasn’t over yet. The fight went on until we’ve defeated the enemy and returned back to our homes. Carelessness called upon an unforeseen ruin.
“You all, return to your units and organize the ranks! Stay on standby until the sound of the horn.”
“Yes, general!”
The commanding officers responded promptly. They had immediately understood my intent. Indeed they were competent. Their wages weren’t high for no reason. They were a reliable bunch of personnel.
“Adjutant. Give the order for the cavalry company to charge. Teach the enemy crossbowmen that something trivial like spikes are pointless resistance by leaping over them with our horses.”
“I shall convey your command. We shall make sure to beat those bastard dwarves until their bottoms turn red.”
After the sound of the horn, our cavalry rushed forward.
A portion of our cavalry were dismounted by the enemy’s volley, but that was it.
Our troops skillfully avoided the wooden spikes and trampled the enemy forces.
‘It’s over.’
This content feeling took a load off of my mind.
With this, all of Demon Lord Dantalian’s troops were exhausted.
Now there was no more obstacles to stop our advance.
Let us march with light steps.
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 16 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle vicinity
“I will knead you.”
“Hoack, ackack—ah, ah—, you can’t. You really caaan’t—”
“Yes. I certainly advised you to act recklessly. I also advised you to behave boldly. I admit this entirely. However, who told you to behave like an idiot!? That goes beyond being creative and is plainly dropping our forces into a pile of shit!”
“Ack—, to breathe down on the crown, that sort of cunning high level technique…… This young lady cannot hold on any longer…… this young laady, ah—, this young lady is being kneaded by her lord……”
What was there to hide?
Following the 1st unit, the 2nd unit was cleanly wiped out as well. Each company had 150 soldiers. Miss Farnese had sent a total of 300 elite troops off into space in just a quarter of a day. Was this not an impressive ability?
“You could have just utilized our entire forces at once and ended it, but why did you send out small bits of 150 soldiers at a time!? Are you a masochist? Laura De Farnese, were you part of the group of people who received pleasure from pushing themselves into delicate situations? If you desire for pain that much, then I can personally show you Heaven. Aaang? Is it here? Is this your weak spot?”
“No…… any further, hoah—, reaaaaally……”
Miss Farnese spread out completely like jelly.
Her blonde hair was messy like a rice cake. I stopped here.
After being a pulp for a long period of time, Laura De Farnese muttered.
“But this is strange. According to this young lady’s calculation, they should have at least been able to defend against the cavalry.”
“The thing that’s strange is your head. You idiot.”
“This is the first time this young lady has ever been called an idiot in her entire life. This young lady has always been curious as to how people, who were constantly called fools, felt like. But after being called it herself, it is incredibly depressing. I want to kill myself……”
With a tearful expression, Miss Farnese fixed her hair and spoke.
“……It seems the enemy cavalry were not riding normal horses but the improved breed of horses, warhorses.”
“Warhorses?”
“Mm. A breed that is born by cross breeding a centaur and a horse. This young lady has heard that compared to normal horses, warhorses do not fear edged objects or avoid flames. Referentially, although warhorses are considered to be the core of the Kingdom of Brittany’s militia, the enemy do not seem to be from there. Since it was written in a book this young lady had read that a Brittany warhorse was as large as an orc.”
“I couldn’t care less about your boast of knowledge. Show results. Results!”
I uttered.
“The thing that I scorn the most in the world is sacrifice without growth. Do not tell me that after 300 deaths, you were still unable to go through any growth?”
“How cheap. You even told me to treat them like toys……”
“I meant that you should at least play within the realm of common sense that people can comprehend.”
Laura De Farnese stared straight at me.
“Lord, is it not fun?”
“Hm?”
“This young lady is having fun. It really feels like I’m playing as a sergeant.”
Miss Farnese spoke.
Although the focus in her emerald colored eyes was still hazy, there was a tint of more liveliness within them than usual.
“Honestly, this young lady was surprised. Your lordship had instructed this young lady to treat the lives of the soldiers like toys, but it was a question on if that was possible for this young lady. Separate to the absence of an organ called conscience within this young lady, this young lady still has an understanding of the concept of ethics and morality. This young lady believes that true joy comes from the euphoria of the brain. So the question was if this young lady’s body would accept an action that went against this young lady’s rationality as happiness……”
Miss Farnese smiled faintly.
Truthfully, it was too ungainly to even be considered as a smile.
It was like a machine imitating a human, there was an absence of a soul.
A smile that merely followed the gesture of ‘raising the corners of your mouth’.
Despite that.
“—It was enjoyable beyond this young lady’s imagination.”
That was currently Laura De Farnese’s best.
“It was the complete opposite. Treating another person’s life like a toy is the most interesting recreation in the entire world. As much as when I read a historical book, no, it might have been more exciting than reading a historical book. It’s wonderful. This young lady has never felt like this before……”
“……”
I grinned.
With a soft touch, I patted Miss Farnese’s head.
“Indeed, you are the same as I, De Farnese. That emotion. Do you know what people call that pleasure?”
“No, I do not know.”
Miss Farnese shook her head.
“Please tell me, lord. Enlighten this ignorant young lady. What this eerily pleasant feeling is called. What does this young lady call this joy that feels like it’s oozing from this young lady’s heart and enveloping her chest?”
“Some people call it possessive instinct. Other people refer to it as a will to control. And slightly more intelligent individuals refer to it as the process of satisfying one’s own superiority. However, if I were to say it in my language, then it would be much more intuitive and is even a single word at that.”
“What would that be?”
“It’s authority.”
I stroked her cheek.
Laura De Farnese’s expression became dazed as if she was struck by lightning.
“Authority……”
“That is so. Authority, my companion. As it is the driving force behind the eternal bloodshed in our world, it is also my personal reason to keep living this damn life of mine.”
“Authority. Is your lordship living your life in order to enjoy authority to its fullest?”
I laughed.
If this was Lapis Lazuli, then she would have never asked this sort of question in the first place.
Because it was such a self-evident fact.
“Think about it, De Farnese. The smell of blood is rancid. The smell of internal organs is so disgusting that it makes you want to vomit. But despite all that, have you truly never considered why people still indulged in endless murder and slaughter? It is because the sweetness of authority is so blissful that it overwhelms the vile stench of blood.”
“……”
“Aah. Of course. A person who has never had a proper taste of this particular delicacy are unable to understand. They truly cannot fathom it. Just like you, Farnese, who did not know of this feeling for the 16 years of your life……”
Laura De Farnese was a love-child.
She had spent nearly her entire life confined in her room.
The place this girl escaped to within her abuse and captivity was the library.
She had protected her own ego by exiling herself into the world of books.
The universe inside the books was soon her own universe.
In that process, the method of making facial expressions, the instinct of focusing one’s eyes, and even the technique of raising and lowering one’s voice, she had forgotten everything.
Essentially.
…… From a third person perspective, she was nothing more than a person who had failed tremendously in adjusting to the world.
In her perspective, it was the complete opposite, as all of her effort and sacrifice had gone into adjusting to her own world.
Laura De Farnese’s infatuation with history was not a coincidence either. The inner desires she had, the impulse that should be simply referred to as her instinct, was reflected after being ‘distorted once’.
Because every existing historical event was a history of authority.
Until now, Miss Farnese had lived her life unaware of what kind of person she originally was, and what sort of blood flowed through her veins.
“Do you not desire for more?”
Therefore.
The role I was given for this girl was already determined.
A devil tempting a pure maiden.
“Do you not desire more for what you’ve already tasted once? To once again control people, put people to death. Do you not desire to feel as if you are omnipotent?”
“……”
“You are a slave. But I will tell you what kind of slave you shall become from this point on. It is not something like a sex slave. Never would that be so. If you were to become a sex slave then you will have no other choice but to be chained down by me. De Farnese. You can only become a slave to authority.”
I passed my hand over Miss Farnese’s mouth.
Brushing the tips of my fingers over her soft lips.
“Any other type of slave will bind you down, but a slave to authority is different. Authority will set you free. If you wish to become the master of authority then the only path you can take is to become a slave of authority first! This is the land that freedom lives and breathes. Therefore, this is a kingdom where the slaves soon become the master, and masters become the slaves.”
I had presented a proper milestone to my still young junior.
Similar to the time that I had kindly taught this to my younger half-siblings.
…… Unfortunately, my siblings were not the same as me.
Regardless, I was certain that this girl in front of me was going to walk the same path which I had walked and was still walking.
Sure enough.
“…… Haa, aaah.”
Miss Farnese let out a breath.
It was a breath that contained the warmth of her heart.
“Lord. This young lady…… has never had her chest pound as much as this moment. This is strange. This young lady can much too clearly feel the truth in your lordship’s words. My heart keeps beating……”
She was unable to show emotions well on her face.
But it did not matter. Her heated breaths were more proof than anything else of her sincerity.
One’s expression was minor, anyway. Was Lapis Lazuli not always expressionless, and yet was more taken in by the desire for power than anyone else? Authority had leaped over emotions long ago, and was much too deep to express with one’s face.
“Do you feel like you are alive?”
“Yes, lord. This young lady feels alive……”
“Inscribe into your memory that you are the type of human who can only feel life from this. If you ever feel like things are going wrong, then look back at what kind of human you are. If you do not forget your root, then you will never stray from your path……”
It was at the moment I was about to give her my last advice.
Someone’s voice played in my head abruptly.
‘I’m sorry.’
‘What for?’
‘That’s……’
Huh.
Piece by piece, like the sound that resonated whenever a raindrop fell into water, each memory was quietly rippled by a voice.
‘That is not the problem.’
‘The real problem is something else.’
‘Does your highness not know?’
The wavelength spread out like a circle and slowly drifted away.
Eventually, different parts of my consciousness responded to it.
It was not only the voice, but her face, the gaze of her eyes, and the dynamics of each and every one of her words remained intact and played.
‘It is not a debate. It is a simple test.’
‘Your highness.’
‘…… Lord Dantalian.’
My God.
How could this be.
My mouth opened and my lips twitched.
My entire body was engulfed by currents because of the shock.
‘It seems your highness still does not know what kind of person this one is.’
‘…… This one is disappointed.’
‘Please etch this moment into your highness’ brain.’
Surely.
No, surely—
‘Lazuli.’
‘Yes, your highness. Please speak.’
‘You are a devilish woman.’
‘Until now, what did your highness consider this one to be?’
—Everything, became clear.
I became aware as to why Lapis Lazuli was angered and disappointed by me.
And I could only be appalled by the fact that I had figured this out so late. Are you telling me that I was a fool? Even though the answer was right before me, I couldn’t see it until now.
Oh my lord, good God, mother, father, my siblings, chicken hamburger, from Allah to Buddha.
I was an imbecile.
I was a driveling idiot and a mental bastard.
Now I was able to understand why Lapis Lazuli had behaved so unruly for such a lengthy period of time. It was obvious to have done so. It was obvious there was no other choice but to have done so. If Lapis Lazuli had behaved like I did, then I too would have been enraged!
I was crazy.
Seriously insane.
Why exactly have I stayed alive and not committed suicide? How would I possibly live in this world with such a substandard brain. It would only be appropriate to bite my tongue and kill myself. A 6-year-old child would probably be more intelligent than I was.
“Lord?”
My senses quickly returned by Miss Farnese’s call.
She was staring vacantly at me.
“Are you all right? Your lordship had stopped talking all of a sudden and started to tremble. If perhaps, your lordship desires to use the bathroom, then do not mind this young lady and go.”
Miss Farnese placed both of her hands on her chest.
It was over her heart.
“The words your lordship wish to convey to this young lady, has properly reached all the way here. In a small but distinct form.…… This young lady won’t ever forget your lordship’s words till the day she dies.”
Your devilish eloquence has captivated the other party!
Laura De Farnese’s affection went up by 24!
With startled eyes, I looked at her.
Honestly receiving my gaze— Laura De Farnese beamed brightly.
“That’s why, it’s fine to go and come back.”
Although it was still a clumsy imitation of a smile, her feelings were properly contained within it.
It was the first time since she was born that she had smiled on her own volition.
“Do not worry about the battle. The tests are over. Verifying which aspect of which art of war manual is correct, is complete. Now all this young lady has to do is simply apply this knowledge accordingly.”
“……”
I slowly stood up.
Even after lifting myself up, I walked back and forth in my spot for a while. What I planned to do from now on was sorted out in my head. Miss Farnese was looking at me as if I was strange, but I was not concerned.
Since the contemplation was long, the decision was firm.
“I’ll be right back.”
In the end, I was not someone with an indecisive and hesitant personality. By nature, I despised that kind of behavior. Striking while the iron is hot had the best taste.
“Mm. It seems your lordship has the tendency to hold it in till the very end before using the bathroom. Take your time—.”
I could not hear the rest of what Miss Farnese had said. I was already making a mad dash back to my Demon Lord castle. Since our military headquarters was set up outside, I had to run for a fair amount of time before reaching the castle.
I wonder how much I had run. It was clear that I ran long enough that it would be considered excessive for the pitiful stamina of a shut-in. Honestly, it would have been more convenient if I had asked one of the witches from the Berbere Sisters to give me a lift, but I had realized this fact later on. To be exact, I had realized this fact after I arrived in front of Lapis Lazuli’s office in my castle.
Bang
“Lala!”
I slammed open the door.
Thankfully, Lapis Lazuli was in her office. Except, the timing wasn’t that great. In truth, it was really bad. Lapis Lazuli was half nude and changing her black stockings. No, if anything, wasn’t this a good timing? I’m not sure.
“……”
Lapis Lazuli looked this way and let out a small sigh.
“Your highness. Has this one not informed your highness many times before to knock on the door before entering this one’s room?”
“Wait. Listen to what I have to say from there.”
I took a deep breath.
Because I had run so recklessly, my chest was burning more than necessary. I wheezed roughly. A lot of time was needed before my breathing settled down. This was why I hated intensive exercise. It stole one’s composure. I was always cool-headed and calm.
“……Surely, did your highness run all the way here? This is surprising. Until now, this one had always assumed that your highness only knew how to walk and lie down and no other body movements.”
“Listen carefully, Lala.”
I straightened my back.
And using both my hands, I utilized all kinds of gestures.
“What we need right now is dialogue. The need for us to reach mutual understanding through complex and delicate, but essential, dialogue is urgent. This is a very grave political matter, as well as it is a core issue more important than anything else.”
“……Why is your highness behaving like that all of a sudden? Whenever your highness starts to imitate a weird way of speech, this one can’t help but be seized by a strange anxiety.”
I raised my index finger.
“Unfortunately, our current situation is not very favorable. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that we are continuing to go downhill. A force of around one thousand enemy troops are approaching us by the hour, so we need to get something like politics off of our mind. That’s why, I will only say it once. Since we are in various ways in a hectic situation, I will only say it once. Of course, our circumstances will improve from now on, and days where we are not as particularly busy may follow, but still only once. Do not ask for me to repeat myself. To me, this is an incredibly, frighteningly, immensely difficult decision, and thus, I will make clear that telling you this face to face is putting me under a terrible pressure.”
“Haah.”
Lapis Lazuli tilted her head.
She was dumbfounded with no expression on her face.
“Please speak.”
“I love you.”
Time stopped.
A pendulum clock ticked and tocked.
It felt like even air itself had stopped flowing.
After a long pause, Lapis Lazuli creased her brows.
“This one apologies, but this one is unable to understand.”
“I love you, Lapis.”
“…………”
At the moment she opened her mouth.
I clapped my hand in an exaggerated manner.
“Good. I said it twice. I was able to say it twice in the end. I had resolved and vowed and promised myself to say it only once, but I said it twice in the end. Good. That’s fine. This is still within my realm of prediction. There is no problem. Do not ask for me to repeat myself again. To me, this was an incredibly, frighteningly, immensely difficult decision, and thus, I will make clear that telling you this face to face was putting me under a terrible pressure. We can discuss the details later. I shall take my leave in order to take care of the enemy forces that have been approaching by the hour. If you look carefully, this isn’t exactly something that Demon Lords should be doing. Take care. Farewell. I’ll be leaving.”
Slam
I closed the door.
I curtly distorted my expression.
Silence flowed. The serenity of the inside of my castle had no bounds. The sound of water dripping from a stalactite could be heard somewhere. While maintaining my position of pressing my back against the door, I let out an ‘Mm’.
“That was perfect.”
It was indeed so.
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 21 Niflheim, Governor’s Palace
“……”
Barbatos’ expression slowly changed.
At first, it seems her brain was unable to comprehend what she had just heard. However, after 3 seconds, she slowly raised her eyebrows.
“……Haa?”
“Love, Barbatos. I’m talking about love.”
I smiled.
Barbatos was still unable to understand my words.
With a grin spread over my face, I spoke in a joking manner.
“Think about it. This was a much too obvious issue. Why did I try to kill Lapis’ mother? Hm?”
Since Barbatos did not respond, I asked again.
“Why I tried to kill Lapis’ mother. If you use a little bit of your head then you can figure it out. Honestly, there is no benefit I could gain from killing that old hag. Nothing at all.”
I chuckled.
“A Demon Lord who had horrendously killed his lover’s mother. How would people see me? They’d consider me as an insane nut-case murderer. Doing something like that is like dragging my name through the mud. Undoubtedly, I shouldn’t kill her. Obviously.”
The moment one stripped off their own ignorance was this delightful. Aah, it felt like I’d unintentionally start liking this world.
“However, I had tried to murder that old woman as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. If Lapis had not stopped me, then that old lady’s insides would have been torn apart. What was the reason. Why did I try to carry out an act that wouldn’t benefit me politically? There is only one answer. It is because I love Lapis Lazuli……”
“……Wait a second.”
Barbatos frowned.
“Stop getting excited on your own and wait a second. What, love? You tried to kill that kid’s mother because of love? Dantalian. Did my ears hear this properly?”
“You heard correctly. It seems you have a great sense of hearing.”
“Fuck. How is that love?”
I smiled softly.
Right now, I was boundlessly tolerant towards life.
“It is a very articulate and simple principle, Barbatos. I had committed three acts that I normally would have never done if I was my usual self.”
First, I had tried to murder an old lady even though there was no merit.
Second, I had tried to kill a maid of the governor’s palace even though there was, indeed, no gain. If I were to thoughtlessly kill a maid, then Demon Lord Dantalian’s reputation would have deteriorated heavily. You couldn’t possibly see it as a logical action.
Third, I had tried to spare the lives of Giacomo Petrarch and the guards, while bearing the danger of my massacre being found out. This was truly nonsensical. Was I crazy? Why did I try to spare those fellows? It was simply because I wanted to show to Lapis Lazuli that ‘I was capable of showing mercy ‘.
The first time was a whim.
The second time was a coincidence.
The third time was an inevitability.
And I was the foolish bastard who was unable to realize what that inevitable thing was. Twice was understandable, but for me to miss it for the third time? That was impossible.
My brain gave an answer following my level-headed personality.
Lapis Lazuli.
She was my logical error.
No different from a virus that caused errors.
“Honestly, it was incredibly obvious……”
I blankly stared up at empty space.
“When I tried to kill that old woman, it didn’t feel fun at all. Is it not surprising? To me, there is nothing more pleasurable than using my authority to drop someone into Hell. But for some reason, when I was going to murder that old hag, my mood was the worst……”
It was the same with the maid as well.
It wasn’t even slightly enjoyable.
Purely unpleasant rage had filled my chest.
I was the person who revelled when facing Paimon and Ivar Lodbrok in the Walpurgis Night. In a situation where if I had made one wrong move, I would have been in danger of falling into ruin, and yet, I was pleasantly enjoying the feeling of toying with those two as much as I desired. I was someone who was that insane about authority.
But for me to feel displeased when I tried to remove the old woman and maid?
That was strange.
An error being involved was clear.
The clues were all given beforehand.
When I stepped on Ivar Lodbrok’s head I felt satisfied—.
When I threatened the old lady and maid I felt displeased—.
The differences were simple.
The former was an action taken because of authority, while the latter were actions taken because of love.
If this wasn’t a surprise, then I didn’t know what it was.
Thinking back on it, it was this clear.
“I was truly astonished. To think the day that someone like myself would truly love someone would actually arrive. It’s something that I couldn’t predict even in my dreams, so I was unable to realize it sooner……”
“You…… Are you really saying that sincerely?”
“I am always sincere. Barbatos.”
The other party’s face became grim.
“……Insane.”
“Who?”
“You. You’re completely insane.”
“That’s not anything new.”
I sipped my wine.
A bitter sweetness moistened my tongue.
Indeed, this wine befitted its title as best in the demon world by boasting its deep flavor.
‘Son.’
‘If you’re lucky then you will meet a good woman.’
‘No matter what you do. Never. Never let that woman go.’
Father, your words were right.
If you meet a remarkable girl then that feeling just comes to you.
However, the amount my father was correct was only up to that point.
Because decisively, I am more competent than my father.
I will now prove that here.
“What I had to do then was simple. First, I had to confess my love to Lapis. This, like I told you earlier, was achieved perfectly.”
“Perfectly……?”
Barbatos’s expression distorted, but I ignored it.
“Next, I had to quickly clear away the invading army. This wasn’t an easy task, since my goal was not to crush the enemy forces, but to raise my future acting general. Well, to a certain extent she had successfully awakened— to a degree. There are still many things left to teach her. Mm. Anyway, after suppressing the invaders, and kneading Miss Farnese to my taste……”
I touched my chin.
“After that, I had to break up with Lapis.”
“……”
A quiet stillness drifted.
“………… What?”
I laughed softly.
“Imagine it. Imagine her disappointment. How much Lapis was disappointed in me. A moment ago, I was earnestly advising Miss Farnese to become nothing other than a slave to authority, but right after that, in a blink of an eye, it was revealed that I was nothing more than a slave to love. That’s not right. That wouldn’t do.”
I slowly shook my index finger left and right.
“Lapis did not request love from me. Of course, we had rolled around on a bed together a bit, but well…… That wasn’t too important. I would have loved Lapis even if I was a eunuch.”
Barbatos gazed at me in a daze.
“Okay. I’ll speak honestly. I may have loved her a bit less. Sexual desire is rather important, after all. Additionally, living up to her name as a succubus, Lapis’ skill in that field is really…… wow, it’s unimaginable. Even though my involvement with women was on the disorderly side, it felt like I had suddenly become a virgin. I will admit it. Night activities had performed a fair duty of raising my love for her. But that was it. It was not essential. The language between us went beyond body movement.”
“……”
“Lapis’ only wish is to obtain absolute authority. But if I were to request for love, then she would occasionally have to submit. Like I had unintentionally done for Lapis…… when I met the old lady, the maid, and Giacomo Petrarch.”
I slowly shook my head.
“That would be ignoring Lapis’ wish and intentions, and it would also be overthrowing my own desire. Because……”
I smiled.
“—I loved authority more than I did Lapis.”
Barbatos shut her mouth.
Gazing at her gently, I added.
“If I were to make a rough guess, then well. Lapis would be at third.”
“The third what……?”
“I’m talking about the sequence of love. The order of priority in one’s life. A person must know what’s important and what’s less important to them. If you tried to take both this and that, then you’ll end up being the lion that lost both the rabbit and the deer.”
I slightly furrowed my brows.
“Then one’s life will chaotically fall apart. Should I call it fragile? At the very least, if you’re faced with a crucial choice, then you need to know beforehand what you’re going to pick. Mm. In my case, the very first on my list of what’s important to me is a life where you can be a bit lazy, and the second most important is authority. And now, Lapis Lazuli had become the third most precious thing to me.”
“……”
“Is it not impressive? Laziness has been with me since I was 1-year-old. Authority has been with me since I was 6. As a matter of fact, these two have been my companions throughout my entire life. Despite that, the thing that I got along with for only half a year has taken the position of being the third most important thing in my life. If this isn’t a miracle, then I don’t know what this is.”
I pressed both of my hands against my chest.
The beat of my heart was conveyed to my palm.
I will never forget this emotion.
It was truly a marvelous and astonishing experience.
“That’s, not love.”
Barbatos spoke.
I wonder if it was my imagination, but her voice was shaking.
“It’s fine if you two break up, but love…… is an emotion that’s more precious than anything else. It is something that other things should yield willingly to, to make way for.”
“Ah. That’s what it’s like for most people.”
I nodded my head–
“And most people are wrong.”
and grinned.
As I have done until now.
And as I will continue to do.
“I know the answer.”
Always.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 02/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-02-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_03_02.txt
|
Chapter 3: Inhumane Anthem
▯The Northern Guardian, Margrave of Rosenberg, Georg von Rosenberg Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 17 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle vicinity
“Adjutant. Are there no more reports from the reconnaissance team?”
“There are none. Our front is completely clear, general.”
My adjutant responded with a delighted face.
It wasn’t only my adjutant. The soldiers around me were all cheerful as well. Soon after, our forces safely arrived at Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle.
Initially, we were constantly cautious of our surroundings.
It was because after the hilly area, a vast forest was spread before us.
Contrary to hills, ambushes were more than possible within a forest. You could not eliminate the chances of an enemy ambush. To send out a small unit on purpose to be defeated, and then to aim an ambush at us while we were being careless…… In simpler terms, a standard deception tactic. Even if this was a thousand to one chance, I was not going to overlook the possibility of an ambush.
“Indeed, it seems the entirety of Dantalian’s military forces was wiped out yesterday.”
“Yes. Although I was doubtful at first, it appears it was a pointless worry.”
After passing through the forest, a fairly massive rocky mountain laid in front of us.
Within sight was a barren mountain containing nothing but stone. Vegetation was unable to grow on Demon Lord Castles mainly due to the excessively powerful magical energy that emitted from them. It was certain that the mountain before us was Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle.
“Our scouts found the entrance to the cave.”
“Mm, proceed with the plan.”
As we had previously arranged, a detached force entered the cave. It was a procedure to confirm whether if there were truly black herbs piled up inside the castle.
It was fine if there were actually no herbs. This was nothing more than action taken to show to my people that we weren’t standing by idly. If there were herbs then it was good fortune, if there weren’t then it wasn’t a big deal. It was at that level.
3 hours later, the detached troops ended their search and returned. My adjutant gave me the report with an excited voice.
“General, they say that they’ve discovered 6 wagons worth of black herbs!”
“What!?”
It was a surprising result.
In utter disbelief, I stood up and walked forward, and sure enough, the detached troops were transporting the black herbs while rejoicing. Seeing the detached troops, all 1,500 of my soldiers cheered. It felt like it had become a festival.
Currently, black herbs were being sold for over 10 gold a piece in the empire. It was at least 10 gold! Depending on the region and market price, the asking price would even go up to 20 gold. Before I knew it, my mouth was hanging agape.
“Dear Lord. God Hades……”
How much would 6 wagons worth of herbs cost? In total, there were probably around 7,000 plants. 70,000 gold…… The budget processed by the imperial family of the empire in a single year was about 500,000 gold. Thus meaning, I had obtained in my hand 1/7 of the national budget required to manage the entire empire annually!
“It is the greatest of success, your lordship!”
My adjutant shouted fervently.
“Now the territory of Rosenberg will survive. No, it isn’t on the level of just living! The people will venerate your lordship as a saint blessed by the Goddesses!”
“That is so. We can save all of my citizens who are suffering from this mysterious disease……”
My chest swelled with delight.
How many of my subjects were in pain. How many people sent their prayers up to the Goddesses, and how many times did the Goddesses cruelly return to them silence.
Two of my grandchildren died from this illness. One of them was a child who was only 6-years-old……
My chest throbbed at the memory of my grandchild’s blackened corpse. At that time, my daughter had held her child’s body while wailing in pain. A little bit more, if I had invaded this place a little sooner, then my daughter wouldn’t have had to lose her child……
“Your lordship, what do you mean by saving all of the citizens?”
My adjutant questioned.
“Surely we should sell them at the proper price. Merely releasing this supply to the market would be enough to receive great praise from all of your subjects.”
“No. We shall provide the herb for all of those who are ill for free.”
I declared this after letting my emotions calm down.
Starting from my adjutant, all of my company commanders as well looked at me with shocked expressions on their faces.
“That’s unthinkable!”
“Good fortune has fallen upon myself twice during this expedition. The first was my territory being fortunately adjacent to Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle. The second was that we were able to divide and conquer the enemy troops before they were able to join forces.”
The fact that we were able to obtain the spoils of war today was solely because the Goddess had allowed us to. You should not forget that.
“If the Goddess has bestowed upon me fortune, then my role is to bestow that fortune down onto my subjects. The glory from God must be glory for all. Is that not right, gentlemen?”
“……”
My adjutant and company commanders glanced at one another.
Moments later, my adjutant earnestly lowered one knee and knelt down before me.
“This one has pledged allegiance to your lordship.”
The company commanders lowered their heads one by one. This wasn’t simply a body gesture done by soldiers to show politeness to their sovereign. Unrelated to a contractual relationship, this was a sign of respect between warriors. I personally raised each and every one of them to stand properly.
“Tell this to the rest of our soldiers. That every single military personnel here will equally be distributed a herb, and that once we return to our land, I shall treat everyone to pork and beer.”
“Understood!”
If a noble such as myself were to receive respect, then in return, I had to gift them not with words, but with commodities. Anyone could show gratitude with words.
Words that drifted in empty space were like a rampart built out of air. The slightest wind could topple it down. Loyalty came from money. There was no reason to be ashamed to admit this.
“Then we shall move the powder kegs, your lordship.”
“Mm. Do that.”
“Yes. Transport the barrels!”
The soldiers carefully carried the powder kegs from the cart.
Since there was the danger of these exploding while being mishandled, 4 mages stuck to them and kept a close eye. It was obvious. If an accidental explosion were to occur, we would all be dead. Even the smallest amount of negligence was not allowed.
The mages had spent this entire expedition safeguarding the powder kegs. They could have been utilized as Aerial Mage Forces, but thankfully there wasn’t a battle fierce enough that required for them to be sent out.
Mages. In other words, Aerial Mage Forces, were an incredibly valuable military strength. Only they could dominate the skies. It was fortunate that we didn’t lose even a single mage in this expedition. Truly. There were many luxuries that could be considered as fortunate……
“Your lordship, we have placed all the powder kegs within the cave.”
“Good. Detonate them carefully. Make sure to place your own safety at the highest priority.”
“Yes! Detonate the explosives!”
The mages aimed at the cave entrance and shot a fire elemental spell in sync. The maximum range of magic spells was 50 meters. The fireballs flew a reasonable distance away and exploded within the cave.
Booooooom—
The loud sound of a blast reverberated and shook the rocky mountain.
Gunpowder made from charcoal and potassium nitrate. And along with those, the barrel contained lumps of metal and stone as well. Although it was troubling to use in an actual battle, it was useful in bringing down enemy strongholds like this.
Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle came down before my eyes. Albeit, it was impossible to bring down an entire mountain, so merely the cave entrance had collapsed. I was still satisfied with just that.
My adjutant let out a moved voice while watching the spectacle of the foot of a mountain collapsing.
“That’s amazing.”
It was indeed so. It was an expedition that was perfect from beginning to end.
Now it should be impossible for Demon Lord Dantalian to make a comeback. Not only did he lose all of his troops, but he had lost his stronghold as well. The margrave of Rosenberg’s security measures were thus completed.
There was no pitying emotion within me. This was the law of the jungle. It was obvious that humans would be hostile towards demons. Obediently accept your defeat, oh weak Demon Lord.
“All troops! Let us return home!”
Buuuuuuu
The buglers, in the excess of mirth, blew the horns powerfully.
Receiving the refreshing midday sunlight, my soldiers moved with gusto. Since the wind was also blowing coolly, it was perfect.
Was that it. Was it already autumn……
The leaves turned red and the farmers stepped out onto the fields. It was the season where all beings harvested their own lives.
Indeed, my life advancing through battlefields and arenas for more than 50 years was the same.
I wished to fall in a battlefield.
I wished to be laid to rest with the other warriors.
But……
‘Thank you, Your Grace. Oh Great Gods. To allow this unworthy man the opportunity to leave something behind for his people within his lifetime. I could only be grateful.’
I gave a prayer to the gods within my mind.
If perhaps, after giving my people the cure, after saving my land, was I then allowed to slowly close my eyes. If that was my fate, then that too was not bad. Indeed, it was not bad.
It would be leaving behind hope for the new age and the new generation.
Was it not a remarkable final role given to an old man?
“General! The reconnaissance team has returned urgently!”
As I was contemplating how I would split the inheritance to my sons and daughter, my adjutant gave a report. His voice was rather high. For some reason, a perplexed complexion had taken over his face. The reconnaissance team? There shouldn’t be anything worth reporting urgently at this point.
“What is it?”
“Enemy forces have appeared! Enemy troops have been spotted up ahead!”
At my adjutant’s cry, the surrounding air became cold. I could sense that the soldiers around us were surprised and staring at the adjutant.
I too was shocked, but I had deliberately maintained a calm face. If the commander shook with anxiety, then that anxiety would instantly spread to all of the troops. In other words, it was a disease more terrifying than the Black Death.
Mm. It seems a change of ambience was required here.
“Be calm! Have you already forgotten? Our war does not end until we return home. As long as the battle is not over, the enemy can appear from anywhere! This is obvious. What reason is there to start a commotion!?”
“M-My apologies.”
Once my adjutant lowered his head, the troops that were about to be unsettled quickly held their breath. My adjutant had received the scolding in the other soldiers’ stead. This as well, was an adjutant’s crucial role.
“Give the report in more details. Tell me where the enemy forces are located and their approximate military strength.”
“Yes, general. The enemy forces are stationed on the hill area, which our troops had passed through yesterday. Their numbers reach approximately 3,000!”
“……!”
I was barely able to restrain myself from opening my eyes wide.
The feeling of blood being drained out of my body engulfed me. The reason why I was able to maintain my composure was solely because I had spent my entire life in battlefields and arenas. If I did not have these experiences, then I would have most likely screamed in an unseemly manner.
“Did you say 3,000 just now?”
However, I was unable to completely control the urgency in my voice. The mood was bad. I could feel the dismay of the soldiers around me. I could even see the pale face of a company commander……
“Yes. The reconnaissance team had clearly reported that it was 3,000.”
Be composed.
There was always the chance that the report was wrong.
I had gone through something like this in the past. After finding out the fact that the enemy force, who we were brutally fighting throughout the whole night, had a military strength 3 times smaller than our own, all tension in my chest had disappeared. A human’s five senses were not always accurate. It was still too soon to fall into panic.
“Mm. That’s rather hard to believe. For now, I shall give an order to all of the troops.”
I made sure to earnestly feign a composed attitude. These soldiers had no other choice but to live their life looking up to me. Without an order, they would be anxious. Meaning, it was possible to erase anxiety with a command.
“We shall get out of these woods as fast as possible. All military personnel, advance while bearing in mind the chance of battle.”
“Yes, general! All soldiers! Advance at maximum speed! Advance forward at maximum speed—!”
Our forces quickly passed through the forest. Two hours later, our troops arrived at the hill region and witnessed a sight that was utterly unbelievable. On the other side of the hill, there truly were ranks of around 3,000 enemy soldiers sternly awaiting for our arrival.
“General……”
My adjutant looked at me with a face as pale as marble. Our side’s military strength was approximately 1,400. Compared to the other side, we were smaller by 2 times. Which side would win was obvious. It was clear for the company commanders, and it was evident for the soldiers as well……
Pull yourself together, Georg. Being able to feign ignorance even in this sort of situation is what a commander is. They must act as if they do not know the truth which everyone else clearly knows. Of course, it was a distressful role. But that was the only way I could take responsibility.
“Adjutant. Why do you think the enemy forces have appeared there?”
“Pardon?”
“If they had the military strength of 3,000 soldiers, then it would only be appropriate for them to have appeared sooner. They had plenty of opportunities to wipe us out. However, the enemy troops arrived after we had pillaged and destroyed their stronghold. No matter how you look at it, that is an abnormal usage of troops.”
“That…… is true, general.”
“All forces heed my words!”
I shouted while straining my neck.
All of the soldiers turned to look at me at once. This moment was important. This was the only opportunity I had to prevent their fighting spirit from collapsing. Let’s bet the winning move on this.
“Those enemy soldiers before us have just now arrived on this battlefield! They desired to block us, but we were a step ahead. We had succeeded in bringing down their stronghold!”
It didn’t matter if this was true or not. To instill vigor into my soldiers, that was my only goal……
“Rather, return to them loud laughter instead. We have succeeded and they have failed. And above all, we have had sufficient rest so our stamina is firm. But since they have only now arrived on this battlefield, they are still tired! If we attack now then victory will be within our grasp!”
The soldiers stirred for a moment before eventually, their expressions started to become firm one person at a time. Good. Their fighting spirit was returning to their eyes. Let us go, my northern soldiers. The people await our return!
“Kick those stubby dwarf bastards on their rears! Beat their buttocks and abuse them! According to rumors, it’s said that dwarves squeal like pigs when mating. Should us humans not kindly teach those livestock what true men are!?”
The soldiers responded with a roar. Instead of some high-sounding justifications, it was more effective at times to plainly hurl abuses at the enemy. We will not be pushed back in a fight of vigor.
“Blow the horns of Folles!”
Buuuuuu—
Buhuuuuu—
The sound of horns echoed through the vast hills. It was the noise that symbolized the outbreak of war since 700 years ago. That was so. The people of our land had won through 700 long years of history and were now here. We will not be defeated easily.
“All cavalry, charge!”
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 17 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle vicinity
5 minutes had passed since the start of the battle.
Although temporary, the current situation of the battle was neck and neck. The spirit of the enemy soldiers was rather impressive. However, there was something else that was a bit more impressive. It was Laura De Farnese’s current condition.
“Miss Farnese, are you okay?”
“I’m fine. There’s no problem with this young lady.”
“But you’re sweating quite a lot……”
Laura De Farnese has been sweating a tremendous amount since a while ago. I was worried that she was nervous, but thankfully that wasn’t the case. It was a type of head heat. According to her, ‘This always happens when this young lady strains her brain.’, is what she told me.
“The morale in their cavalry regiment seems to be relatively high.”
“A foolish choice. It would have been better if they had attempted to flee the moment they discovered our troops. Although they would suffer losses during the chase, at least 30 percent of them would have made it back alive.”
Miss Farnese grinned.
Her smile was still awkward. The edges of her mouth were stiff and her lips were twitching. And yet, somehow it felt like that smile expressed Laura De Farnese more appropriately. At the very least, it was to my liking.
“But the enemy did not choose to run. As if it was the most obvious thing to do, they engaged in battle. Do you know the reason behind this, lord?”
“Probably because of the black herb.”
“That is correct. If they are able to return with the black herb, then they’ll be able to save their land. It would even be possible to receive praise from the people. The enemy forces are so ensnared in this delusion that they are unable to abandon their wagons.”
When before a tempting bait, a fish could by all means run away at any time, but they latched onto it anyway.
Was this not quite the splendid ability?
Miss Farnese had used the fantasy known as the black herbs as a way to pressure the enemy into combat. The enemy forces most likely did not even realize that they were fooled. They had literally become dim-witted fishes. Our trick had gone over big with them.
“Now then. Miss Farnese. Although up to here is remarkable, the enemy forces’ morale can not be trifled with. How do you plan to deal with this situation?”
“Simple. The reason their morale is high is because they are on the offensive. But this young lady is rather egocentric. This young lady cannot allow them to have the exhilarating role for long while on stage.”
Miss Farnese gripped the clay doll in her hand.
“—I shall slowly pressure them into a distressful role.”
▯The Northern Guardian, Margrave of Rosenberg, Georg von Rosenberg Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 17 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle vicinity
“General! The enemy cavalry are going around!”
“What?”
I gazed at the other wing of the battlefield. My adjutant was right. A unit of the enemy cavalry was going a roundabout way around the hill and approaching us. I made a bitter face.
“Another foolish tactic…… If they had more cavalry in their reserve forces, then it would only be appropriate to have made them participate in the battle immediately. Why would they order something like a flank assault?”
There was no doubt that the enemy commander was a beginner in tactics.
Currently, a fierce battle between our and the enemy’s mounted troops was taking place. Our fighting powers were considerably balanced.
If the enemy were to utilize their reserve forces in this situation, then ten to one we would lose. Our mounted troops would be annihilated, followed by our infantry. Our forces would be utterly defeated. Despite that, their commander had foolishly chosen to use their reserve troops like a detached force.
“Mmm. Does their commander not have an eye for seeing the flow of battle……?”
In my position, I could only be grateful. If their forces rushed our flanks, then all we had to do was make our infantry block them. Merely extending our spears would be enough to keep their cavalry at bay.
Although it was still going to be a tense battle, it was fine. Victory was still within our grasp. We had the ability to come out victorious. The Goddesses have not abandoned us!
“Infantry company on the right-wing. Ready your spears and spread an anti-cavalry wall. Show those men of reckless valor Hell and……”
At that moment, something came into my vision.
The transportation wagons. The wagons loaded to the brim with black herbs were at our rear…… Surely, were they aiming for that!? Were they more desperate to secure their belongings than winning the battle immediately?
The enemy commander was an avaricious fellow. It was outrageous to be obsessed with money over one’s own victory. But that greed had grabbed us by the ankle……
I strongly bit my lip and gave an order.
“…… Focus military strength to the right-wing.”
“General, then our forces will be thin on both sides!”
My adjutant was startled.
“The enemy may be able to break through. Please reconsider!”
“Adjutant. They are aiming for our wagons. We cannot allow the herbs to be taken here.”
“……!”
Those herbs were the future of our land. The life of our children. The hope to cure parents from despairing. Like we’d let these be taken back so easily!
“Quickly now. If the wagons are assaulted then everything will be over.”
“Yes, general! As you command!”
Once the flag signal was sent, our soldiers shifted their focus onto the right-wing. With this, the enemy commander should be discouraged from trying to pillage the wagons. Do not focus your eyes on something like loot and come at us fairly.
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 17 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle vicinity
“—War is truly quite enjoyable, lord.”
Miss Farnese hummed.
Currently, the enemy’s morale was cut down by a level. Their aggressive behavior had slowly turned into passive behavior. The sharpness they showed at the outbreak of war had already disappeared somewhere.
“To think that freely controlling people to this young lady’s will would give this much pleasure. This young lady can’t hold it back. Although winning is possible by simply crushing the enemy’s left-wing like this, but…… that would be tasteless.”
“What do you mean by tasteless?”
“Obviously, the taste of the dish. Dishes cooked with sincerity are what carries value. Would a dish handled with more haste than caution not be a discourtesy towards the guests?”
Miss Farnese spoke in a delighted voice.
Her face was glowing like a child who was absorbed in their play.
“This young lady wishes to manipulate a bit more. To brandish a bit more. To enjoy it a bit more. That is why this young lady will not do something tasteless like wiping out the enemy in an instant.”
“……”
Surely.
Was that the inclination of the human called Farnese?
If it were me, I would not think like she did. If the opportunity to crush the other party appeared, then I made sure to tear them apart with no uncertain terms. Should I call it ‘breaking at the onset’? No matter what it was, I enjoyed disposing of it immediately.
On the other hand, Miss Farnese was part of the faction that enjoyed things leisurely. By giving the other party hope followed by despair and then followed by hope once more, she desired to receive pleasure for as long as possible.
Well, to sum it up, if you were to say that I felt authority when I saw myself overwhelming the other party, then you could say that Laura De Farnese felt authority when seeing the other party despair because of her. Only the direction was different, but the desire for authority was all the same.
I let out a small laugh.
“You’re no different from a child who is completely excited over their new toy. That, once you get bored of it to a certain degree, you’ll end up beginning to handle things quickly like myself. Since now is the most enjoyable time, play as much as you wish.”
“Mm. Since it’ll be a long time until this young lady begins to tire of this, this young lady is fine for now.”
“I have clearly given you my warning.”
I knew that feeling very well, since there was a time I had gone through something similar to what this little lady was experiencing right now.
Even now, the memory of when I had secretly made 2 male students drop out of school, while I was the school president, was delightful.
However, doing something like that repetitively only made it dull.
Although humans grew tired of other people rather quickly, they seldom grew tired of themselves. It was thanks to that principle that I was able to live this long…… Once 7 to 10 years pass, Miss Farnese will naturally come to realize this as well. Please do enjoy your golden days as much as possible.
Laura De Farnese watched the frontlines with eyes sparkling with anticipation.
“Ah—, don’t withdraw there. Please rebel against this young lady a bit more. Are you sirs not the valiant soldiers of the Empire of Habsburg? Redisplay the vigor that you’ve shown earlier and force this young lady into more hardship—. Try to rush at this young lady like miserable dogs and make this young lady into a mess—.”
……Was this a sadist, or was this a masochist?
I was reassured since I had assumed she was a sadist, but she might unexpectedly be a masochist.
Was that it? When I pressed down onto the crown of Miss Farnese’s head, was the thing she felt not umbrage but pleasure instead? Did even I, who had the best discerning eye in the world, misjudge her personality? How fearsome. For a healthy sadist like myself, masochists were nothing more than an alien race which I couldn’t understand. It was quite troubling that there were so many unique perverts in the world……
▯The Northern Guardian, Margrave of Rosenberg, Georg von Rosenberg Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 17 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle vicinity
……The situation was not good. Our forces were slowly being pushed back.
Though I wished to do whatever possible in order to turn the tide of battle, we lacked the ability to do so. The enemy stubbornly came at us while aiming for our spoils. Our troops were tied down because of this.
“It’s like our positions were swapped……”
“Yes. It’s as if they’re the attackers and we’re the defenders now. At this rate, we can’t make any moves.”
My adjutant bit his lip. His expression was wretched. Our forces were unable to do this or that, and were instead being dragged around by the enemy.
Regardless, that wasn’t the most distressful part. In truth, our soldiers were putting up a rather decent fight. That was the case if you at least judged it objectively. They overcame the 2 times difference in military strength and were fighting on equal terms with the enemy troops. This was most likely an impressive feat.
But slightly.
Ever so slightly, the sight of us being overpowered haunted me.
That was the feeling that was pressuring us into a bed of thorns.
Lament flowed from my lips.
“…… If our forces were on the offensive then many options would be available to us. At the very least, if our troops were in a clear disadvantage then we could order a retreat.”
“But it’s difficult to decide on anything in this current situation, general.”
“That is so. It is problematic.”
Whether it be victory or defeat, a type of result had to clearly appear in order for us to respond accordingly. And yet, what was this current situation? It wasn’t this way or the other. Only the flow of our military strength being gnawed away ever so slowly continued on……
I most likely should not order for a retreat in our current circumstances. Our men were currently facing the enemy desperately. The sole thing that was pushing our soldiers from behind was their hope. A little bit more. If they exerted a little bit more, then they may be able to win. This was the hope which was supporting them.
However, in truth, that ‘little bit’ never diminished below a point. The enemy forces tenaciously held the upper hand, and we were simply pulled along by them. The stamina of our troops was slowly reaching its limit……
If I were to order for a retreat now, then at that moment is when our soldiers would truly fall into despair. Their fighting spirit would vanish instantly. That would be the end. Without being able to retreat properly, without being able to even obtain victory, our forces would disgracefully collapse on their own.
Drosera.
It felt like we were stuck on a patient sundew. An adhesive-like unpleasant feeling went down my spine. My mouth became dry. The feeling of being neither one thing nor the other, while also being dragged step by step to our destined demise…… this vastly agonizing feeling.
Was the enemy commander truly a beginner? Were we perhaps caught in a trap? It was a foolish thought, but I was unable to cast away my doubts.
In the first place, this kind of battle went against my preference. Wreak havoc like a storm and wipe them out. That was the ideal type of battle that I looked forward to. How did it become like this……
“General. Perhaps this is the enemy’s stratagem?”
“A stratagem?”
My adjutant gazed this way with an apprehensive face.
“I’m referring to the two units that our troops suppressed yesterday. They may have purposely left those units as bait in order to lure us into being careless.”
“No. That’s impossible.”
I adamantly shook my head.
“If you add those two units together then that would be 300 soldiers. If you combined those soldiers with the enemy troops we’re currently facing, then they could have finished us off with ease. Why would they discard their chance of obtaining an easy victory?”
“That’s right, huh……”
“Adding to that, we caved in their Demon Lord Castle. If perhaps, our current situation was indeed a trap, then that would be saying that they had allowed us to freely destroy their stronghold. The enemy would gain absolutely no benefit if this were true.”
There was no mistake. They would only experience losses.
Their black herbs were plundered and their Demon Lord Castle was destroyed. On a strategic level, the enemy forces have already lost. Even if they were to decimate us here, the enemy troops would be unable to celebrate their victory. To have won the battle, but to have been utterly defeated strategically, that would be the conclusion of this war.
“……I guess there is no other choice. Let us utilize the mages.”
“Yes. I as well think that there are no other methods left. If the Aerial Mage Force were to bombard the enemy from the skies with gunpowder, then our situation might turn for the better, even if it is by the smallest amount.”
The number of mages our forces currently possessed was 4. It was an excessively small number, but it was still enough to cause an impact on the enemy troops. Let us place our faith on this final card.
“General. The Aerial Mage Force have sortied in formation.”
My adjutant reported. Once I looked upwards, a group of mages soared through the sky while maintaining a height of 150 meters. Sweat formed on my palms…… Merely 4 mages. However, all 1,500 of our soldiers’ lives were resting on their shoulders. No, if you considered the herbs loaded on the wagons, then the lives of 7,000 people in our land were on their shoulders as well!
I plead of you. Bring chaos onto the opposing forces!
You do not have to kill many of them. It would be sufficient to simply plant the fear that ‘Gunpowder and flame are falling from the sky’, into their hearts. A slight disorder. That alone would be enough to create a foundation in order to turn the tides of battle. The mages hastily rushed towards the frontlines. A bit further, a little bit further……!
“G-General. Look over there.”
At that moment, my adjutant addressed me. It was a voice drenched in despair.
“It’s an Aerial Mage Force. The enemy troops have mobilized their Aerial Mage Force as well.”
“What. That can’t be……”
Possible. As I was about to finish my sentence, something came into my vision as well. On the other side, a group of hostile mages riding on brooms was approaching from the sky. They were mages with large conical hats worn on their heads.
“Do not tell me, witches……?”
My entire body fell into shock.
Witches, who were granted eternal youth by devoting their souls to Demon Lords, boasted the highest level of proficiency. Furthermore, they were many in number. Compared to our mages, they overwhelmed us.
“Ten, no, there are eleven. General! The opposing side has a more staggering amount of mage personnel!”
“That’s not possible. Why are there witches there!?”
In the center of the sky, our mages clashed against theirs. In a blink of an eye, our mages were hunted down. As if they were playing with toys, the witches killed off our mages one individual at a time. That was not a battle. That was simply a slaughter……
Our last remaining mage ran away frantically before he was finally shot down. As his limbs were severed, he let out a scream. The chunks of meat, which were broken into small pieces, fell from the sky and towards the ground. Then, the witches celebrated their carnage by spinning around in the sky. My adjutant and I became speechless by the horrendous sight we had just witnessed.
The witches returned to the enemy campsite as if they were living free from worldly cares. It almost felt like they had come out on a stroll and were heading back now.
My adjutant looked at me with a face as pale as a corpse.
“G-General……”
“……”
Think. Do not panic and concentrate, Georg!
Why did they send out their witches now? If they had sortied their witches at the start of battle, then they could have wiped us out with much ease. Why did they pull out their trump card now of all times? Is their goal not to eradicate us? What possible meaning could there be…… Wait, what if there was no meaning? What if having no significance was what represented their intentions……?
I slowly opened my mouth.
“…… Raise the white flag. We are surrendering.”
“Pardon?”
“The enemy forces do not intend to face us seriously. They are slowly playing around with our troops, while waiting for us to wither away. They are treating us like toys.”
My jaws trembled because of this wretched emotion.
“They can demolish us whenever they so desire, however, they are not doing so. It’s because they planned to ridicule us from the very beginning.”
“That can’t be……”
My adjutant’s face became stained in anguish. I did not have the energy to reproach my adjutant for making such an expression. The sense of defeat was stabbing my insides.
“If we were to continue the battle like so, the only thing that’d be left for us is eradication. The only difference is whether we desired to be wiped out sooner, or later. Raise the white flag, adjutant…… We can only hope that they will show a touch of generosity towards us……”
We sent an envoy to the enemy camp to inform them of our surrender.
It wasn’t over with this. There was a chance that the enemy would not allow us to surrender. That they would continue to watch over us as we died while trembling in agony.
Then both retreat and surrender would become impossible. At that point, all that our soldiers could do was resolve themselves to die a dog’s death and fight until the very end. And, as the enemy commander had hoped, we would cry out in pain as we fell into a living hell, until we finally died in battle. An unspeakable impotent feeling weighed heavily on my shoulders……
Shortly after, our envoy returned.
Fortunately, it seems the enemy forces had accepted our surrender. Except, on certain conditions.
To leave behind the black herbs stolen from the Demon Lord Castle, to disarm ourselves, and to leave behind our military regiment’s banners.
“Are they telling us to give up on our spoils, our arms, and our honor?”
These were not terms that could easily be accepted. If anything, this was one of the most humiliating types of surrender.
My adjutant’s voice shook.
“General. These conditions are too severe. We should just fight until the very end instead.”
“Then what would remain? We will all perish, and the people of Rosenberg will be engulfed in chaos. We can only endure our humiliation here.”
“But.”
“I will accept no arguments.”
The company commanders dropped their heads. The mood was heavy. It was the mood of people who had lost unjustifiably. It was unimaginable that we would arrive at this sort of situation. For them, and for myself……
“Notify them that we will accept their conditions.”
“……Yes.”
“Raise your heads. You all have done your best to follow me loyally. I am solely to blame for this defeat. You all have done nothing wrong.”
I pat the shoulder of my adjutant.
A soft voice, that even surprised me, had flowed from my lips.
“General.”
“Do not forget today’s humiliation. Moreover, today will not be the worst day of your lives. You will be able to go home after having barely survived and with your limbs attached. There is nothing more important than this for a soldier.”
The company commanders nodded their heads with difficulty.
These men have shown more than enough loyalty to their lord. It was difficult to find soldiers as faithful as them in the empire. Solely being able to send these soldiers back home alive was enough to not discourage me.
“Now then, let us go. This old man shall take the lead.”
“Yes, general.”
The battle was over.
Our troops advanced forward while in a column formation. We had left behind our weapons.
The majority of our soldiers refused to throw away their trivial weapons, such as daggers and knives, but there was no one who had an issue with this. We had discarded all of our crossbows and spears.
Our steps should have been as light as the amount of heavy equipment we had lost, but the atmosphere around our troops was heavy to no bounds. Everyone was silent.
The enemy’s troops were spread out on both sides of the hill. It felt like a sea that was divided in half. They were most likely telling us to go by obediently. I grudgingly ground my teeth by this path guiding that felt like they were mocking us.
‘One day I will get my revenge.’
I will thus give up upon the life of dying on my bed submissively.
Demon Lord Dantalian. Within my lifetime, swearing on my name, Georg von Rosenberg, I shall absolutely avenge myself for today’s defeat. Ten times, no, I shall repay you by twenty times the amount and watch as you plea for forgiveness on the floor!
If I am determined, then I could gather ten thousand soldiers. It wasn’t impossible to also request for assistance from the other margraves in the vicinity, and raise the troops up to twenty thousand. Eradicating something like a rank 71st Demon Lord was an effortless task.
Someday. Once the Black Death has calmed and my land has reached a certain point of stability, I shall return.
It was at that moment, while I was trudging forward with the remnant of my troops.
“……?”
Something was caught in my line of sight. At the top of the hill. Thinking that I had seen wrong, I furrowed my brows and became speechless.
An angel was standing atop of the hill.
An indescribably beautiful girl was standing there. She was so charming that it made me, who was at the age where I should be preparing for death, think so as well. I stared at her vacantly before I quickly shook my head as if I was shuddering.
Calm down. There was no reason for an angel to be reflected in my eyes, right?
I was too stained with reality to believe that an angel could have suddenly descended down onto the earth. Let’s just think of it as having seen an incredibly elegant girl.
“……”
At that moment, the girl sent a modest greeting towards this direction. She slightly raised the edge of her coat and bent her waist. It was a style of greeting that was perfectly faithful to the ways of nobility.
‘Surely, that isn’t a greeting towards me?’
In order to examine the girl closely, I blinked my eyes several times.
And at the moment I looked again at the distant hill.
—I witnessed.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 02/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-02-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_03_03.txt
|
Chapter 3: Inhumane Anthem
“…………”
A devil was smiling behind the girl.
Although I have never witnessed the existence known as the devil in my entire life, ‘what’ exactly people referred to when calling something the devil, I now understood in this moment.
“All……”
Every single nerve in my body was sending warning signals to my brain.
That wasn’t allowed. That was something that shouldn’t be allowed to exist above ground.
Of course, it was a hallucination. Once I blinked again and gazed at the top of the hill once more, the angel-like girl had returned.
“All forces……”
However, my instincts were screaming. The intuition that I’ve polished for 50 years was shouting with all it had. That it was dangerous, that remaining here for even one more second was tremendously dangerous. Following the intuition of mine that has saved my life countless of times, I opened my mouth.
“All forces…… retreat! This is a trap!”
And at the same time.
Thousands of arrows rained down from above the hill.
Screams resonated from all sides. Blood splattered. The once silent march of departure had instantly become a living hell. Left and right, the enemy troops that were split in half were firing their crossbows without end. Our troops, who had left behind their weapons, could not even consider the option of resisting and were slaughtered like livestock.
“Escape! All forces, do not fall to your knees. Do everything you can to run away!”
Despite having shouted as if I was vomiting blood, my soldiers did not respond. They were merely swept up by the panic, and were running about in confusion. There were even soldiers who had lowered their heads to the ground and began trembling.
“Your lordship. You have to escape!”
My adjutant shouted.
“This place is dangerous! Please consider the future!”
“But the soldiers—”
“We do not consider men who are unable to take care of their own lives as a part of the free company. Hey! Take his lordship margrave and retreat quickly! If our lord gets even a single scratch, then I will personally shove a nail in your ass!”
The cavalry came to my side, but I did not move. I was the commander. I could not run away while leaving behind my soldiers. Even if they were not a citizen militia but hired soldiers instead, it was still the same.
“Pardon my rudeness.”
My adjutant extended his leg. He then stabbed the heel of his shoe into the thigh of my warhorse. My warhorse, having been jabbed by a sharp heel, let out a loud neigh and started to run at full speed.
“Adjutant!”
“The Goddesses shall protect Rosenberg!”
In mere moments, I had crossed over the hill and escaped from the battlefield. I turned back for the final time and saw my adjutant doing whatever he could to get the soldiers in order.
An arrow came flying from somewhere and pierced my adjutant’s head. He fell from his horse. My adjutant’s facial expression, and the sight of him falling to the ground, I was not able to see any of it. The infantry were completely covering the area around him. My adjutant’s corpse fell into the center of remnant troops…… like being swallowed into an ocean……
“—Kuuuuuh!”
The taste of blood spread in my mouth. Unbeknownst to me, I had bit my tongue. Wrath travelled through my veins and raged on. The inside of my head became so hot that my skull felt numb. I glared at the hill.
“I will kill you……!”
It was certain that that girl was the enemy forces’ commander. That greeting, the greeting that appeared so modest, was nothing more than a signal to commence fire. That girl was the pawn of Demon Lord Dantalian. The main culprit to bestow onto me disgrace. And my, Rosenberg’s, enemy!
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 02/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-02-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_03_04.txt
|
Chapter 3: Inhumane Anthem
“I will not forgive you! Swearing on the River of Styx, I will not forgive you until the day you die! Putting the name and honor of Rosenberg on the line, putting my blood and bone on the line, I will absolutely kill you!”
Mock this as the shouts from a defeated bastard. That was fine.
As a pledge of oath, I spoke the maxim passed down for generations in my family.
“The North shall not send this vengeance into oblivion!”
I shall devote the remainder of my little remaining life to get revenge on that girl. Demon Lord Dantalian. You as well, I shall cut off your head and place it on the Goddess’ altar. And then, once I’ve achieved all of my vengeance, is when I shall close my eyes……
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 02/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-02-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_04_01.txt
|
Chapter 4: Baroque Game of Truth or Dare
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 17 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle vicinity
“A person who appears to be a noble is escaping. Lord, is it fine to not pursue him?”
“Leave him be. That man is Margrave von Rosenberg. A high noble who’s contending for precedence in the northern region of the Habsburg empire. If I were to capture the margrave here, then the consequences would become needlessly big.”
I declared.
There was no reason for us to distinguish ourselves more than necessary yet.
‘The rank 71st rice fish Demon Lord had suddenly captured the greatest margrave in the empire.’, this would become an excessively large scandal. Instantly gaining the attention of the entire continent. Factions earnestly vigilant towards me will appear as well. This was something I did not wish for.
The Earl of Rosenberg’s territory was located on the border area between the human and demon world.
In order for the demon armies to invade the humans, and the human armies to invade the demons, this was the path that both sides had to cross over first. If we were to thoughtlessly touch this danger zone, then we would be waking up a sleeping wolf.
Staying low was the right choice here.
“Although we may have won here, if you looked at it objectively, this is not an impressive victory. This was nothing more than 3,000 soldiers suppressing a mere 1,000. Adding to that, I have lost my Demon Lord Castle as well. If anything, the other demons will most likely ridicule me.”
A Demon Lord who had lost his Demon Lord Castle despite having an overwhelming advantage in troops by 3 times the amount.
I planned to make that into how people evaluated me.
In conclusion, while I was a parvenu who had luckily sold the black herb in order to become this prosperous, I was also disregarded as the fool among fools who had accepted a half-breed outcast as my lover. If this wasn’t a perfect disguise tactic, then I didn’t know what it was.
I laughed with satisfaction.
“That margrave has done quite the outstanding job. To think he would blow up my Demon Lord Castle…… I was hoping that he would at least pillage the herbs from my castle, but he had gone and done something beyond that instead. How splendid.”
“No matter how big the world is, the only Demon Lord who would be happy that their Demon Lord Castle was destroyed is your lordship.”
Miss Farnese spoke in a dumbfounded tone.
“Although this young lady thinks that the other Demon Lords will look down on your lordship completely.”
“I can only be grateful if they do belittle me.”
That was exactly what I wanted.
“Think about it, De Farnese. Margrave von Rosenberg could have easily mobilized a force of 10,000 soldiers. However, the actual amount of troops he had brought with him was merely 1,000. A military force consisting mainly of light infantry and cavalry, at that. How much could he have been underestimating me to have done this?”
But it was thanks to that, I was able to survive.
If the margrave had led a massive army of ten thousand soldiers to invade my castle, then I would have been helpless to defend myself.
Even if I was overflowing with money, it still required time to draft troops. It would require several months before we could gather enough troops to even come close to 10,000. If we were unfortunate, then we would have had to recruit troops for 6 months while staying on our toes.
Regardless, Margrave von Rosenberg had stopped mobilizing troops at one thousand. An escape route was created there. The margrave’s carelessness had allowed me to preserve my life.
“It is a rule that even lions put their all into hunting rabbits. That margrave did not know of this simple truth, which lead to his own demise.”
“To put your all into hunting a rabbit, is it……? That is quite the profound line. This young lady shall keep it in mind.”
“How commendable. As a reward I shall press your crown.”
“Ah—, ackackack—, but we won— We achieved victory like your lordship wanted, but why is this young lady being kneaded agaaaaain……?”
Give up. From now on, this little lady was my personal rice cake. I had taken a liking to this unbearably squishy feeling of her head. I shall dote on you as much as I did my second half little sister.
After the battle was over, we had captured a considerable amount of prisoners. Around 600 of the 1,000 enemy troops had lost their will to fight and surrendered. Since it was both myself and Miss Farnese’s first time dealing with post war matters, we were perplexed.
“Does your lordship have a facility to accommodate prisoners?”
“What do you expect from a Demon Lord who just had their Demon Lord Castle destroyed?”
“Mm. Since it would be troubling to let them go like this, let us just get rid of them.”
I shrugged my shoulders. I had no reason to refuse.
600 humans were dealt with on the hill that day.
While looking down at the sight of the slaughter happening before us, we shared a friendly conversation(is what it’s called, but read as kneading punishment). The prisoners wailed and pleaded for us to spare them, but we ignored it.
“Ah, now that I think about it.”
I remembered something important.
“De Farnese. You have not committed murder with your own two hands before, have you?”
“Mm? If you were to go into details then yes, your lordship is correct.”
“I recommend using this opportunity to experience the act of killing. The difference between killing someone in your head and actually killing someone is considerably vast. If you were to gain the experience beforehand, then you will not end up in a delicate situation later on.”
“Indeed. That makes sense.”
Laura De Farnese nodded her head and proceeded to go down the hill. She received a long sword from one of our soldiers and immediately swung it at a prisoner’s neck in one smooth motion. Because the neck wasn’t severed in a single hit, she had to swing the blade 5 to 6 times.
With the prisoner’s head in her left hand, Miss Farnese trudged her way back to where I was. She looked at me and tilted her head.
“This young lady didn’t really feel any noteworthy emotion?”
“Hou. It seems you have a stronger heart than I imagined.”
In my case, I was quite shaken up after my first kill.
I could still distinctly remember my shaking hands from having killed my two kidnappers. I was in my 3rd year of elementary school at the time.
Although, in truth, the person to have incited that kidnapping was one of my father’s concubines.
At the time, one of my kidnappers had screamed in terror, ‘I did nothing wrong! Your family said they’d pay me. Please forgive me!’
Perhaps I was more shocked by that statement than I was at my murders.
People blinded by love were bound to do something crazy.
My father had closed his eyes eternally unaware of the truth of this incident. I had purposely stayed silent on my side. It felt like I would be a snitch if I told him, so it was not to my liking. That was my view back then.
I did not want to borrow the hand of my father.
I would personally punish the one who threatened my life.
Since the lion does not ask the tiger to fight in their stead.
At the age of 10, was the moment my own fundamental sense of ethics was engraved into my brain.
“Lord. This young lady wishes to make this prisoner’s head into a skull and keep it.”
Miss Farnese hugged the head and spoke.
“For one reason or another, this is the first person this young lady has ever killed. It is a monumental event. Due to your lordship, this young lady was able to discover that making history on one’s own is much more enjoyable than keeping watch on the history of the past. Thus, this fellow’s head shall be the first sacrifice to carve this young lady’s name into history…… I desire to cherish it preciously.”
“Well, is it not fine? A hobby of collecting skulls is rather sophisticated so it is remarkable.”
“Mm, this young lady knew your lordship would understand.”
It was not like I understood her exactly.
I was respecting her.
After Laura De Farnese had given the order to clean up the postwar outcome—I had passed this task onto her because it was extremely tiresome to do myself—I went to look for Lapis Lazuli.
Lala was organizing documents in the quarters at the rear end of our forces. Once I entered the room, Lala stopped what she was doing and stared at me.
“……”
“……”
The moment I was about to open my mouth, she took the initiative.
“This one is disappointed.”
“……”
“—This one was disappointed.”
Lapis Lazuli put down the stack of paper.
And glared straight at me.
“Your highness had treated this one like a common lover. What this one desired from your highness was to be treated as a companion of authority, never did this one desire for a lovers relationship chained down to one another. Why did your highness carelessly try to steal this one’s game and prey?”
“……I am sorry.”
“Yesterday, did your highness say that your highness loved this one?”
I nodded my head.
“Does your highness still love this one?”
“Surprisingly, it seems so.”
“……Haa.”
Lapis Lazuli let out a small sigh.
“Let us establish rules.”
“By rules, you mean?”
“Do not ask for affection from this one, and this one as well, will not yearn for affection from your highness. The most important thing to your highness and this one is taking hold of power in the demon world. In order to achieve that, a cold attitude that is capable of going through blood and tears is necessary.”
“I agree completely.”
“…… Things have become a mess.”
Lapis Lazuli pressed her fingers on her forehead and closed her eyes.
“Love is nothing more than a weakness. The excess baggage of emotion that serves no purpose. For your highness to truly consider this one as a woman is a surprise. Before this one is a woman, this one is a mere peasant succubus who wishes to secure success.”
“Lala. I have something to say regarding this matter as well.”
I smiled faintly.
“I am not the only one with excess baggage attached to their emotions. Lala. You do as well. It is regrettable, but you are not in the position to be so confidently reproaching me.”
“This one apologizes, but this one is unable to understand what your highness is talking about.”
“Are you not in love with me as well?”
“……”
Lapis Lazuli slowly knit her brows.
“Is your highness sane? There is a limit to overinflated egos.”
“Think carefully. If I were to fall into being a slave to love, if anything, it would be beneficial for you. If I were to be bound, made to submit, and forced to kneel by each and every one of your words, then eventually, you will take a position more superior to Demon Lord Dantalian. Thus, on the day that I obtain the seat of power, you, having already placed me into your hand, would be the true greatest authority, would you not?”
Lapis Lazuli shut her mouth.
The smile on the edge of my mouth grew wider.
“But you did not do so. No, you were unable to even entertain that notion. Instead of feeling delighted at the sight of myself obsessing over you, you felt displeasure. Why do you think that was so?”
“……”
A long period of time passed.
A certain shock was contained within Lapis Lazuli’s blue eyes. As if she was witnessing an overwhelming natural landscape for the first time.
“……Your highness is right. This one had no reason to refuse your highness’ courtship. Why would this one……”
“That is because you love me.”
I took a step towards her.
Our gaze grew closer by that much as well.
“However, before loving someone else, we love authority more. Therefore, we love the person who also loves the same authority as ourselves. Like how a musician would be attracted to their lover who appreciated music. Like how a poet would be attracted to their lover who was infatuated by poems……”
Exactly the same as themselves.
Towards the person who strongly yearned for authority as much as themselves.
Towards the person who understood as much as they did on what authority was.
Us being drawn together was inevitable.
“Lala. I love the you, who loves authority.”
“……”
“Your cold tenacity, your merciless pragmatism, and your attitude that does not allow even the slightest bit of carelessness and tolerance. I love them all. However, at the moment you lose your pure aspiration towards your lust for power, I will love you no longer.”
“……This one understands.”
Lapis Lazuli’s eyes slowly became thin.
“The sight of your highness regarding something other than authority as precious, this one had felt disappointment towards that. Because this one had perceived that the part of your highness that this one loves was waning.”
Lapis Lazuli closed her eyes.
Slowly, as if she was trying to appreciate something.
“So this is…… my love.”
“That is so.”
Another step.
“We are the same. The two of us both love authority the most. Therefore, when we see the other person disregard power, an uncontainable rage stirs inside of us.”
“What your highness has said is correct. Authority has the prime value. Nothing can be said against this.”
Lapis opened her eyes.
Lala’s usual cold gaze was there.
“Although this one does admit that she loves your highness, this one has to apologize. In the end, your highness is not more precious than authority.”
We are the same.
A step closer.
Perhaps it wasn’t appropriate to refer to this emotion as love.
It was not love.
It was not friendship.
The same kin.
The feeling of ascertaining the fact that a person perfectly akin to myself existed in this world.
Not like Laura De Farnese, who had only recently stood up on her own, but two people who have already discovered themselves and were completely developed. These two met and recognized who the other person was, and confirmed their kin.
Up until now, I was a unique race in my own world.
Only I existed, and I alone formed another type of humanoid race distant from other Homo sapiens.
But now, I had met Lapis Lazuli and discovered the second of my kind.
In other words,
Love for humanity.
We were currently perceiving a love for humanity that consisted of solely us two.
“Do you know what is the best part about being a Demon Lord? It is the fact that I barely have to sleep. There was a time that I had stayed up for four nights in a row agonizing over something. At the time, I very much disliked the idea of falling asleep and having my worries be cut off mid-way.”
Taking the final step closer towards her.
We had finally reached one another.
“Normal people would say that dreams are pointless. That among the things in one’s life, something like dreams was not needed. However, I’m a bit different. Dreams not only made my life feel useless, but it made it powerless as well. I have always been swept up in this emotion.”
“Even though it may only be by half, this one is still a succubus.”
Without anyone having to take the initiative.
She and I slowly drew our bodies together.
While I wrapped my arm around her back, she moved her own arm around me as well.
Like two venomous snakes coiling around each other.
“This one can control your highness’ dreams.”
“You shall make me perfect.”
“Yes. This one shall make your highness perfect. And this one as well, shall become perfect through your highness.”
Our faces grew closer.
Our breaths too, grew closer.
“You are my weakness. However, if we pay enough attention, if we do not forget what race we are originally from, then not a relationship where we reveal each other’s flaws, but a relationship where we cover each other’s shortcomings instead.”
Solely for a more mighty authority.
Solely for a more exalted authority.
Thus, not a fiancée, but—
A partner.
The two of us were partners.
“Lapis Lazuli. I love you.”
“This one too, loves your highness. Lord Dantalian.”
Our lips met.
A virtuous sound effect rang in my ear.
You’ve sincerely reached a communion with the other party!
Lapis Lazuli’s affection went up by 50!
Instead of paying attention towards something like a notice window, I pushed further into Lala’s touch.
Her cool yet soft skin was pleasant.
A bit deeper.
While exploring each other’s warmth, while confirming each other’s existence.
I to myself, and her to herself, each person simply filled each other.
Like a dog chasing its shadow.
Avariciously.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 02/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-02-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_04_02.txt
|
Chapter 4: Baroque Game of Truth or Dare
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 21 Niflheim, Governor’s Palace
“Barbatos. This morning you came here and told me this. That the only significance love has is that it reveals your weakness. That people don’t grow stronger through love, but they grow stronger after throwing it away instead.”
“……”
“Your words are half right and half wrong. Certainly, Lapis was my weakness, and I too was Lapis’ weakness. But that is it. While the two of us share love, we do not make each other weak.”
On the contrary, it was the opposite.
“We only make the other stronger without bounds.”
Barbatos fell into a silence.
While enjoying my wine, I spoke.
“Our love may not be warm, but it is cold. We may not be soft, but we are sharp. Even though we may be unable to accept something, we are still going towards something. We are firm, so we do not break, and in perfect order, we annihilate the enemy before our eyes. That is our practice. And it is also the reason why we had returned to Niflheim after defeating the margrave’s army.”
“What do you mean?”
“The letter.”
“What?”
I smiled.
“The culprit to have written that letter informing me of the invaders is none other than you, Barbatos.”
“……”
For an instant.
Barbatos’ face froze.
“Like I said, what are you talking……?”
“It was a simple test. The culprit always returns to the scene of the crime which they had succeeded in committing. I tried utilizing this old and antique saying once.”
With a soft gaze.
As if I was stroking her with my hand, I glanced at Barbatos from head to toe.
“Whoever it was that had sent me the letter, it was clear that the person held goodwill towards me. Since they did notify me of the fact that invaders were going to appear, after all. However, who could have known the detailed circumstances of Margrave Rosenberg, and had the capability of acquiring such information? Barbatos, how vast does one’s information network have to be in order to know the exact information of the dispatched troops? The culprit was without a doubt someone with great power.”
For example.
Someone powerful enough to be rank 8th.
Someone hostile towards the humans and thus constantly taking note of the military movement in the human side.
Someone who was well-informed of the situation in Earl Rosenberg’s territory, since it resides in the border area between demon and humankind.
“Yes. Barbatos. A person of authority such as yourself.”
“……”
Barbatos opened her mouth.
At some point, she had regained her mischievous expression.
“……Aha, ahahaha. I was curious as to what you were trying to say.”
Her voice was composed as well.
“Dantalian. Of course, I’m quite the freaking awesome person, just as you said. An information network in the human race, well, obviously I have that. Since you never know when those humans are going to try and start some funny business.”
Barbatos grinned.
Her acting ability was quite splendid. As a politician, it was the ideal. It wasn’t a coincidence that she was the leader of such a large political faction known as the Plains Faction.
Her usual exaggerated actions that appeared frivolous, her mixing of profanities into her words that made the ears of others feel unpleasant, and her wearing clothes with so much exposure that it made others troubled on where to put their eyes. These were all calculated actions.
A means to lure and manipulate another person’s mind as she pleased.
“But that’s all, you know? I’m not the type of person to write something trivial like a message. If something happens, then like right now, I’d spit it right in your face in person. Why would I send a letter like some narrow-minded fool?”
She had approached me as if she truly cared about my well-being, despite being a person who had absolutely no interest in my love life.
She acted as if she was sincerely listening to my story.
Therefore, I had said earlier.
That Barbatos was a good woman.
I have rarely ever seen a woman as politically thorough as this.
Barbatos was able to develop her acting ability through the extensive 500 years of her life. Certainly, it was a tremendous ability. Aah, it was at the level that would make even the greatest of actors cry. Although it wasn’t on my level, I acknowledged that it was right below my chin.
Original talent won over effort.
My aptitude for acting could only overwhelm your efforts.
“In the first place, if I did send you that letter, then there’s no reason for me to be denying it like this. Don’t you think so? In the end, you were saved thanks to that note.”
Barbatos shrugged her shoulders.
“Without that letter, you wouldn’t have known the margrave’s army was invading and would have just got done in. Therefore, the person who wrote that letter is your savior. Why would I throw away the free opportunity to put you in my debt? That’s because I really didn’t send it.”
Although it was plausible.
It was a shallow excuse.
“Barbatos. That’s because you didn’t send that letter with the intention of saving me.”
“Hey, fuck. I keep saying I didn’t send it, but you’re still saying that?”
“You wrote that letter with the intention to simply ‘test’ me.”
“……”
Barbatos had said to me.
— I was hoping that an actual useful rookie had appeared after such a long time, but isn’t he just a complete mental patient? Haaa, my fate is always like this…….
— How the hell do I make this retard function like an actual person…….
How could she have known that I was a useful rookie?
Was it simply because I was able to make money off of the black herbs?
Barbatos did not know the inner details of what exactly I had done to become wealthy. Was it merely thanks to luck, or was it because I had gotten Ivar Lodbrok in the palm of my hand? Luck and skill, which side was the source of my success was uncertain to her.
Thus.
By the time Barbatos had brought up those words, she had already tested me using a certain method beforehand.
“After hearing the news that the margrave’s army was moving, Barbatos, you most likely wanted to see my ability once. You wanted to see with your own eyes if I truly was a useful personnel. You sent the letter, and then patiently waited to see how I responded to the invaders….….”
The result was a pass.
Demon Lord Dantalian had safely passed the test called Margrave von Rosenberg.
Now Demon Lord Barbatos had decided that she would recruit Demon Lord Dantalian into her faction.
Except, there was a large problem placed there.
“Do you perhaps remember? The words you uttered the moment you came here yesterday.”
“….….No. Since I’m not the type of person to particularly remember something useless.”
“Then remember it now. For this was not an unimportant occasion for you, not by a long shot. From the very beginning you had abruptly said to me this.”
— If you’re trying to break up with that succubus lover of yours, then I can help.
— In the first place, it doesn’t make sense for an outcast to be having sex with a Demon Lord. It’s not too late yet, so ask for my help.
Speaking frankly, this was a severely meddlesome thing to say.
But if you changed your view slightly, then this was an exceedingly obvious advice.
Because if the personnel she planned to scout to her faction was ‘a fool who had taken an outcast as their lover’, a great damage would be inflicted on the image of Barbatos’ faction.
Image management was a core part of politics.
In Barbatos’ position, there was a need to lead me into breaking up with Lapis no matter what.
“……Haa. I gave you that advice while being purely considerate of you.”
After hearing my words, Barbatos grimaced.
“You’re really a bastard who treats favors like shit, huh? What? Does everyone appear like coyotes aiming only for political gains in those eye sockets of yours? Your way of thinking is really terrible, Dantalian.”
“When you heard the news that Demon Lord Dantalian was slapped in the plaza by Lapis.”
I spoke in a low tone.
Barbatos sealed her lips.
“At the time you probably thought this. That a golden opportunity had arrived. You quickly approached me with the intention of striking while the iron was hot. Within 20 minutes after I was slapped, at that.”
— Go ahead and let it all out. Why did you two fight?
— Do you not see me applying ice still? It has only been 20 minutes since I was slapped by Lapis.
“Here in Niflheim, I am famous for my passionate love for Lapis. In your position, the headache this must have caused you must have been immense. For starters, you had to make them break up, but how you were going to accomplish in separating them, didn’t come to you.”
“……”
“At the report that I was slapped, you thought that ‘this is it’. There’s no weaker glass than someone who was just in an argument with their lover, and moments after they had went their separate ways. It would shatter if you tapped it with a hammer. You most likely assumed that if you played your cards right, then you could tear the relationship between Lapis and I with ease.”
Then Barbatos was cautious.
In order to not let her true intentions be obvious.
— Did you say your lover’s name was Lapis Lazuli? Damn she’s admirable. How the hell was she able to deal with you? If it were me, I’d have cut your balls off and ran away a long time ago.
This was the part where Barbatos was commendable.
She did not take my side, but on the contrary, had taken Lapis’ side instead.
As if to plant the misunderstanding that ‘breaking up on her account’ was the right choice.
— You two really should just break up.
She had adroitly disguised her words.
Initially, Barbatos must have been pleased that everything was flowing passively. Once Barbatos had heard that I tried to kill Lapis’ mother, she was certain.
This is finished.
Barbatos was convinced that a person who could tolerate a man who had tried to kill their own mother and continue their lover relationship, did not exist.
However, as her stratagem was progressing smoothly—she was faced with a problem that she had never expected.
“The instant you started to panic, Barbatos. Was the moment I confessed for the second time my love for Lapis. It must have been incredibly preposterous. I understand. You most likely never imagined there would be a person in the world whose love was as insane as mine.
“……”
“You had tried to convince me quite verbosely.”
—How is that love?
—That’s, not love.
—It’s fine if you two break up, but love…… is an emotion that’s more precious than anything else. It is something that other things should yield willingly to, to make way for.
“The emotion that I feel now is not love. Love is something more noble than anything else. More sacred. It is something that is softer…… By claiming so, you wanted me to point to my own emotion and say that ‘this is not love’, right?”
I smiled gently.
“I’m sorry that you were unable to achieve your aim, Barbatos. This is my payment for being my love counsellor throughout the night. I shall specially prove that this is another example of love.”
Jingle
I raised a small bell and shook it.
Once I did so, the door to the reception room opened and someone entered. Barbatos was startled and turned to look towards the door. There, Lapis was standing with an emotionless expression on her face.
“Did your highness call?”
“Aah. You went through a lot of trouble standing in wait all night, Lapis.”
“It is fine. Thanks to your highness, this one has become accustomed to staying up all night.”
At the sight of us two conversing, Barbatos looked at us with a perplexed complexion.
“What is this……?”
“Lapis. It seems her highness Barbatos is a bit doubtful of our love. It appears she thinks that you hold a grudge against me for having tried to kill your birth mother. What do you think? Would you care to show it to her highness Barbatos as well?”
“Understood. This one shall present it immediately.”
Lapis bowed and left the reception room. Barbatos looked at me with eyes that looked as if she couldn’t understand. Well, wait a little. Lapis’ pace is unexpectedly fast so she will return momentarily.
A peculiar silence passed. Shortly after, Lapis returned. In her hands, she was carrying a silver platter that the maids used to deliver food.
“Now then, Lapis. Show it to her highness Barbatos.”
“Yes. Excuse this one.”
Lapis delicately lifted the lid off of the tray.
“……”
Barbatos’ eyes became wide.
While beaming, I clapped my hands.
“How is it? Is it not splendid? This is Lapis Lazuli. This is my first love, my mistress who may perhaps be my only love. Barbatos. Behold.”
On top of the shining silver platter was a person’s head.
The face of the old woman who came here half a month ago.
“That is Lapis’ birth mother.”
“…………What?”
“Do you still not understand? She was murdered. By Lapis herself!”
I burst out in laughter.
The sound of laughter filled the reception room. Though this was quite the discourteous thing to do in the middle of the night, it was unavoidable. How am I to stop when laughter came from my chest all on its own?
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 02/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-02-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_04_03.txt
|
Chapter 4: Baroque Game of Truth or Dare
“Lapis was not enraged because I had tried to kill her mother. She was upset because I had carelessly tried to step forward while forgetting my place!”
Barbatos’ complexion was still bewildered.
“What…… are you saying?”
“I’m talking about revenge, Barbatos. Revenge! Is it not obvious that one must obtain vengeance with their own two hands against the person who had ruined their life? Despite that, since I had tried to do as I pleased and achieve revenge in her stead, of course Lapis would be mad!”
—Why did your highness carelessly try to steal this one’s game and prey?
The line Lapis had said to me.
The words she had said while reprimanding me had that meaning.
Unable to contain my own laughter, I chuckled. It was a completely unseemly laugh. However, I wasn’t overflowing with the breadth of mind to be concerned with my dignity here. I wanted to enjoy this moment to the fullest.
“You understand now, right? On the 9th month and 3rd day, the day that old woman came to my reception room, Lapis had immediately chased after her and assassinated the old hag in secret. Aah, how lovely this girl is! How adamantly this girl had executed an equation of revenge! Lapis, I truly love you……”
“……Her highness Barbatos is watching. Please have some dignity, Lord Dantalian.”
“What of it? It becomes better the more love one shares.”
Lapis Lazuli let out a small sigh.
Now even that sigh was lovely. Truly, I really am the apostle of love. Even Goddess Aphrodite would look down at me and smile contentedly. To point at me and criticize that ‘I did not know love’, there was a limit to obstinately false propaganda.
“It’s not only the old woman. Lapis had even assassinated the maid that had insulted her. To my surprise, I found out later on that the incident was covered up as an accident. They said food got caught in her throat and she choked to death, but in truth it was poison. It is fine to marvel, Barbatos. Since our Lapis is truly a remarkable woman.”
“This certainly is indeed a problem, seeing that your highness’ drivel has gone beyond control. This one shall take her leave.”
“Ah, sure. Go and get some rest. Since we will not be sharing a bed tonight, you do not have to go out of your way to apply rose oil before you sleep—.”
“……”
After giving me a cold gaze, Lapis left the reception room.
Yes. I was self-aware of the fact that I was behaving fairly foolishly. But this was my first love. It was obvious that I would be unable to come to my senses and was infatuated with a girl. This was perfectly normal. I turned my head to gaze at Barbatos.
“I told her that if I were to be slapped in a plaza, while in front of many people, then the culprit to have sent the letter will come find me. And once I did, without a single bit of hesitation, she slapped me. Then we acted as if we had broken up.”
Lapis Lazuli was that kind of woman.
The partner that I loved was that kind of woman.
“—And so, Barbatos.”
“……”
“How was it? Oh maestro of love, who has had over 1,000 lovers over a course of 500 years. Oh Barbatos, who had said that if I listened to your love advice then beautiful women would give me fellatio even if I was just laying down. What is your impression on the new category of love which you have witnessed for the first time in 500 years?”
Barbatos went silent.
With her head bent downwards, her shoulders trembled.
And then.
“…………Ha.”
Her shoulders shook a bit more violently.
“Ha……haha, hahah……ahaha– Hahahaha–……Heu, gehehe—eheuh, Keuhehe– Haa, heu, ha—haha, KAHAH! KUHAHAHA! HAHA, AHAHAHAHA—!”
What started as uncontrollable laughter had reached uncontrollable laughter of madness.
Barbatos shook her entire body as she laughed.
The laughter continued on for a long while. Barbatos snapped her head back up. A clear insanity flowed on her face. The rims of her eyes and the corners of her mouth were twisted in gleeful derision, and her white teeth shined with voracious greed.
“A masterpiece! This is, a masterpiece!”
This.
This was the rank 8th.
The highest ranking necromancer praised for her immortality, this was Demon Lord Barbatos’ naked face.
“Aaang? Heung, euung? Dantalian, you were able to present me joy that went beyond my expectations. I’ve taken a liking in you. I’ve really, tremendously taken a liking in you. If perhaps, your goal was to bargain for my goodwill then I will congratulate you. Mm. Since I have certainly become fond of you.”
“I’m glad that you’re delighted.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“As the actor who had provided you with this performance throughout the night, it is rewarding.”
“Performance? Puh, puhahaha. That was a performance? That was a stage that you calculated from start to finish? This retarded fuck. Are you saying that you did all kinds of shit just to incite laughter from me!?”
“You are Barbatos. The rank 8th Demon Lord. If it took only a single night to touch your sincerity, then I consider this a cheap price.”
If there was another object that I had invested on for this night, then it was the Year 1101 Balleleunium wine.
I had purposely acquired the finest quality wine in order to incite even the smallest bit of carelessness in Barbatos. In order to enjoy this most sublime wine, Barbatos had thoughtlessly allowed herself to get drunk. She had disabled the alcohol detoxification inside of her, on her own. The result was this comedy happening before me.
“Kakakaka! Yeah, it’s certainly a cheap price. You really do know your place. My inner thoughts that I’ve never revealed to anyone for 300 years, you were able to obtain within a single night, after all. But that’s foolish. Aah, there’s no doubt that it’s foolish.”
Barbatos grinned.
Her smile was so wide that it felt like the corners of her mouth would rip.
“I can’t overlook someone who’s figured out what kind of bitch I am, you know? Makes me nervous. If you spread a rumor like—I looked into it and found out that Barbatos is actually a bitch who raises internal organs and venomous snakes. Hm? The negative impact I’d receive won’t be small.”
“Most likely.”
“Now then, Dantalian. Quickly turn that smart head of yours. How should I deal with the bastard who has witnessed my naked face? My compatriots of the demon world only think of me as someone who’s pure and righteous, you know? In order to not disappoint those kids, I have the duty to rip your mouth out. Think well before I cut your tongue off, little Demon Lord……”
Barbatos slowly approached me.
A black mist billowed around her.
A mist formed by magical energy. The discerning eye to know what kind of magical effect that mist had was absent to me. Except, even I could tell that it wasn’t something good for my health.
“No, cutting off your tongue would be a waste. Your eloquence and voice would certainly be useful in demagoguery operations. Should I make you into my puppet? Would that be more efficient? For starters, should I kill you by slitting your throat, and then revive you into a slave that listens and obeys my commands alone?”
Barbatos chuckled.
“That would be fun. Ah, while I’m at it, should I also make your succubus lover into a slave as well? I may despise succubi the most in the world, but in one way or another, I’ve taken a liking to you both. I’ll organize an arena where you two can kill and die to one another. But of course……”
Barbatos gripped my chin and raised it slightly.
Her golden eyes were exceptionally close.
“The story would be different if you pledge your loyalty to me.”
“……”
“I am a generous Demon Lord, Dantalian. I protect the people who come into my faction no matter what and until the very end. Albeit there may be a slight condition, that isn’t very important.
“……I’m rather curious as to what that condition is.”
“Hm. Not being able to leave the faction until you die.”
Barbatos smiled smoothly.
The insanity which was flowing on her face a second ago was nowhere in sight now.
But it wasn’t surprising. You did not determine how psychotic a person was by how quickly they revealed their madness, but rather, you determined it by how swiftly they hid their lunacy.
“Although, you actually won’t be able to leave even after death. Since I’m the greatest necromancer in the continent. If I put in a little effort then I could revive your corpse. That’s why, for all of eternity— you will join my faction and work until your bones are dust.”
“May I ask what your goal for labor is?”
“What a trivial question. Obviously, it was already decided on the extermination of humankind.”
A bitter laugh unintentionally slipped out from me because of the very Demon Lord-like response.
Still smiling comfortably like a Marian, Barbatos spoke.
“The demon world is too barren. Not only is agriculture barely possible, there is a limit to feeding all of our people while relying solely on commerce. Just the mere fact that those inferior humans are occupying that abundant agriculture belt fills me with rage.”
“Conquering the continent. Is that your goal, Barbatos?”
“No. My goal is providing the demonkind with a bountiful life. Dantalian, I may be a warrior, but before that, I am a single empress.”
Barbatos bit my right ear.
With a ‘crunch’, the feeling of my bones in my ear breaking transferred to me.
I felt the pain but I endured it. The liquid flowing down from my ear was probably blood.
“That Paimon bitch is declaring for coexistence with the humans, but honestly, that’s not possible. Look. Different from us, humans all look alike. Despite that, they are split apart by nations or whatever and are hostile towards each other. For our demonkind, who varies in appearance, language, and customs, to get along with the humans? That’s superb nonsense.”
“……”
“But us demons are different. Demons can come together as one under Demon Lords. It is possible for a countless number of races to cohere into a single group.”
“And therefore. That’s why we’re the sacred and inviolable representatives that symbolize absolute dignity, and members of an order of 72 who rule over all demons……”
“Exactly. Well done, our little Dantalian.”
While grinning, Barbatos pulled my ear.
She stubbornly pulled at the part where the flesh was torn and the bones were breaking.
“Since humans don’t accept the divinity of Demon Lords, there is no other choice but to exterminate them completely. That’s why those guys are like the foreign substance of our world. For the utopia of everyone becoming one and living peacefully, we have to wipe them out.”
“That is quite the extreme logic.”
“Logic is always extreme. The ignorant masses are terrified of that extremity and live under a vague but warm self-comfort. To them, the truth is like a cold snowy wind, so if they are hit by it on their bare skin, they will freeze and die. Therefore, they cover themselves with rags layered with hypocrisy and deception. Believing that those rags are clothes. But unaware that, in truth, that was their skin.”
“That is an impressive philosophy.”
“I’d be glad if you referred to it as an incredibly accurate philosophy.”
Barbatos stopped harassing my ear.
Her fingers were covered in crimson blood. She brought them to her lips. And her saliva and my blood were mixed on her finger.
“Hm. Your blood is considerably sweet. I see your eating habits are clean.”
“I personally think that eating nothing when possible is the correct eating habit.”
“That’s a good way of thinking. And it’s also correct. That’s much better than those swines that shove their noses into whatever they can. You were slightly like a swine, Dantalian. I’ll use this opportunity to tell you.”
Barbatos whispered.
“Do not carelessly mess with Demons Lords above the rank of 10.”
“……”
“You seem rather confident that you were able to crush that bitch Paimon, but make some air holes in your lungs. Despite her looks, she’s not an easy bitch. As if she didn’t appear like a whore already, she goes around opening her legs here and there, sheesh. If you make a wrong move towards her, then her lovers from all over…… it’ll be troublesome. Incredibly annoying.”
Barbatos clicked her tongue.
“You were just lucky. They let it slide that time since it was so clear that Paimon was in the wrong during the Walpurgis Night. I don’t know what’ll happen if a bunch of scary uncles approach you, you know?”
“……”
“I’ll offer this to you for the final time. Come into my faction, Dantalian. With your resources, you could contribute to the prosperity of all demons on the continent. Even if your personality is rotten to the core, that doesn’t mean you’re unable to work for a righteous cause. Don’t worry. I’ll even look over that succubus lover of yours. Although you’ll have to quash your engagement. Even I’m capable of being lenient if you decide to keep her as your concubine in secret……”
“I shall gift you war.”
Barbatos shut her mouth.
She furrowed her brows.
“What?”
“You’re most likely hoping for war, Barbatos. A massive war is required in order to destroy humanity. The present, where the Black Death is running rampant, the military forces of the humans are continuing to decrease. You should have judged that if you wished to accomplish the unification of the continent, then now was the golden opportunity.”
“……Hmm.”
As if I had peaked her interest, Barbatos smiled slyly like a cat.
“And if your assumption is true. Then what?”
“I do not assume. I merely see through.”
That was the difference between a theorist and a politician.
“The war that you desire. I shall bring it upon us.”
“Kakaka. What’s this rank 71st rookie saying?”
Barbatos laughed mockingly.
“Do you know what scale of war that I want? A war of extermination. A war to exterminate an entire race. A massive war where all the Demon Lords take part in, along with all the nations of the human world. It’s not something small a loach like you could offer.”
“Yes.”
I smiled.
“The war that I will gift you is exactly that.”
“Haa? How would someone like you start a massive war……”
“Spread the rumor that the Demon Lords have spread the Black Death.”
Silence.
A stillness fell on the reception room.
Barbatos let out a dubious voice.
“What are you talking about?”
“If you think about it, then it’s simple. The Black Death is currently sweeping over the entire continent. The regions that were successful in suppressing the initial spread is no more than a precious few, since the humans are less informed on plagues than us demons.”
A portion of cities were fortunate in preventing the spread of the plague.
It was thanks to the fact that I had discovered the black herb several years earlier than it was supposed to found. Some lords had utilized both their territory’s assets and family fortune to buy the black herbs en masse, and used those to protect their people.
However, the amount of lords who have done this were few.
The majority had used the expensive black herb only to protect themselves and their family. There were even people who bought the black herbs from me and distributed it for an exorbitant price. In conclusion, as the Black Death had done in <Dungeon Attack>, it was causing a countless number of lives to be lost.
The humans.
The peasants especially were experiencing hell.
“Human society is slowly breaking down. The lords and temples that are unable to handle this accordingly. The dissatisfaction towards the nations and royal families are at the highest point in history—in this situation , if the rumor that ‘the Demon Lords caused the plague’ were to spread, then how do you think the monarchs in the human world would utilize this?”
“……!”
Barbatos’ eyes grew wide.
Indeed, she was a smart woman.
She had soon grasped the intention that I was trying to convey to her.
“They will actively make use of this rumor. The people in the wrong are not the lords, the nations, or the royal families. They will zealously elucidate to the people that, the true axis of evil are the Demon Lords who had initially spread this atrocious epidemic.”
“Don’t tell me……!”
“We will inversely make use of that usage.”
By obtaining the merchant named Lapis Lazuli, I had gained wealth.
By obtaining the general named Laura De Farnese, I had gained military strength.
The only thing which I required now was a just and great cause.
A justification.
A name.
My name.
“The lords in the human world will spread the rumor in order to extinguish the immediate flame, but they will do so while being unaware of how much terrifying force the Black Death will actually exhibit. As time passes, the humans will curse us Demon Lords. Despise us. Obviously, the voices demanding for the military forces to rise and suppress the Demon Lords will rise exponentially. And without fail, the point where the lords in the human world are unable to control the overheated public opinion will arrive. The entire human race will cry out for war and vengeance, and the lords will only be able to conform to them.”
The name of the Demon Lords.
“Blow the horns of Pruteni. Sound the whistles of Livonia. Beat the drums of Jatvingians and make the entire continent tremble. Make the song of Selonian, Ratgallian, and Semigallian reign as the prominence of fear. A devastating war, Barbatos. If we can’t invade them, then we just have to make them invade us.”
I shall spread the name of Dantalian across the continent.
I delightfully watched Barbatos’ facial expression slowly solidify.
Smile more energetically. Is this not the entertaining part? I rather liked it when I smiled. It was surely the best when people lived smiling during the times they wanted to.
The occasion of myself becoming your vassal will never happen. But I will gladly become something like your business partner. Our immediate goal aligned. I shall put in some effort to become a sound business partner for you.
I stroked Barbatos’ cheek and declared.
“Show the humans what true hell is.”
Autumn was ending.
The leaves that must fall shall descend.
And the snow that must descend shall fall.
Now then.
Let us start the season of Dantalian.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 02/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-02-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Intermission_01.txt
|
Intermission
▯Demon Lord of Immortality, Rank 8th, Barbatos Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 21 Niflheim, Governor’s Palace
—Good. Very good. But you’re still far.
Dantalian. I’ll admit that you’re quite clever.
You may even perhaps be incredibly clever. Yes, if I were to compliment you further, then your head may spin better than mine.
However, you have no power. You have no information. In short, you don’t have a ‘faction’. The reason behind your decisive mistake lies there as well.
If you think that just because you’re smart, you can understand the entire world, then that’s quite the foolish miscalculation. For example, you’re saying this now. That I had gathered information on the Earl of Rosenberg’s territory and sent it to you in secret. But this is unfortunate.
You’re only half right, and the rest is wrong.
Because I’m the culprit who spread the rumor in the Earl’s territory.
Aha—.
On the 8th month and 20th day. As soon as I saw you achieve victory over that bitch Paimon during the Walpurgis Night, a thought arose. I will test out whether if you’re real or fake.
So the very next day, I ordered my spies to spread the rumor. The Earl of Rosenberg’s territory is in one of the most crucial areas among areas, you know?
With some strenuous effort, I have an information network spread throughout that area.
Dantalian.
The problem always originates in the simplest difference in direction.
If one’s information network is spread out well enough to acquire a rumor.
Then inversely, fabricating a rumor on this side and circulating it there, is obviously possible as well.
A simple concept that even kids could realize.
It was approximately on the 8th month and 24th day that the rumor had started to spread in earnest. Since the Black Death was a hot topic, it circulated with quite the speed.
And if the rumor spread in a way that told people ‘a place right under the nose of their land has a boundless supply of black herbs’…… Hm? In the shoes of those bratty humans who were dying off by an incurable disease, then that would be enough to make them go mad for it, wouldn’t it?
I understand everything as well.
Naturally, it’s fun playing around with people’s greed.
If there is one thing that I wasn’t expecting, then it was the Margrave of Rosenberg’s movements. He took action more promptly than I thought he would. By the time the rumor of rebellion could barely take root, he had already decided to dispatch troops.
On the 10th day since the groundless rumor had proliferated, the youngster of Rosenberg had put out a draft notice for soldiers. Indeed, it was a reaction speed that felt as fast as lightning.
Hm.
As expected of the house that has fought us Demon Lords for nearly 300 years now.
Should I say that they have no opening?
It’s a house that seeks for perfection so much that I want to kill them.
Anyway, the situation flowed a bit direly……
Although I did achieve my goal of putting that kid Dantalian in a difficult situation, the dispatch of troops was still excessively fast.
When my spies reported that the drafting of soldiers will most likely be completed within 6 days, I unintentionally let out a sigh. Was this the part where I should compliment them for being ‘the haven of mercenaries’, the northern region of Habsburg?
The distance between the Earl of Rosenberg’s territory and Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle is about a 10 day march. If the military force mainly consists of infantry and cavalry, and they strain themselves a bit, then they can maybe arrive within a week.
Rosenberg’s army would probably assault the Demon Lord Castle between the 9th month 16th day and 19th day. Barely half a month of delay remained. It felt like I had really fucked over a young Demon Lord.
Yup. I’m repenting.
Surely, it was immoderate to use a competent individual like the Earl of Rosenberg as a test subject to go against the rank 71st rookie.
Since it felt like this was a bit too much— I sent that letter.
You have an enemy.
10 days from now, an army of 2,000 men will invade your Demon Lord castle.
In case he tried to slack off, I purposely supplemented some exaggerations.
In truth, it’d probably take a bit more than 10 days, but I wrote 10. The military force was at most between 1,200 and 1,500, but I set it as 2,000. It was meant to tell him to be seriously alert.
…… But I never dreamed he would extract the defense militia from Niflheim as soon as he received the letter.
Even I was shocked here, rookie.
The fact that there’s an unknown cooperation system established between Dantalian and the Keuncuska firm was clearly evident.
Well, the rest is according to this guy’s ‘guess’.
However.
“A devastating war, Barbatos. If we can’t invade them, then we just have to make them invade us.”
“……”
At Dantalian’s proposal, I was at a lost for words for an instant.
It wasn’t for a particular reason. I personally felt a sense of irony.
To me, Barbatos, who had spread a false rumor to send invaders at you.
To suggest for me to once more ‘circulate a false rumor, and drive the humans to attack us’.
This was most likely proof of the saying that no one knows how life will turn out.
“……Hahah, ahahahah. Hahahaha!”
Even me bursting into laughter was natural.
Oh, Dantalian. You pitiable child. You’re trying to put a trap out for another prey, despite being caught in a trap yourself. Are you decorating that foolishness of yours as wisdom because of your gullibility or because of your pride?
Or—is it simply youth?
Even my already dead heart felt hot.
“How original, Dantalian. Very original.”
I stroked Dantalian from his abdomen, chest, neck, and cheek, one place at a time. I took a liking to his muscles that were firmer than they appeared. Dantalian gazed at me with a smile still on his lips.
“Half a month ago, around the time I sent you that letter, I was hoping that you would at least be a slightly interesting fellow. But by the looks of it, it seems I’ve lived for too long. With a person like you here, my hopes for the world are already daunted!”
“Barbatos.”
“Okay. I’ll cooperate with you. War? That’s what I was hoping for. A wild rumor? That’s just to my taste. To your bad habits, I, Barbatos will associate myself with you. How far you’ll be able to walk. What’ll be waiting for you at the end of your path. The immortal Barbatos will wait and see.”
Although it’s uncertain whether your conclusion may end with myself taking your neck.
That is something to look forward to later.
Let’s enjoy the current now.
“Just imagining how gruesome the war you’ll start is enjoyable, Dantalian. You aren’t planning to leave while disregarding the lady that you’ve heated up so much, are you?”
“What……?”
I activated my magic mist.
The black mist licked the back of Dantalian’s ear and seeped into his brain. Shaking this child’s skull, it passed through his spine and dug into his lower body. Once that happened, Dantalian opened his eyes wide.
“Don’t tell me, this mist……”
“Yup. An aphrodisiac spell.”
I smiled suggestively.
Binding a rookie like you to my side is simple.
For starters, after establishing a relationship where your body is no longer able to deny me, then slowly, with one bite at a time, it’ll be over after I chew away at you ever so slowly. Then at one point, all of your flesh will be torn off and only your bones will remain.
My name is Barbatos.
The Demon Lord of all the dead.
Anything that has become a skeleton will have no choice but to follow my command.
I sent my heated breath into Dantalian’s ear.
“Since long ago, I’ve wanted to be pounded by a son of a bitch like you and pant like a dog…… do you want to try?”
And with that, it was over.
Oh clever child.
Ride on my hips and dance to your heart’s content.
Until the moment you fall weakened, and finally perish.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 02/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-02-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Prologue_01.txt
|
Prologue
Overcome your past.
People would say this easily.
If I were to give a piece of advice to these optimistic people, then it would be that there were a lot of past experiences in the world that could not be overcome.
What if your own mother was human trash?
That was fine. You could manage that.
Or if your own father was a guy like trash?
You could be patient up to that as well.
But, if you were to watch your younger half-siblings tremble in fear because your own mother had slapped them, solely for the reason that they were from another mother, and your father watched idly from the side while not uttering a single word—then at that point, you could only modestly accept the truth.
That your life was shoved into dog shit.
I had vaguely assumed that my life had reached this position when I was 10 years old.
My younger half-siblings were clinging onto each other and crying. The reason was simple. My mother had cursed at them by shouting, “You dirty children of a whore!”. Of course, at that time I didn’t know what the word ‘whore’ meant. The day I discovered that the existence of a penis could be used for something other than peeing was when I was 11, thus meaning, I needed to wait 1 more year before I stepped into the world of obscenity.
I’m serious.
Even I had a time when I was pure.
Back to the story.
There was no way a 6 and 5 year-old could comprehend the word ‘whore’, when a 10-year-old couldn’t either. Except, it was obvious that the words were said with an offensive nuance. How could I tell? That was because when my mother had called them whores.
“Oh my. So you two are the children of a whore.”
She did not speak pleasantly like this, but.
“These mongrel-like whore’s children. How dare you not know your place and—!”
Instead she had exploded her anger out savagely.
Even children knew when they were not welcomed.
Regardless of being able to understand the words or not, you at least knew when the adult in front of you was trying to kill you or help you. It was especially noticeable when the adult had intensely slapped your face at the part of saying “children of a whore”.
Thus, the moment my younger half-siblings started trembling their shoulders.
The moment my younger siblings, who were laughing happily just a second ago, had muffled their crying because they were sincerely afraid that they were going to be killed,
I had the gut feeling that if I did not fix this shitty situation, then my life too would become shit.
“Father. Throw out my mother.”
“What?”
“Don’t needlessly ask back. You heard everything. Have a divorce with my mother.”
My father blinked.
Even his blinking felt like an excuse which further raised my annoyance towards him.
“……What are you saying?”
“So you’re going to keep backing out? That’s fine, I’ll use this opportunity to clearly say this now. My mother is insane. My little sisters had merely broken a ceramic cup by mistake, but do you know what my mother did?”
I slapped my own face. Hard.
Because I thought that I should show him a demonstration.
“She slapped them. Hard enough to make my siblings fall to the floor. Up to here you can still overlook her as a normal hysterical patient, but what she did next was the real problem. My mother went to get a kitchen knife and shoved it near my siblings’ faces.
“……”
“Do you understand? A kitchen knife. She showed a knife to my 5-year-old little sister. My mother is not a hysteria patient. She’s a through and through insane person. Divorce my mother immediately and kick her out of our home.”
“Son. She is still your mother.”
“I am fully aware.”
I spoke coldly.
“That’s why I’m urging you to divorce her even more. Before I further scorn the father who claimed to love that woman and made her his wife.”
“……”
“Father. You read to me quotes from Rousseau yesterday. That the difference between man and beasts was that they bore a will. You read this to me in a soft, a very soft tone. And today, I’ve discovered a beast within my mother’s face.”
“Certainly, it was effective giving you a teacher on rhetorics. Seeing that you’re a lot more eloquent than I was at your age.”
“I already realized that I was a genius when I was 6-years-old. You aren’t going to make me realize it again by complimenting me now.”
“Did you hear it as a compliment? I was scoffing.”
“Ha. You’re the one who needs to listen to the rhetorical classes, father. You don’t even know how to properly scoff at your own son and you think you’ll be able to hold onto your wife? Please do better at looking after yourself.”
“I will say it again. She’s your mother.”
My father’s voice became cold.
“For 10 months, she went through all kinds of pain holding you inside of her stomach before giving birth to you. The very first person to smile when you came to this world was your mother, the first person to cry for you when you got hurt for the first time was also your mother. Son. Know your place. How dare you say such immoral words like kicking out your own mother.”
I snickered.
“How shameless.”
“What?”
“This is not my problem. This your problem, father. Because of a single mother, 6 of your children are being abused. It’s simple math. Will you save 1, or save the other 6. Throw away irritating words like immoral. There are no humans as ethically trash as you, father. None.”
“……”
“This will be the last time that I will request something from you regarding this topic, father. For good. So give me a serious response. Will you divorce my mother?”
My father went silent.
He stayed silent for over 40 minutes.
The reason why I remembered the time exactly was because I had glared at the wristwatch my father had on. It was around the time 11am was crossing over to 12 in the afternoon.
“I can’t.”
Damn 12 in the afternoon.
Since that moment, I despised this time permanently. My habit of refusing to wake up in the morning originated from here too. I will be saying this again but. I utterly despised the morning and noon.
“……Why not?”
“Because I love your mother.”
“That is a really, immensely, disappointing answer. Then does that mean you do not love your children, father? Do you not care if your wife were to kill all of your children?”
“Yes.”
And thus I could never forget this moment.
Like a sculptor using a hammer and nail to engrave a mark on my brain.
A type of trauma was embedded.
“I love your mother that much.”
“……”
“I’m sorry, son.”
“……Just now, father.”
I gulped.
It might not have only been saliva that I had swallowed down.
“Father, you had just now lost all of my trust.”
“I know.”
“Father, you had just now ruined my life.”
“I know that as well.”
My father nodded.
“No matter what you choose, you will live a life more harsh than I.”
This damn father.
I truly detested you.
“……Let me ask one last thing. If this was a normal question…… You would obviously sacrifice 1 person for 6. That’s the kind of person you are, father. But, because of the thing so-called love, are you telling me that you’re choosing to select 1 over the 6?”
“That’s right.”
“If that love of yours, father, is only making you weak, then what is the point of love?”
My father did not answer.
It was because he could not answer.
I bit my lips and cursed.
“I feel ashamed to look at my own weak father. Do you understand? I am ashamed to death. In the end you could not choose anything, father. You really are that, that damn indecisive.”
At that time ‘damn’ was the highest level of curse that I knew.
I did not know how to use curses that were more terrible than that.
Did I not say so already?
Even I had a time when I was pure.
“Son.”
“Do not apologize. I’m not being upset at you in order to receive an apology. What could possibly change if you apologized. Just know this.”
I vowed.
A cold vow.
A clear vow.
“I will not become weak like you, father.”
“……”
“Ever.”
And.
And……
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 02/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-02-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Prologue_02.txt
|
Prologue
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 9, Day 20 Niflheim, Hermes’ Plaza
Slap!
In truth, it was a jaunty sound.
The sound of skin and skin colliding echoed loudly.
People must have been alarmed by the sudden powerful shockwave because they had their mouths held agape. Approximately 200 demons of various races were looking this way. In this situation, ‘this way’ very simply referred to two people.
Me.
And Lapis Lazuli.
“This one is disappointed.”
“……”
“To think that your highness was only a person of this degree.”
With an absolutely emotionless face.
But with an even colder tone, she spoke.
“If it was your highness, this one had thought that your highness would be different from the other Demon Lords. This one had hoped that your highness would display something different compared to the other people intoxicated by authority. But all this one can see before her is an incredibly fattened swine.”
I carefully felt my cheek.
It hurt.
My skin was red and swollen.
Was it not impressive?
“……Lapis Lazuli. While you are my mistress and fiancée, you are at the same time also my vassal. Midday, while in the center of the plaza, in front of hundreds of citizens, you have raised your hand at your lord. You know how much of a disloyal act this is, right?”
“Yes. This one knows.”
“Good.”
I nodded.
Be it an outcast or a half-breed, for someone like that to dare hit an inviolable Demon Lord. This alone was enough to reach top news of the year. Even the people in the plaza were looking at this with an astonished gaze.
But it was not over yet. Let me make it more enjoyable.
I decreed.
“I, Dantalian, hereby relieve you of your duties.”
“……”
“Do not appear before me again.”
On that day, a shocking news spread throughout the city.
The couple that had become the most famous in the demon world for having overcome social statuses had broken apart in 2 months.
If this wasn’t a splendid occasion, then I didn’t know what it was.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 02/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-02-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Synopsis.txt
|
—Look at this person.
The slaughter of the Demon Lord driven by power is taking place.
「I am your answer.」
Demon Lord Dantalian has gained a tremendous wealth due to the Black Death.
Inversely, the humans are leading an army to steal the source of his wealth.
As danger approaches closer by the hour, Dantalian remembers the individual that was to become ‘the greatest commander in the world’. The 16-year-old girl who was fated to become a slave—the esteemed daughter of a high noble family that had all perished, Laura De Farnese.
The Demon Lord’s vassals were starting to gather.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_01.txt
|
Chapter 1: 2 Years Ago
Speaking straightforward, my life was already over.
If there was one thing to talk about in this life that had already ended, then that would be my father. My father was truly a trash like man.
There was a time where my father got drunk and harassed a girl. A female high school student at that. Even though I was dumbfounded, since it was my father, I knew that it was more than likely to happen.
“If you had to sexually harass someone, did you have to choose a female high schooler?”
“Girls these days sure are developing quite splendidly.”
That was the response I got when I went to meet him.
Let me correct myself.
My father wasn’t just trash, but food waste.
“That girl is younger than me by 5 years.”
“Only by 5 years? Are you perhaps still in college?”
My father narrowed his brows.
His expression was incredibly serious.
“I thought you were about 41 years old.”
“If you look at me properly you’d know that I have a childlike face.”
“Bahaha! Don’t make me laugh. You’ve had a mustache since you were just an infant.”
If only killing intent could actually kill.
My father’s expression shifted and gave me a worried glance.
“Is your mother really upset?”
“Which mother?”
I gave him a slight temper.
“There are at least 4 people I can call mother. I’m not really sure which one you’re referring to.”
“I’m talking about your mother.”
I let out a sigh.
I’ll say this now.
Harem is a crime.
It wasn’t enough to make a bunch of lovers, but to also have a child here and there as well, that was inexcusably the worst.
The person concerned may be fine.
But in the position of the child, I wanted to kill myself.
Even after the age of forty, the mothers continued the bloody competition and feud over my father. My father was constantly indecisive and never made a choice.
As a result, the ones to come to harm were the children. The only ones dying in the struggle between mothers were innocent little us.
‘If you were smarter then wouldn’t your father pay more attention to me! You have to get first place in your whole school no matter what!’
Do you understand how it feels to hear this kind of thing every single day. Circumstances for me were a bit better though since I was male. My little sisters were really pitiful. In order to gain even a little bit more affection, they had to flatter him each and every time they could.
In the position of myself who had to watch all this happen, my impression of my own father was the worst. The chances of something good about my father coming out of my own mouth would be asking for the impossible.
“Listen carefully. I’m going to tell you slowly and exactly what you should do from here on out. Nothing bad has come from listening to my advice before, right?”
“Naturally. I’m ready to listen carefully to whatever you have to say.”
“Then first, do your best to try to stay in prison for as long as possible and not come out.”
“Mm.”
My father furrowed his brows.
“That’s a bit different direction of advice I was hoping for.”
“Do not come out of prison and just stay there forever. Until you die. If the word ‘dismissal’ starts to float around or something, do not latch onto it. End your regret filled life in a cell.”
“I’ve never doubted that my son was dutiful up until now, but I’m starting to have my suspicions. Son. Is that really the best option?”
“My mother is trying to kill you.”
Silence.
My father tilted his head.
“Are you saying that she’s angry enough to might kill me?”
“No. I mean exactly what I said. She is trying to kill you.”
“Korean is quite hard—. It’s difficult to understand—.”
“According to the Standard Korean Language Dictionary made by the National Language Department, the verb ‘kill’ has eleven meanings. Amongst those I’m using the first meaning; my mother is really trying to kill you.”
“Can I ask what the definition for the first meaning is?”
“To cease or end another one’s life.”
“It was a life without any hopes or dreams……”
My father pressed his head into his hands.
He had finally grasped the seriousness of the situation.
“You’ve been calling my mother by some weird word like ‘tsundere’ for a long time now, but I’ll tell you this now. My mother is a ‘yandere’. Resent yourself for marrying someone you most shouldn’t have while also having multiple wives.”
“But when she looked at me with those bloodthirsty eyes my body would tingle…… That’s your mother’s charm!”
“Be great if you just died already.”
I muttered unintentionally.
I do not believe in God. There’s only one reason for that. If God really existed then the man in front of me would have been smited long time ago. My father was a Satanic person, an infectious germ that turned the people around him into atheists. I called it the ‘Human Trash Virus’.
“I didn’t know she was a high schooler in the first place. No, I groped that person’s butt not even knowing it was female. It’s unfair.”
“Then you lifted that skirt thinking it was a man? Congratulations. It’s fortunate that you were finally able to discover your actual sexual preference at that late of age. If you had realized 25 years sooner then the world could have been more peaceful, families could have been more tranquil, and my life could have been smoother.”
“I had 7 bottles of soju so I wasn’t sane.”
“Are you ever sane?”
I stood up from the seat.
I spoke while sullenly looking down at my father.
“Never bring up alcohol while in court. If they put that into consideration then your sentence will most likely be shortened. The day you leave prison, my mother will be waiting for you with a knife.”
“My beloved son……”
“Yes? Go ahead and speak, my not beloved father.”
“You must make good choices in life.”
I snorted.
“When you’re the one saying that, that sounds incredibly persuasive.”
“Right?”
“I’ll come visit whenever I have the time so make sure to behave.”
No matter who saw, my father was a failure of a husband.
There was no room for sympathy.
However, he was not a failure as a parent. Starting from me, my 6 siblings and I all were able to live wealthy lives. This was an incredible achievement. Also, while a person lives their life, be it as a husband or a parent, as long as they are successful in even one category I think they’re admirable. This way of thought still has not changed.
Stay in prison forever.
My father gladly listened to my last advice.
In the end, it became so.
Four days later, my father had passed away because of a heart attack.
♦
“I’m completely exhausted……”
After sorting out my boxes and furniture, I lied on my bed.
For the last month I had faced Hell. This was not a joke. If a demon could have seen my unsightly and miserable figure, then even they would have felt so much sympathy for me that they’d end up ascending as an angel.
I folded my fingers down one by one.
“The funeral is over. Set all the real estate in order. Passed over the foundation……”
I roughly threw away everything I needed to throw away from life.
Give up on the inheritance.
As soon as my father passed away I had dropped this bombshell.
My mother fainted and my half siblings made a commotion. My second half little sister was especially terrible. She clung onto me until my pants tore. However, my will was as firm as the snow piled at the very top of the Himalaya Mountains. If you want to break my stubbornness then you need to forward global warming by 600 years. Unfortunately, my mothers and siblings did not have the capability to immediately raise the carbon dioxide exhaust quantity around the world by seventy times the current amount at that time.
‘If brother retires, we’ll all be ruined!’
‘Big brother is a stupid idiot!’
‘I’m never contacting you again!’
Finally, once my second half little sister gave up, I escaped.
Phew.
A smile of satisfaction floated on my face.
To live the rest of one’s life is to live free from worldly cares. There’s no point in pretending to be something you’re not and buying things like a high noble. I’m too busy to go crazy and spend money on everything. While a few of my siblings were pleased that they had become the head of a company at such a young age, my second half little sister followed up with the statement— ‘Even if we end up ripping his(brother’s) ear off, we can’t let him go! Our household will be ruined within 6 years without him!’,—which I felt strongly for because I knew she was right.
“Okay. I’ve dealt with everything. I’m truly free now……!”
Thank you, father.
For passing away at an appropriate time.
This honest feeling may be an incredibly undutiful and immoral statement to say to one’s parent and it shakes my conscience by 1 mg, but if you consider the large amount of crap that my father had left behind on my life, the already little amount of conscience that remained seems to have vanished on its own.
I will never forget the moment he used his own son as a shield in order to avoid the knife being swung by my mother (a painful mid-summer memory from my second year of elementary school), even if I die.
All things considered, I’ve already won the game of life.
Currently, in my bank account, was the large sum of over five hundred million won[1].
Just because I gave up on the inheritance doesn’t mean I didn’t fill my back pockets. I can enjoy the remainder of my life without having to ever work.
Yup.
Not the entirety of my life, but what remains.
I do not mean the definition to keep on living, but simply the meaning of what’s left. I purely desired for only this.
I got up from my bed and with a brush I wrote in large writing on a piece of parchment.
For the next 50 years, this will be the terms that’ll lead me for the remainder of my life.
1. Do not work. 2. Do not make friends. 3. Do not get married.
“……Beautiful.”
I was moved by my own writing.
I wonder if when Pythagoras discovered the law of mathematics, he was as deeply touched as I am now.
First, do not work. This was stupidly obvious. I’ve heard that there are some people in the world who enjoyed fruits of labor in their life. Thankfully, I’m not one of those perverted masochist.
Second, do not make friends. This was also obvious. There are only backstabbers and potential backstabbers in the world. Friendship is merely a vain dream, a virtual image, a fantasy. I won’t take any counterarguments.
Third, do not get married. –This was important. My father had relations with five women. After having watched a live romance drama starring 6 people since I was a mere child, I’ve come to a grave and serious conclusion. Marriage is an insane act. Something like true love are all bull crap lies. Love is merely a way of murder that has become surprisingly gentler. As a result, it’s possessive desire and sexual desire.
Of course, grown up members of society might have a different opinion than I. That’s okay. Be satisfied with your bright and beautiful marriage life. However, if maybe, just maybe, you end up separating from your partner……compared to your marriage life, so much more beautiful days will lie ahead of you. I’ll guarantee it. You have my word. For starters, the dangers of being stabbed by a knife disappears. This alone already seems like a huge benefit, don’t you think?
Yes.
I’m a pessimistic human.
I wasn’t like this from the very beginning. Believe me.
Originally, I was highly positive. The world was beautiful and the righteousness in my chest flopped around like a just caught mackerel. To be specific, I was like this until a month ago. However, after having witnessed my mothers do a 1:1:1:1 deathmatch in the middle of the funeral, I politely recycled my hopes and dreams into the trash.
That’s so. This world is tragic. Even if you’re vexed, what can you do. This is the truth. The carbon dioxide exhaust rate won’t go down, China will grasp capital over the entire world, Justin Bieber will receive the Nobel Prize in literature……, and in 122 years you’ll be dead, I’ll be dead, we’ll all be dead.
Oh, I’ll also tell you just in case; that adorable pet of yours will get hit by the front wheel of a bicycle and die…… I’m sorry to tell you the news, but what can you do? This is the truth.
If you’re done being sad then drink a beer.
To start off my carefree life, I went to the convenience store and bought 60 cans of beer.
The part-timer at the convenience store gave me a look as if asking ‘Excuse me, it’s not of my concern but is your life okay like this?’. I thanked the girl’s deep consideration and coolly swiped my card.
So what.
My card has damn five hundred million won. Five hundred million won is strong!
Take that! If you have a problem then come at me!
‘Son’
‘Whatever you choose’
‘Whatever you choose, you must choose better than me—’
I wonder if it was because of the beer.
I recalled something unpleasant.
A kind of trauma.
I opened a second can of beer and muttered.
“I succeeded in running away, father.”
Those were my last words to my father.
I stayed in the corner of my home and didn’t come out.
Goodbye, labor.
Goodbye, world.
I’ll be going to the world across the monitor.
Adieu.
♦
—Two months passed in a blink of an eye.
I’ve conquered the computer games I couldn’t enjoy for the past 4 years.
“This is life……”
I was silently moved to tears.
I’ve been only consuming convenience store packed lunches, so my current figure was getting close to the border of that of a homosapien gorilla.
Trash was littered on all four sides of me.
The desk with my monitor on top was especially impressive.
The Empire of Empty Cup Ramens and the Republic of Empty Beer Cans were conquering the desk—continent, and having their own world war while drawing all kinds of geometrical national borders. In this world I’m what you’d call an absolute God. If it’s unfavorable for the Empire then I’d add a cup ramen. If it’s unfavorable for the Republic then I’d add a beer can. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it was thanks to me that balance was able to be kept in this continent……
At that moment a notification popped up on my monitor.
—Tirring~
An email arrived.
Moving my mouse over, I clicked to check it.
Thank you for enjoying our company’s game, <Dungeon Attack>.
In order to improve for the next expansion, we are doing a survey.
Participants will be able to gain the chance to be a beta tester for the next installment!
It was a normal email.
My email address was probably subscribed when I bought the game.
Right when I was about to delete the mail, I hesitated.
“Next expansion, huh?”
A standard dungeon-capturing RPG, <Dungeon Attack>.
It was one of the games that I enjoyed during the two months.
Become a hero and defeat the Demon Lords.
The difficulty was a bit strange, so it was incredibly challenging. First run, I could barely defeat the mid-boss. Second run, third run, and finally on the sixteenth run, after tedious grinding, I was narrowly able to win against the final boss.
There’s no business in grinding.
My hero character got stronger after each run.
In the NPC’s perspective, I probably seemed like a fraud and a cheat, but what can you do? Life was irrational from the very start.
Some starts life with high stats while other’s don’t.
—Click.
I accepted the survey with a click of my mouse. It’ll probably ask me questions like; was the difficulty reasonable, was there any inconvenience with the interface, boring questions like that. Regardless, I was able to spend an enjoyable amount of time on <Dungeon Attack>. I’ll play along.
A new page opened up on my monitor screen.
[1. In the end, I prefer small girls!]
[2. In the end, I prefer mature women!]
“……”
A completely unpredictable Mr. Question has appeared.
I grasped onto my mind that went blank for a moment.
What is this, a small joke? Are proper questions going to come out after this?
After thinking for a moment, I chose number 2. If you were someone with common sense then it was only appropriate to select number 2. Everyone, lolita complex is a mental illness.
On the white screen, the second question appeared.
[1. In the end, I get excited when I get hit by someone……!]
[2. In the end, I get excited when I hit someone……!]
“What kind of survey is this!?”
I shouted at the monitor.
The periods+exclamation mark at the end of the sentence made it feel pointlessly vivid. It looked as if you were confessing your secret sexual desires, doesn’t it……!
I glared at the monitor with a disgusted look.
For now, I selected number 2. To be hit or to hit. If I had to choose between the two, then I could only choose the latter. I’ve heard that there was a group of people in the world who felt pleasure from pain, but thank the heavens, I’m not a pervert.
[1. I prefer a low difficulty.]
[2. I prefer a high difficulty.]
After that, I got normal quality questions.
They most likely placed the weird questions in the front to gain the surveyee’s attention.
To compliment them for being smart, or to complain that they put too much thought into this survey.
[1. I solve my problems with strength.]
[2. I solve my problems with knowledge.]
Without any hesitation I chose number 2.
I stopped trying to solve my problems through force since the time I got beat up by the girl sitting next to me in kindergarten. People called humans like me a ‘refined pacifist’.
[1. I gain benefit from keeping other people’s secrets.]
[2. I gain pleasure from using other people’s secrets.]
Once again, with no hesitation, I chose number two.
During kindergarten, once I obtained the information that the girl sitting next to me wet her bed every morning, I took advantage of it as much as possible. After having done so, I learned the greatness of information. Diplomatic studies call this kind of politics ‘armed neutrality’.
[1. Friendship means to go forward together towards the same goal.]
[2. Friendship means a friend who hasn’t betrayed you yet.]
Ooh. I don’t know who it was, but they need to give a round of applause to the staff who made option number two.
Now that I think about it, I’ve been only choosing the second option. It must mean that number 1 points to abnormal and number 2 points to normal.
I think about thirty questions had passed.
A question with a different format was displayed for the first time.
[Do you know how this world ends?]
[Yes]
[No]
I stopped my mouse.
…… It was a question purposely made abstract.
It was a sentence that only players who very faithfully played the game could understand.
Dungeon Attack.
The hero subjugates the Demon Lords.
A simple structure.
However …… in the end, the world probably arrives at destruction. The reason why the word ‘probably’ was included was simple. The game did not kindly tell you what happened to the world after the ending. This was merely the conclusion I came to on my own while going through the campaign.
In <Dungeon Attack>, Demon Lords are owners of magical energy, people with a massive amount of magical energy condensed into them. What happens if all these people are killed off.
The magical energy will overflow.
Like as if many reservoirs collapse at the same time and cause a flood.
The hero killed off the Demon Lords in order to protect mankind and as a result the balance of magical energy collapsed, then, contrary to what was intended, the end of mankind and the destruction of the world……
This was what I thought to be the ‘true ending’ of the game.
Thank you very much, protagonist.
Thank you very much, player.
Yet, we must apologize, that due to your efforts the world was destroyed.
No hopes or dreams.
That’s why I liked it.
A pessimistic world outlook…… it suited my taste.
I spoke the words ‘yes’, and clicked my mouse.
As if it was calculating something, it took some time before the next question appeared.
The sentence to appear on screen was abstract again.
[If it were you, could you change the ending?]
I wonder.
To protect mankind and to also not slaughter demons.
In other words, to bring peace between the two races.
According to the setting, humans and demons have been going at each other for nearly 3,000 years. It’d probably be easier to make the leader of Islamic extremists reconcile with the president of the United States of America.
Would I be able to do such a thing……
I started thinking.
Then thought some more.
And…
[Yes]
The sound of a click rang, and at the same time.
“……!”
A bright white light shined from my monitor screen.
This was the last scenery I could remember.
A bell chimed somewhere. No, it could have been the sound of an explosion. The feeling of the world around me being flipped— as if my skull was being expanded on all four sides.
My hearing went numb and everything felt distant.
My vision kept blinking.
I couldn’t move my eyelids on my own accord.
As if someone else was opening and closing my eyes for me.
My conscience stopped.
Then.
Then…………
[The tutorial shall now begin.]
[Difficulty set to LUNATIC (Highest possible setting).]
[START]
Then I opened my eyes.
Translator's Notes
[↑] About $425,000.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_02_01.txt
|
Chapter 2: A Devil Steps on Stage
The ceiling broke and fell.
A large rock landed right in front of my face.
“What……!”
I quickly gained my senses.
Instinctively, I took a step back, however, with a thud, my back bumped against something. It was a wall.
Carefully looking around myself, I realized I was in a pitch black cavern.
I had gone to see a stalactite cave before during a school trip before. From what I could see, the ceiling now was 2-3 times higher than that cave. It was so high up that I could just barely see the top. I couldn’t possibly imagine how faraway the dark mouth of the cave was.
“……”
I killed my breath.
Why was I here?
How did I get here?
A loud siren rang in my head. My conscience instantly went cold. Whenever I found myself in an unpredicted situation my head would cool down in order to compose myself.
It was because of the trauma I had experienced when I was young.
I had been kidnapped three times in my life. The memory from those times forced open my skull and poured in ice-cold water, as if telling me to stay on my toes.
‘Do not scream’, that’ll only irritate the kidnappers.
‘Talk to yourself quietly’, you can confirm your situation this way.
Behavior procedures prepared like a manual.
Like a special forces unit listening to orders while facing terrorists, my conscience more than gladly followed the guidelines carved into my memory.
“……I was sitting in my room a moment ago…… and using the computer. It was 7PM. Drank 2 cans of beer. For dinner I had cup ramen……”
Little by little, my breathing became calmer.
There was no problem with my memory.
It at least meant that this wasn’t a drug induced kidnapping.
⌈There were no drugs.⌋
With just this the situation was reasonably favorable. It meant that the kidnapper had the intent to talk with me.
That’s why the kidnapping when I was in my third year of elementary school was serious. The motive then was to plainly obtain my body. I had to unconditionally keep my mouth shut. No reason whatsoever……
“Okay. Next……”
I checked my senses.
In order; vision, scent, hearing, taste, and touch.
Without rushing, I had to make sure my senses were working properly.
“The location appears to be a cave. Definitely a cave. It’s very dark. Doesn’t seem like my vision got worse. Rock, paper, scissor……”
I moved my fingers to make the shapes.
I could see the forms properly.
Good. My vision was fine.
The problem was scent.
“……!”
A foul nauseating smell.
The smell of blood vibrated around me.
I wonder if it was because I had suddenly found myself in an unfamiliar environment, but I wasn’t paying attention to the smell until now. Now that I’ve realized it, the revolting smell was so intense that it felt like it got past my nostril’s and shook my very brain.
“This is……”
It was a scent I had smelled three or four times in my life.
A scent which I never wanted to smell again. The smell of blood and intestines.
Corpses were spread throughout the cave.
There were human corpses that were swollen as if they were drowned, bodies with slit throats, and even bodies with limbs bent in the wrong direction.
“Eugh…… euuk……”
If this cave was one of those art exhibitions, then the curator would undoubtedly be an absurdly perverted sadist. As if triumphantly displaying that humans could die in this many ways. The fact that the cave was dark was the only solace since the corpses were comparatively hard to see.
“Is this place supposed to be the mystery of the human body…… Damn it.”
I had to get out of here quickly.
I put my right foot forward and— fell just like that.
My ankle was broken.
The entire bone was broken. It wasn’t something like an adorable sprain.
“Shit.”
I unintentionally let out a curse. I had to conclude that I couldn’t run or walk. The pain wasn’t ordinary. If the kidnapper approached now then it was impossible to escape. Perhaps they broke my ankle on purpose. Keeping safety measures. This was probably why they didn’t use drugs.
“Haa.”
I sat down in defeat.
I was regretfully checkmated.
Why did they kidnap someone like me, I couldn’t understand.
“…… I left all the fortune to my siblings. If it was two months ago then maybe, but there’s no point of kidnapping me right now.”
Surely they don’t mean to take me as hostage and threaten my siblings.
Foolish. I don’t know about someone else, but the person currently leading our household was my second half little sister. She could manage the household with composure, although not as good as I did. You’ll get hurt if you underestimate my sibling just because she’s young.
“Hooo……”
I could only sigh when thinking about who the culprit was.
There were plenty of people spread across the world who could want revenge against me. There were also surprisingly a lot of fellows who still had a grudge against my father as well, but wanted to let it out on me instead. That’s why I wanted to wipe my hands clean of everything.
It was then that I heard a hurried voice coming from the other side of the cave.
“I found him!”
“The Demon Lord is here!”
Demon Lord.
It was a name that had absolutely no connections with me.
For some reason the voice was directed towards where I was.
I’m confused. I had been called a devil a considerable amount of times in my life, but this was the first time I had been called a Demon Lord. It might be a type of secret code.
“Stay right there!”
“We’ll kill you if you move!”
The people came in like wolves.
The men were holding edged weapons like knives and axes. There’s no way I couldn’t be bewildered by this. I shot up both my arms.
“I surrender!”
“Get down you bastard!”
Without warning, the other man grabbed my head and slammed it to the ground. They were violent with me even though I told them that I surrendered.
“Ack……”
A rock that was lying on the ground sharply stabbed against my cheek.
“Keep your damn face down! Stay like that till we say otherwise!”
I almost let out a shout of pain, but I was able to hold it back.
Loud noises irritated kidnappers. During a kidnapping, even if you’re in pain you must not scream.
3rd year of Elementary school, I didn’t know anything and kept on wailing. After being beat until five of my teeth were broken, I had learned to be silent.
Silently.
Politely.
It may seem stupid, but this was the proper attitude to have towards a kidnapper.
“I caught him! Riff of Jalsen, has captured the Demon Lord!”
“Ooh. Our great and handsome captain, Riff. You aren’t planning to take all the bounty on your own, are you?”
The men started chatting in excitement.
I held my breath and listened to their conversation.
“Of course not. I’ll share with everyone equally. Keke.”
“Look at this. This Demon Lord looks just like a caterpillar.”
“Looks good with his head on the ground. Let’s kill him already.”
“What do you mean, kill him? There are things we still haven’t asked him yet.”
Someone kicked my side.
It wasn’t a genuine hit but more done jokingly, regardless that alone was pretty painful.
“—but just in case, we should break him.”
“Friends! Let us beat the Demon Lord into a reasonably sized pulp.”
Merciless violence showered down upon me.
Ten people were kicking me. I desperately held back my screams. More than 5 minutes had passed before the kicking started to subside.
“Good good. That’s enough.”
“Guys. Our handsome boss said to stop.”
“Keke.”
The violence finally stopped.
While I was breathing roughly, one of the men spoke to me as a representative.
“Well now, honorable Demon Lord. There’s one thing that we wish to ask you. Where’s all the money in this castle. To tell you the truth, us village folk are in real need of money.”
As expected, I was kidnapped for money.
Wait, but they’ve been keep using words that I’m not familiar with. This was something that I had to confirm. There was a chance that they were mistaking me for someone else.
“What do you mean by ‘Demon Lord’……?”
When I opened my mouth, I let out a groan. My lips were torn.
“Good. Very good.”
The man insinuated.
“Despite being hit so much, you’re still able to display such a nature. An excellent stance. Keke. I don’t hate that kind of thing, your honorable Demon Lord.”
With a rough hand the man grabbed my hair.
“Ack……”
I was forced to raise my face.
I made eye contact with the man in front of me.
The man had bent his body forward and was looking down at me. His entire face was covered in a brown beard. A darkish mushroom that grew in a public bathroom that hadn’t been cleaned for over 5 years, that was what his beard looked like. In simpler words, frighteningly dirty.
“But my friends here don’t have as much patience as me.”
“……what can I help you with?”
“Your honor. We don’t desire to use pointless violence.”
That’s convincing.
“Instead of wasting each other’s energy, let us trade. Tell us where the treasury is and we will not kill your honor immediately. We won’t cut your arms or legs off. And, of course, we won’t cut your precious horn off, either. Think carefully. In truth, we’re the ones at a loss in this trade.”
“Yeah, at a great loss!”
They broke out into laughter.
It was laughter of people who had a rough birth.
I waited for the mood to settle before speaking again. Always courteously. Making sure to not irritate their mood.
I asked a question.
“I’m sorry, but what do you mean by horn?”
“Aah? What are you asking.”
The man placed his hand on the back of my head.
“This. I’m talking about this.”
The man had grabbed something on my head. My head that should only have hair. There, something long was attached all the way to my skull.
I felt the back of my head.
There was certainly something hard there.
The shape was, as the man had said, in the shape of a horn.
“…………”
This.
What could this creation be.
I gazed forward with blank eyes.
Don’t tell me.
Before I was kidnapped, no, before I lost conscience. I was responding to a game survey on my computer.
When I opened my eyes in this cavern I had heard a faint voice…… I’m certain it whispered ‘The tutorial shall now begin’. I ignored it because I thought it was some nonsense from my dream.
The man had called me Demon Lord. There was something like a horn actually attached to the back of my head……
Game. Tutorial. Demon Lord.
These three words pointed at one possibility.
Fortunately or unfortunately, my mind quickly came to a conclusion.
“Now. Your honor, Demon Lord Dantalian. We’ll ask you only one more time.”
I couldn’t accept the answer.
The common sense, experience, and knowledge I had gained throughout my entire life completely denied the conclusion. However, as if laughing at my escape from reality, an alarm rang.
—Tirring~
White words appeared in mid-air.
[1. Accept adventurer captain Riff’s offer.]
[2. Decline adventurer captain Riff’s offer.]
“……”
I was at a lost for words.
Undeniable proof had presented itself right before me.
“Will you accept our offer? Or will you just die here. Wow. You can’t get choices as clean as this. Keke. Hurry and pick, oh honorable Demon Lord.”
The man gave an ill-tempered laugh. It was certain that the man couldn’t see the floating words.
Is it like that
Is it like that
…… is it like that.
My monologue continued and echoed in my drifting away conscience.
Like an actor who forgot his lines on stage and kept repeating his last spoken line.
I bit my lips. The taste of blood spread throughout my mouth. The vividly raw taste brought my conscience back to reality. In front of me was a barbaric man with a broad grin on his face.
Willing or not—
I’m a Demon Lord in the world of <Dungeon Attack>.
My head went cold.
As if time was flowing slowly.
“Mr. Demon Lord’s response is a bit slow.”
I gazed at the man who had just spoke.
It wasn’t only this man who had skipped shaving. The other people around us also had beards. It might be normal for these men to not shave.
‘Their outfits are old.’
‘Way too old.’
‘To be precise, I’d say about 400 years old.’
Around the time Henry the IV of France fought lively against the Roman Catholics, perhaps. The clothes looked similar to the one’s worn by the people during the French Wars of Religion. They were outfits that should have been sent straight to the museum, but no matter how you looked at these men they didn’t look like they worked at a museum.
“Are you really planning to not answer?”
Situations that couldn’t be understood until now were starting to be explained by assumptions. For example, as if a mysterious phenomenon was finally explained by the laws of physics.
“Oi, your honor Dantalian.”
Demon Lord Dantalian.
These people have been calling me Dantalian.
That was the name of the Demon Lord who showed up in <Dungeon Attack>.
There are a total of 72 Demon Lords who appear in that game. Amongst them, Dantalian was ranked 71st. He was that close to last place. Correspondingly, his level was also miserably low. In the first place, he was like a trash mob made for beginners.
Even a person playing computer games for the first time could beat him on the first run.
If I had to compare it with another game, then he was like a rabbit in the beginner field. As long as you knew how to click your mouse then you could defeat the rabbit. Dantalian was the same.
…… I should also add.
After the first run, Dantalian doesn’t appear at all in the game. He was removed in case that players got annoyed.
Imagine telling a level 20 warrior to ‘Go back to the beginner field and hunt a rabbit’. It’d be boring. Dantalian was a rabbit that you didn’t feel like fighting again.
And if I’m correct, I’m currently possessing that Dantalian.
“……”
There was a bitter taste in my mouth.
How do I get out of the evil hands of these adventurers.
I’m currently captured by humans. If this goes on I’ll probably get my head cut off or be taken to the city and executed. No matter how much I strained my brain I could only think of BAD ENDS.
Even if I proclaimed ‘I’m not Dantalian!’, I’d be grateful if I even got a sneer in response.
I couldn’t rely on Demon Lord Dantalian’s ability.
Let me rephrase that.
I could only rely on my own ability in order to overcome this obstacle.
“If you’re testing my patience right now……”
“The treasury is in Minlakdong.”
I made my resolution.
▯Adventurer, Cowardly Looter, Riff Hoffman Empire Calender: Year 1505, Month 4, Day 4 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle
Looter Riff.
That was my nickname.
Despite being an adventurer, I didn’t hunt demons, but instead, looted other adventurers. That’s how I go the nickname. Well, let them call me whatever they want.
The people who honestly hunt demons are the fools, aren’t they?
The one’s who live skillfully in the world are the ones who benefits.
Using common sense, people who fought monsters like orcs and goblins are idiots. I’m saying this very seriously and sincerely.
To live a not sincere life and become a corpse, or to live a sincere life and become a cowardly looter. If I had to choose between the two, then of course I’d choose the latter. Will I still choose the latter if I die and become reincarnated? I won’t ever die.
Keke.
Regardless, light was finally shining down on my looter career.
Half a month ago, I obtained the map of Demon Lord Dantalian’s Castle. I was lucky. There was a girl too pretty to be rotting away in some lowly village. I was going to assault her a little bit, but, while presenting me this map, she pleaded, “I’ll give you this, so please spare me.”. She was a girl with beautiful red hair.
Hm? Of course assaulting a virgin is wrong.
But I really like doing bad things.
I told you already.
I’m a looter.
I don’t only loot the pockets of dead adventurers, but the virginity of all the young women in the world as well. Personally, I’d preferred to be called ‘Virginity Looter’. Something like ‘The Looter of Virginities’ sounds like a cool title. It’s good because it sounds romantic.
Thanks to this map, I was able to gather a bunch of random adventurers. Dantalian was one of the weakest Demon Lords and there was most likely no monsters in the castle. As long as we knew where to find him, then it’d be easy to capture him.
We used an artifact that detected magical energy to search inside of the cavern. We wandered the dark cave for about four hours, but our efforts weren’t in vain. We were able to capture the Demon Lord Dantalian. Amazing! The map was real!
“Look at this. This Demon Lord looks just like a caterpillar.”
My comrades were chuckling while holding the Demon Lord down.
“Looks good with his head on the ground. Let’s kill him already.”
“What do you mean, kill him!?”
I gave the person who spoke a vulgar look. You could gain a higher reward if you captured the Demon Lord alive. Also there was something we still hadn’t asked him yet. Where the treasure was.
Gain whatever information we could get. That was common sense.
First things first, we beat the Demon Lord up and then asked him where the treasury was.
But this Demon Lord, his reaction was strange.
He’d suddenly stare at an empty space and he’d narrow his brows and lower his chin as if he was in deep thought. What is this? Is he an idiot? I vaguely thought Demon Lords were supposed to be ghastly tyrants, but what is this small fry.
Well, since he was a small fry someone like me could capture him. I have no complaints. I love small fries. I’d gladly decline Demon Lords like Barbatos or Paimon.
“Mr. Demon Lord’s response is a bit slow. Are you really planning to not answer?”
I snickered and tapped the Demon Lord’s cheek.”
“Oi, your honor Dantalian.”
It was then.
“……”
It was for a mere moment, but the Demon Lord had a dreadfully spine chilling gaze. I blinked a couple of times and after doing so, the same minor small fry-looking Demon Lord was in front of me again.
Huh?
The atmosphere changed for a brief moment.
…… was I seeing things?
Oh well. Treasure. Treasure was more important.
Let’s keep pressing this Demon Lord.
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 4, Day 4 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle
“The treasury is in Minlakdong.”
The other party furrowed their eyebrows.
“Mayirock…… what?”
“Minlakdong. It’s at the Minlakdong.”
I told them the location of the treasury for the second time.
Honestly, I just said the name of whatever neighborhood that came to mind. How was I supposed to know where the treasury of the Demon Lord’s castle was?
And if I sincerely answered, ‘I don’t know where it is’, I’d probably get a blade flying my way. For now, I had to say whatever I could in order to gain their interest.
I had to carefully pay attention to the men’s reactions.
“Millak, Mooirakkutoung…… the damn pronunciation is strange!”
“Do you not know of it? Here, I’ll write it down.”
Offering to write it down, I lowered my body and wrote on the cavern floor.
I didn’t have any writing utensils, but I did shed a lot of blood. Dipping my finger in my own blood, I smoothly wrote the word.
민락동
民樂洞
First line in Korean. Second line in Chinese characters.
I slightly turned my line of sight to see their reaction.
“Hey, bring the torch closer.”
“I have no idea…… were there letters like this?”
They faced each other and started talking.
“None of us here even know how to read.”
“Yeah, but the shape is completely different.”
Okay.
I generally understood the principle of the language.
I currently heard everything they said in Korean. However, when I wrote the words, they couldn’t understand.
In conclusion, just because I heard everything in Korean didn’t mean they also heard in Korean as well.
There were two possibilities.
One, the pronunciation was the same but the letters were different. Or two, both the pronunciation and letters were different but for some reason only I perceived everything in Korean.
Which one was the answer.
I decided to test it immediately.
“It’s natural for this to be unfamiliar to you gentlemen. This is ancient demon language. In order to fully secure the treasury, I had specifically used ancient demon language to magically seal the treasure.”
“Magic?”
“Yes. The vault will not open to those who do not understand the language.”
The men made a commotion.
The answer was revealed by that conversation.
We were currently talking in a language completely different from Korean, in terms of both pronunciation and letters.
How do I know this? Because I had spoken in foreign languages just now.
First sentence in English, second sentence in German, third sentence in Chinese, and fourth sentence in Japanese. And yet, these men understood me fully.
I don’t know by what principle, but the conversation was automatically being translated.
“Mr. Demon Lord. Do we, uh, need to understand that ancient demon language thing to open the vault?”
“Yes. Of course.”
“Hmmm.”
The man narrowed his brows.
— Right now this person was trying to kill me.
He promised to spare my life if I told him the location of the secret vault, but that was a big fat lie. You could tell someone was lying shamelessly by their face.
So accordingly, I had to give them a reason to keep me alive.
“Alright, honorable Demon Lord. I like this fair trade.”
The man fell for my lie nicely.
“I think we can be good friends. So, where’s this Mooirakkutoung[1], exactly?”
“There’s a secret passage where I was originally at.”
“The Demon Lord’s quarters? There was nothing there when we checked.”
“That’s not so. In my quarters, it will only recognize me and open…… There’s a secret passage that only opens when I place my hand on it.”
“A magical device. Okay.”
The man grabbed my arm and forced me up.
A horrible pain spread from my right ankle. I couldn’t hold back my scream this time.
“Aaack!”
“Oh. Your leg is messed up.”
The man clicked his tongue.
“New guy! You support his honor, Dantalian.”
“Roger that, captain.”
A young man, who I assumed to be the new guy, came over to support me. He had a dagger attached to his belt. The adventurer group captain then shouted.
“Let’s get moving boys!”
The group of ten adventurers moved forward through the cave.
These men seemed to know where the Demon Lord’s quarter was. I was lucky since I had no idea where it could possibly be.
If they had told me to lead them to my quarters, I’d probably have died on the spot.
A bell rang with a ‘Tirring~’ sound.
[1. Accept adventurer captain Riff’s offer.]
[2. Decline adventurer captain Riff’s offer.]
The first choice shined brightly and then new words rose up. The choice wasn’t selected because I thought of selecting it, but rather, it was selected by my actual actions.
Overcame the crisis with cunning eloquence.
Warning. Actions taken during the tutorial will henceforth affect your stats.
I got passed the crisis.
In other words, it meant that if I didn’t lie to them then I really would have been in a fatal situation. The unnecessary remark sent a chill down my spine.
These people were not joking around.
To live or to die. That was the question.
I barely got past the first obstacle.
By any means, I had to stay alive.
♦
The adventurer group continued to walk through the cavern.
“How about just killing him now……”
“Yeah. We aren’t some group of thieves. Instead of wasting time searching for a hidden vault, we could end it here neatly……”
“I don’t know about you guys, but I agree with the captain. Nothing bad about getting a bit more money……”
I could hear the adventurers talking up ahead.
I don’t care if you’re going to discuss whether I live or die, but could you at least speak in a voice that I couldn’t hear. It’s not that hard.
They have no manners.
“Hey. Even if his leg is sprained, isn’t he a bit too slow?”
“Like I said. He’s probably stalling.”
They went as far as to flat out make sarcastic remarks.
The level of these adventurers that had captured me weren’t very good.
They radiated poorness. The blade of their weapons were jagged. It was proof that they didn’t properly maintain their gear. In the game’s standard, they’d be ranked F. The lowest adventurer group. They were around that level.
They’d get wiped by around 20 goblins.
…Although, not being able to put under command those goblins that are spread almost everywhere, was Demon Lord Dantalian’s level.
“Your honor, Demon Lord. My comrades are a bit impatient.”
The man called Riff, informed me with a snicker.
I lowered my head.
“I apologize. I’ll try harder to walk faster.”
“A nice and fast response. That’s good.”
He was talking to me like I was inferior.
I had now decided. I will definitely destroy that proud face of his. I’ll drag this man’s face in the mud.
I won’t go easy on him even if he begs for mercy later. Look forward to it, Riff.
“Us adventurers have an occupational disease. It seems they’re suspicious that your honor is trying to trick us. That you’re stalling for time to do something to us.”
“That’s impossible.”
I immediately replied.
There was no gain from telling them the truth.
Now, time to start the performance.
“I used to have subordinates as well. Goblins, imps, orcs…… nothing special, but they were still my precious subordinates. However, before you gentlemen, groups of adventurers had assaulted this castle three times in a row.”
The edge of my eye became wet.
I had the ability to cry on command. It required a little trick. It was a special move that my little sisters had taught me.
“You gentlemen are the fourth to arrive at my castle. My subordinates are all already dead. Even the little ones that have been with me for over 30 years. All of them……”
“H-Huh?”
Riff panicked.
“Surely, your honor, you aren’t crying now, are you?”
“N-No. Cry? I would never.”
I spoke like a child who was desperately trying to hold back his tears.
“It’s just that amongst them, there was a nanny who had taken care of me since I was a mere infant. Yes. She looked like an orc. That’s because she was an orc. But she took care of me sincerely. I even called her ‘mother’. A week ago, she was pierced in the chest with a spear by an adventurer and died……”
Pitiful crying echoed throughout the cave.
“Well. That, what should I say. That’s quite unfortunate. You have my condolences.”
“She held me until the very end. Even after being stabbed, even after shedding so much blood, she continued to hold me tightly to protect me from the falling arrows. Everyone, I can not forget the emotions I went through during that time no matter how hard I try……”
“……”
“She had wrapped both of her arms around me. I couldn’t see a thing, but with a thud, her body shook. Thud thud, her body kept shaking. I didn’t know what was happening at first, however, I soon found out that it was because of the arrows. Each time an arrow fell, her body would shudder. Despite that……”
Let a tear fall here once.
My act was about to reach its climax.
“Despite all that, she was looking down at me and smiling! Yes, she smiled till the very end. I wasn’t sane. I thought I was going crazy. The most precious person in the world to me was dying in front of my very eyes…… dying to protect me, she was even smiling…… What was I supposed to say!?”
I covered my face with my hands.
Weak crying leaked from between my fingers.
“I asked if it hurt. If she was in pain, but do you know what she told me in response?”
“……”
“‘I’m alright, young master’.”
The air was dead silent.
The adventurers had been captivated by my story at some point and were now quiet.
My father had trained me to be an actor since I was a child.
I went through a test at one point. Go to any cafe and talk on the phone.
In truth, no sound came from the phone, but I pretended to argue with my girlfriend.
‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything.’
‘I’ll do better from now on.’
Improvised acting.
At first, the reaction from the other cafe customers was annoyance.
They were simply relaxing in a cafe and then suddenly some high school student appeared and started talking loudly on his phone. Regardless, as time past, their expressions slowly shifted. Their emotions changed.
It was sympathy.
They had experience the same thing before. They had pleaded to a loved one at a point in their life. Feeling empathy, they finally started to treat me with pity.
This was the reaction of modern people who had already experienced all kinds of stimulating romance dramas and movies.
The people of this world, who at best have only listened to the self bragging of a wandering poet, I’m sorry to say, but they were no match for me.
The fineness facial muscles to the most detailed nuance.
Using this at my own will, I preformed passionately.
“It’s okay, she said…… and she died.”
“……”
“Now I have nothing left. I did have two goblins, but I made them leave. I don’t need them…… That’s why it’s okay to not be suspicious of me. There’s really nothing left here.”
I covered my face once again and sobbed.
My acting, which could have made a French actor cry, ended here.
In this depressing atmosphere, the adventurers had started to whisper to one another.
“Hey hey. Who made the honorable Demon Lord cry?”
“I didn’t know he had such circumstances either.”
“I was wondering why there were no guards. Other parties had already wiped this place clean.”
“So he suddenly lost everything. Tsk tsk……”
As predicted, sympathy fell upon me.
There was something I didn’t predict that happened too. It was the white notice that rose up in mid-air.
Your devilish eloquence has captivated the people.
Adventurer Riff’s affection went up by 2.
Adventurer Dail’s affection went up by 1.
There was an affection system as well, huh.
That made things easier.
“I am grateful to have met you all, though.”
I smiled faintly.
Giving off an atmosphere as if I had seen the sorrows and joys of life was the point.
“You didn’t kill a Demon Lord like me immediately. You showed consideration to me who was seriously injured, and are even supporting me like this. This is the first time I’ve met adventurers as gentle as you all in the entirety of my life…… I had really thought that all adventurers were villainous people like the ones who had murdered my nanny!”
That was a lie.
A flat out lie.
I knew you men were going to kill me as soon as you saw me. You probably only sheathed your weapons because you wanted the money from the treasury. A villain, as described.
However, no human could dislike being flattered. The adventurers awkwardly scratched their beards.
“No, we didn’t really do that much……”
“It’s because your honor cooperated so willingly.”
Adventurer Riff’s affection went up by 4.
Adventurer Dail’s affection went up by 3.
The other 8 adventurer’s affection went up as well.
Did their wariness go down? Compared to earlier, the amount of points that went up rose. My acting got through to them properly.
With a tear drenched face, I grinned broadly.
“I apologize for delaying everyone. Now, let us resume towards the vault.”
“……”
It wasn’t a smile out of happiness, but a forced smile to match other people. I emphasized that feeling. In order to plant the seed of guilt into them.
One of the adventurers coughed into his hand.
“Ehem. That, uh, there’s no reason for us to deliberately hurry.”
“That’s right. The vault isn’t going to grow legs and run away.”
“Since his honor’s foot hurts so much, let’s go slowly. He did say all the other demons were gone.”
The atmosphere became soft.
There was a saying that says the scariest animal on Earth were humans, but I think opposite. Humans were animals that I could feel most reassured with.
I can not trick a bear. If I encountered a wild warthog, the least a weakling like me could do was get killed.
But humans.
Humans could be deceived.
Through a performance, you could play with the hearts of others.
‘Son.’
‘You’re more of a Devil than I am.’
My father was right.
I did not want to admit it, but I had the inborn talent to deceive people.
Personally, I didn’t think it was a desirable skill. It was more appealing to sincerely gain people’s trust than through lies.
That was why I avoided using deception unless I felt like my life was in danger. Something like being good at lying, it wasn’t a skill worth bragging about.
It was the same now.
“Ah, but.”
If these adventurers had not threaten my life.
If they had approached me with a bit more politeness.
I would not have had to bare my fangs.
“Everyone— if we take too much time, other adventurer parties may arrive.”
“What?”
“As you all know, there is not even a single goblin left in my castle. As much as it is an empty castle, other adventurers will probably come for the treasure vault as well. This may trouble you all……”
The adventures gave each other unsettled looks.
There were no monsters in this castle. Even if there were some left, these men could use me, the Demon Lord, as a hostage to drive them back. However, there was something more dangerous than monster.
Other humans.
Adventurers competed against other adventurers rigorously. Treasure hidden in the Demon Lord’s castle. The bounty on the Demon Lord’s head…… anyone would want to get their hands on these. Even if they had to kill other humans.
In <Dungeon Attack>, the hero didn’t fight only demons. There were many adventurer parties that attacked in attempt to take the hero’s wealth. They only claimed to be adventurers, but they were no different to a group of thieves.
“Damn it. I didn’t consider that.”
“There’s no certainty that other adventurers will come.”
The men started to frown. They had taken in seriously my lie.
“Dumbass. Did you not hear that this place was assaulted 3 times already? Other wolves, who’ve heard the rumor will come.”
“Not good. This is not good…… We just caught the Demon Lord and you’re now telling me to risk my life to fight other lively adventurers? Don’t joke with me.”
“Shit. Like we’d hand him over to a bunch of dogs.”
These were adventurers, who had just left their hometowns for the first time to get rich quick. They couldn’t contain their excitement when they were presented the opportunity to turn their lives around.
“Everyone.”
I spoke in a calm voice. Their gaze naturally collected onto me.
“At this moment, other adventurers may already be approaching. How about making our way to the vault first? There’s not a lot of time. We can discuss things while moving.”
The men glanced at each other once more and nodded all together.
“His honor is right. Let’s take the treasure first. Yeah!”
“Let’s get a move on! We don’t have the right to show our faces in Jalsen without a few scratches or two.”
With loud voices, the adventurers resumed their march.
Good.
This was enough for now.
I gave them an agreeable suggestion. Their guard against Demon Lord Dantalian may not be completely gone, but at least they don’t see me as an ‘enemy’ now. Their affection continued to rise. That was a good sign……
“New guy, carry his honor on your back. That’ll be faster.”
“Roger that, captain!”
The man lifted me up promptly.
“Ah, thank you very much.”
“What do you eat normally to be so light? You look fine on the outside but it’s like your insides are empty.”
As if I weighed nothing, the man walked with light steps. I suddenly ended up getting a piggy back ride, but this was much better than forcing myself to walk.
I guess you could say that I got passed the second obstacle.
I was required to open the treasure vault, hence giving them a reason to keep me alive. Furthermore, I was able to raise their affection towards me, giving them the false impression that I was on their side. It was favorable. However, there were still two problems remaining.
The first problem was that I had no idea if a treasury existed at all. As soon as they find out that I lied, regardless of affection points or whatever, they’ll murder me.
The other problem was getting rid of the adventurers. If I couldn’t solve these two problems then my fate will always lead to death.
‘Base status’
I moved my lips slightly and whispered.
Nothing happened.
Without being discouraged, I kept experimenting.
‘Dungeon status, dungeon situation…… Mm. Not this either, huh.’
I currently had the ability to access the game system.
It was merely an assumption, but I should be able to use the other status windows than just affection points. For example, being able to see the map of the castle. I was aiming for that.
My prediction was soon confirmed.
‘Demon Lord Castle Status.’
With a ‘tirring~’, a sound rang in my head.
White words appeared before me.
Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle
Type: Cave Title: None Rank: F Special Effect: None Military Force: None Citizens: None Wealth: 100 Libra
※The castle is in ruins. Neighborhood kids refer to this place as a fun playground. This place is in danger of being conquered at any moment. Urgently open the ‘Employment Tab’ and hire forces.
Is that so. At the very most, this was it.
I was hoping that perhaps even a little amount of forces remained, but there really was nothing left. This really was nothing more than a kiddy playground.
I was grateful that I had any wealth at all.
‘Libra’ was the name of the common currency in <Dungeon Attack>. There was a time I was bored and decided to compare currencies. In Korean money, 1 libra was 500,000 won[2].
Right now I had 100 libra.
In other words, I was given about 50,000,000 won[3].
How far could I get with this.
After searching through all kinds of functions in the game, I finally found what I wanted.
‘Employment Tab’.
A half transparent list appeared before me.
Monster
Stamina
Attack
Defense
Price
Slime
F
F
E
4 Libra
Weak Fairy
F
E
F
8 Libra
Goblin Deserter
E
E
F
12 Libra
Weak Golem
D
D
C
20 Libra
……
So weak.
And damn expensive.
No matter how you looked at it, 200,000 won for a slime was overcharging. In this day and age, you could buy two fair cows with 200,000 won. Not calves, but cows. How could a useless slime be twice the price of a cow used for farm work?
Most likely, the price went up because of the game difficulty.
‘Tsk. This messes up my plan……’
At first, I was thinking of pouring my wealth into hiring a unit of monsters. Even if I spent all my money and hired 8 goblin deserters, the chances of them winning against the adventurers was uncertain.
No, these men might be more pathetic than I think. Was it worth testing out?
‘Status’.
I muttered in my mind while staring at an adventurer.
You do not have sufficient affection with this person.
Only the simplest stats will be viewable.
With the same ‘tirring~’ sound from before, a window appeared above the adventurer’s head.
I assumably needed more affection points to see more precise information.
Name: Riff Hoffman Stamina: E Attack: E Defense: E Affection: 6
“Uhg”
I unintentionally let out a groan.
A little bit stronger than a goblin.
He was certainly weak, but that small difference was a big matter to me. The other adventurers had about the same stats. Even if I hired 8 goblins, they were far off from being able to overwhelm these adventurers.
What to do.
There was no certainty in winning or losing. Should I leave it to fate and take a gamble? To risk my life on a gamble. That wasn’t my style. I preferred to raise my chances in winning before going into a fight.
As I was in deep thought.
“We’re almost there!”
An adventurer shouted.
We were almost at the Demon Lord’s room.
“Hah. Why is this cave so big?”
“This is your first time coming to a Demon Lord’s Castle. This is nothing. Normally these castles are full of traps, so you have to tread incredibly slowly.”
The adventurers were chatting rowdily.
There wasn’t much time left. I had to make a decision soon.
Should I make it up by numbers and hire a lot of slimes or fairies? Or, should I hire the strongest golem and attack them by surprise? No. Both sides were far away from being ‘certain victory’. If I allow myself to get in danger……
……Okay. This was the best option.
“Alright! Let’s go in.”
The adventurers poured into the room.
I bit my lips forcefully. Skin tore and blood flowed into my mouth.
If I had to rate my chances, then 70%. It was pathetically low for something that had my life on the line. Regardless, this was the utmost best.
I thought I was free once my father had died. I ran away hoping that I could live a peaceful life.
I got this far and you’re telling me that my life was in danger again? To fall into a strange world and to tell me to die without a single clue on what’s going on just because I had become a Demon Lord? Don’t make me laugh!
Who cares if I’m a Demon Lord or something. If there was a fellow that was trying to end my idle life, then I’ll face them with no mercy. I will live no matter what……
♦
The Demon Lord’s room was a miserable wreck.
“Is there really treasure here?”
This place had most likely been plundered many times already. Be it the bed or the chairs, the wooden furniture were toppled over. It was hard to believe that there was a treasure vault in this mess.
The captain, Riff, spoke.
“Your honor. Hurry up and open up that Mooirakkutoung or whatever.”
I nodded.
“Yes. Do not worry. I know that…… ack!”
I fell over while getting off the new guy’s back. I had twisted my ankle on purpose.
The adventurers reacted in panic.
“Ouch, are you okay?”
“Hey! Support him properly!”
“I-I’m okay. I’m alright.”
I stood up by myself with trembling legs. The core point of acting was to obtain sympathy. If I borrowed another person’s shoulder here, there’s the danger that they might see me as an annoying wounded person.
I went to a wall while limping.
“Everyone, it is here.”
“Ah? All I see is a wall.”
“There’s a carving here only visible to Demon Lords. If you place your hand on the carving and recite a specific spell, then the vault will open.”
I lied without missing a beat.
The adventurers had intrigued expressions on their faces.
“Oh. Magic, huh.”
Beginner adventurers were ignorant in regards to magic, like these adventurers who originally used to be simple farmers or lumberjacks until now. The majority of these men most likely haven’t seen proper magic in their entire life. If I told them it was magic, then they’d simply nod and say “Is that so.”.
I made a request while displaying a pained face.
“Everyone. I’m sorry, but please move 10 steps away from me.”
“Why?”
“Only a Demon Lord can release the magic on the vault. It will never unlock if even one outsider is nearby. If a mistake were to happen, a defense mechanism could occur and you may be hurt.”
“A defense mechanism, you say……”
“Worst case scenario, the treasure could be sealed forever.”
The adventurer’s face immediately turned grave.
As if I had just threatened to take their treasure away from these humans turned money grubbers, the effect was instant. Following my instructions, all 10 men stood in a line and backed off.
One step. Another step.
The adventurers spoke after taking exactly 10 steps.
“How is that. 10 steps, just like you asked.”
“……”
These adventurers were sincere in useless places.
I was in awe, but expression wise, I continued to smile firmly.
“That’s exactly 10 steps. No more and no less. There is a good chance that you all will not be affected by the magic at that range. Well done.”
The adventurers grinned broadly.
“This is nothing.”
“I’m a bit of a perfectionist.”
I think they wholeheartedly believed that.
I’m struck with wonder whenever I meet humans as self-confident as these guys. Humans, with this kind of brain, were able to be separated from Homo sapiens sapiens.
Wouldn’t this be considered a kind of miracle?
I turned my back towards them and faced the wall.
“I shall now begin casting the spell. Everyone, please be silent!”
Obviously, there was no carving on the wall. The fact that the treasury was here was a blatant lie, like I’ve been saying.
But there was something I did believe in.
‘Demon Lord Castle’s Wealth.’
White words appeared on the smooth wall.
Demon Lord Castle’s Wealth
Withdrawal Amount: xxx LibraTotal Balance: 100 Libra
※Warning. If you withdraw too much at once, you may go bankrupt.
This was one of the game functions I found earlier.
Thanks to the Demon Lord’s right, I could withdraw funds wherever and whenever I wanted. It’d all be over if I took out a bunch of coins here.
However, it’d be troubling to simply hand over the money.
A small performance.
Add some spice and gift-wrapping.
Taking in a deep breath— as seriously as I could, I shouted.
“Mahabanyabaramildashimgyeong……!”
…… ……
…… I honestly did shout this seriously.
It was back when I wrote Minlakdong on the ground. The conversations were certainly being translated, but the adventurers could not exactly pronounce the word ‘Minlakdong’. Hence, all the conversations weren’t being translated cleanly.
“Gwanjajaebosal Hengshimbanyabaramildashi Jogyeonohoengaegoeng Doilchaegoaek, Sarija, Saekbeuligoen Goengbeulisaek Saekjeukshigeong Geongjeukshisaek Soosanghaengshik Yeokbooyeoshi……”[4]
For example, words that couldn’t be translated into this world’s language; chemical formulas like H2O or professional terms like ‘Deformation‘, could not be translated. Furthermore, words that I perceived as proper nouns weren’t translated either. This was the reason why the adventurers had no idea what Minlakdong meant. Things like Mahabanyabaramildashimgyeon were the same.
Despite the fact that Minlak had the meaning of ‘citizen happiness’, it was not converted. Even banyabalamildashimgyeon could be interpreted, but it wasn’t to these men.
The reason behind this was because I wasn’t saying these words with the meaning in mind.
Thus.
“T-That’s the demon language?”
“I have no idea what he’s saying but it sounds menacing.”
“I feel like something is making my heart tremble……”
To the adventurers, it would really seem like I was shouting an unknown incantation.
“Beobgoensang Beulsaenbeulmyeol Beulgeuboojeong Boojeunbeulgam Shigo Geongjeongmoosaek……”
While I used my mouth to keep chanting, I used my eyes to earnestly stare at the window.
I had to slowly time when to take the money out.
Demon Lord Castle’s Wealth
Withdrawal Amount: 79 Libra Total Balance: 21 Libra
※Warning. If you withdraw too much at once, you may go bankrupt.
I decided to take out about 8/10 of all I had.
It’d probably be suspicious if I withdrew a solid amount of 80, so I purposely set it to 79.
“Ajaeajae Baraajae Baraseunajae Moji Sabaha—!”
I lifted my arms up and yelled gloriously.
As I said the last line of the incantation, I thought the word ‘withdraw’ in my mind.
Then, silver coins formed in mid-air and fell.
“S-Silver! It’s silver!”
“How much is all that!?”
“It really was magic!”
5 silver coins equalled 1 gold coin. In total, 395 silver coins rained down. The average farmer in <Dungeon Attack> made around 15 silver a year.
Meaning, this was a jackpot for the adventurers.
“Oh! Ooooooh……!”
Silver coins were forming a heaping pile on the floor.
80% of my entire fortune was pulled out in an instant.
Their bodies were probably burning up from seeing so much money rain in front of them.
“Hey. You guys haven’t forgotten that we’re splitting this up equally for each of us, right?”
“Of course. Whoever tries to change their word now, I’ll kill you!”
The adventurers stared at the silver with bloodshot eyes.
The smell of greed flowed from their mouths.
Demon Lord Castle’s Wealth
Withdrawal Amount: xx Libra Total Balance: 21 Libra
※Warning. If you withdraw too much at once, you may go bankrupt.
The final coin dropped.
Like a bunch of wolves, the adventurers tried to rush forward.
What impatient men.
Aiming for when they took their first step— I raised my hand quickly.
“Do not approach yet! You’ll be cursed!”
“C-Curse?”
Hearing the disturbing word, they came to a halt.
I fell to my knees and as if I was under some intense pain, I started to groan.
“Gaaaah……!”
I contorted my face as much as I could.
Foam overflowed from my mouth.
The adventurers were startled by the sudden situation.
“W-What’s going on!? What’s going on, your honor!?”
“It’s black magic! He’s been cursed by black magic!”
The men stumbled back in fear.
In order to make my performance seem more real, I collided my already broken ankle on the ground. Pain vibrated through me. An agonizing scream ruptured from my lungs.
“Aack— Kuaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
I cried out while grabbing my eye sockets. While doing so, I took a glimpse at the adventurers from between my fingers. Their faces were pale. There were even some men trying to make a run for it. My greatest performance was working.
“Oh God. That’s terrible……”
“Just what’s happening? Are you okay!?”
One of the braver adventureres tried to approach me, but I hurried prevented him from doing so.
“S-Stay back! This is the consequence for using black magic…… If you get close, aaagh, you could be affected as well…… kuh, gaah!”
“Hiiih!”
The man stopped promptly.
The adventurers had watched silver coins appear out of thin air. To them this was magic. They could do nothing but believe that whatever I told them was magic was true.
The adventurers started to mutter to each other.
“By any chance. Did he tell us to take 10 steps back…… for our sake?”
“It was his chance to get rid of us……”
Yes.
This was the response I wanted.
If my plan was going to work, I had to raise their affection rate towards me as high as possible. And what would leave the strongest impression on someone?
When someone sacrifices oneself to save them.
Like right now.
“Huaaaaaaak!”
I writhed in pain more intensely.
“W-Wait. He’ll die at this rate! Are you sure we shouldn’t stop him!?”
“You idiot, did you not hear him say it was black magic? Have you not heard the stories of people dying by some weird curse!?”
“Dail is right. The only thing we can do is…… regrettably, wait here patiently.”
“Damn it.”
Some of the adventurers cursed angrily.
At this point, notice windows popped up continuously.
Your devilish performance has captivated the people.
Adventurer Riff’s affection went up by 15.
Adventurer Dail’s affection went up by 13.
Adventurer Zed’s affection went up by 19.
Perfect.
As intended, a sharp increase in affection.
With my nails, I ripped some skin off of my face. Red blood spurted out. It was incredibly painful, however this was light compared to the weight of my life. My screams continued on for a while.
Moments later.
I let out a ragged breath.
“It’s, okay now…… You can collect the coins now…… it’s fine.”
“Mm.”
“E-Ehem.”
They’re attitude had completely changed.
The wolves that desperately wanted to swallow up the coins earlier were nowhere to be seen now. The adventurers were all afraid that the coins might still be cursed.
“You go first and check.”
“No no. You know the saying ‘respect your elders’, the oldest should go.”
The men presented the chance to go first to one another, but never taking it themselves.
Having enough, the party leader stood forward.
“Screw it! You’re all cowards! I don’t know why you have anything down there. I should probably chop it off with my axe. You were all confident in conquering a Demon Lord’s Castle, but look at you all now!”
The leader of this party, Riff, roared.
“And Dail, you one-eyed person. You’ve been with me for 2 years now. What are you doing hiding with those greenhorns!”
“Well, this is my first time witnessing black magic.”
“Oh, look at you still making excuses. What’s a fellow, who’s a senior, doing cowering like a newbie!”
“Then you go first.”
“Yeah. The captain should go first.”
The other men nodded in agreement.
Riff twitched his nose.
“I was going to even if you didn’t tell me, you cowards.”
Riff walked proudly towards the pile of silver.
The adventurers whispered to one another while watching their captain march.
“He’s being prideful again.”
“He’s got his nose bent plenty of times while acting proud, too.”
“What’d you say!?”
Riff glared at them. His bear-like face looked like some vandal when he scowled. The men avoided his glare and whistled.
Riff turned back to the silver pile.
“Hoo… hoo…… Here I go!”
He reached out and grabbed a coin.
It was obvious, but absolutely nothing happened. There was no black magic in the first place.
Not knowing this fact, Riff exaggeratedly laughed mockingly at the others.
“Look at that! Didn’t his honor, Demon Lord, already say that there was no curse now? Idiots, I should just cut your dicks off now! Kekeke!”
“……”
The adventurers glanced at each other awkwardly.
Watching the chain of events from a distance, I couldn’t help but mockingly smirk.
I wonder if it was because I had acquired enough affection, but I could see more detailed information on Riff’s status window. There, I could see the mental state of Riff that he wasn’t voicing.
Name: Riff Hoffman Race: Human Job: Lumberjack(B), Adventurer(F) Reputation: Dust in the galaxy Leadership: E \ Might: E \ Intelligence: FPolitics: F \ Charm: F \ Technique: E Affection: 21 Current Mental State: ‘Ah, shit. I thought my liver was going to fall out. My legs are still shaking……!’
It was a bluff.
Well done scolding your subordinates when you were also trembling in fear. The other adventurers, not having realized this, were scratching the back of their heads.
“T-Then let’s go as well.”
“Mm. The captain did prove it to us.”
“Lesser people like us should follow his lead.”
The men approached the pile carefully.
“Hah. You sorry batch of men.”
Riff was sneering but he didn’t try to stop the other adventurers from approaching in particular.
Following after, the other adventurers started feeling up the coins greedily. In case someone tried to take more coins than they should, the adventurers watched each other intently.
“If there’s a single coin in your backpocket, I’ll beat you up personally.”
“Split everything equally. Don’t try to be a thief!”
Quite a lot of time had passed before they had finally counted all the coins.
Riff snorted with satisfaction.
“Hu. In total there’s 386 silver coins.”
Huh.
I narrowed my brows a bit. I’m certain I had taken out 395 silver coins.
Where’d the remaining 9 go to.
“……”
“……”
A couple of the men were fidgeting nervously.
……So they couldn’t hold back and managed to steal some. Despite the fact that they kept threatening each other, there were some people who were able to successfully steal in the end. How marvelous.
“Alright. Let’s fairly split up 38 pieces each.”
“Then there’ll be 6 remaining. What about the change?”
“What about it? I, the captain. will take it.”
Riff shamelessly declared.
The other adventurers booed and sent jeers.
“Captain was the one that said to divide equally no matter what, in the first place!”
“That’s dirty. Dirty!”
“Shut up you swines! If it wasn’t for me, you cowards wouldn’t have approached the money at all.”
“That’s that and this is this!”
“What’s that and what’s this! Speak clearly!”
Beginner adventurer party had met internal conflict so soon.
It was like an argument between kids.
After a lively debate, it was decided that Riff would take the change.
“Tsk tsk. A bunch of narrow-minded bigots.”
Riff grumbled. It seemed that he got offended that the others were so against conceding the leftover 6 pieces of silver to him, the captain. I couldn’t tell who the narrow-minded person was.
Anyways, it was starting to become time.
“Everyone.”
I opened my mouth.
“I’m sorry to disturb you all while you’re busy, but I have something to tell you all.”
“Hm? Oh, what is it?”
Their response was half-hearted. The adventurers were occupied shoving their portion of the coins into their bags or shoes. Some of them were even loosening their belts to shove the silver into their underwear. It was quite dirty.
“I apologize, but the event we had feared has occurred. Just now, other adventurer parties has invaded the castle.”
“……”
Their hands froze immediately.
“What?”
“I am a Demon Lord. There’s a magic system set up that notifies me whenever someone invades my castle. A moment ago, I heard a bell ring in my head.”
The adventurer’s eyes opened wide in panic.
“D-Demon Lord, is that true?”
“Yes. Unfortunately, this is the truth.”
“Isn’t there the chance that you heard wrong?”
“……Of course, there is the possibility. I too am hoping that I heard wrong. However, I’ve heard the same bell ring 4 times this month. To be mishearing things now is very unlikely.”
I confessed to them with a sad expression.
The men were visibly shaken. While I acted, there were times that I felt like I could see other people’s emotions in the shape of a thick cloud. I was touching that cloud here and there and forming it to my will.
“T-The numbers. Do you know how many people?”
“Not exactly. I could take a guess by counting the rings……”
I bit my lips, giving off the feeling that the number was hard to reveal. Seeing this, the adventurers grew more anxious.
“I don’t care if it’s an estimate! Just tell us how many there are!”
“……The bell rang 3 times in a row.”
“What does that mean?”
“The bell rings once every 10 people who invade my castle. In other words, at the very least, 30 people has invaded.”
Thirty people.
An amount of people too large for the people in front of me to handle.
The adventurers became pale.
▯Adventurer, Cowardly Looter, Riff Hoffman Empire Calender: Year 1505, Month 4, Day 4 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle
I didn’t like the situation at all.
According to what the Demon Lord had said, there was another group of invading adventurers in the cave. The number was at the very least, 30. This was no joke…… damn it.
I had picked weaklings on purpose to bring here. People with skill demanded more money. In the case of my adventurer group, the treasure in the vault was to be split fairly, but the bounty on the Demon Lord Dantalian was all mine for the taking. If I wanted to establish this kind of agreement, I could only gather these run of the mill adventurers.
Shit. I should have just spent more money and hired skilled people. No, even if I did, 30 people was too much. They wouldn’t be able to handle this amount. My insides were strangely bitter……
“We could win if we hold out in this room!”
“Are you insane. It’s 30 people, thirty! We’ll be overwhelmed!”
“If you’re going to fight, then leave me out. I never had the hobby of killing myself. I’ll get out on my own.”
“Hah! This filthy coward! Finally showing your true colors!”
The men were split into two groups and arguing.
People who wanted to stay here and fight, and people who wanted to escape. They had been arguing for over 10 minutes now, but they were yet to come together like they did before.
Honestly, I didn’t have a good idea either. Obviously we should run, but there was no certainty that we wouldn’t meet the other adventurer party on the way out. That was the problem. Crap, what do I have to do to get out safely……
……wait.
Think about it the other way around.
If we had to face them then face them. It’s fine as long as I get away safely. It’s not my problem if the others live or die.
I took out a map and checked. There were 3 routes from here to the cave entrance.
I approached the Demon Lord and asked him.
“Hey, your honor. How many paths are there that leads from the castle entrance to here?”
“There are 3.”
As expected, the map was accurate. Even the Demon Lord confirmed it.
“Do you know which route they’re coming from?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell that far……”
The Demon Lord spoke with an ashamed expression.
“No, it’s fine. I’m grateful you even told me about the invaders.”
I lightly patted the Demon Lord’s shoulder. Once doing so, he lowered his head graciously.
I said this before, but this guy really has no guts. Even though he’s a Demon Lord, he’s been speaking respectfully to a human like me. Does he have no pride? To say it nicely, he knows his place. What more would he get then get hit if he showed defiance. Kekeke.
At that moment, the Demon Lord looked straight at my eyes. He appeared weirdly serious so I couldn’t help but become stiff in response.
“Sir Riff. I’m fated to be captured by adventurers no matter what.”
“Hm? So?”
“Then, I at least wish to choose a safer path. You all did not kill me the moment you saw me. Just that alone makes me wish to be on your side. Please live, and make a wise decision.”
Aha.
He was begging for me to save his life.
I started to feel familiarity with the little one in front of me. Pride wasn’t needed if it meant survival. I thought so as well.
“Hehe. You sure know your stuff, your honor. Okay, don’t worry. If you believe in me then you will definitely get to the city safely.”
“Thank you. Thank you very much……”
It was cute because he looked like a pet, lowering his head over and over again like that.
I tapped the Demon Lord’s cheek while chuckling. It was a sign of affection. It’s okay to be happy.
I shouted at the men that were still arguing.
“Attention!”
They shut their mouths. I guess they realized that there was no point in fighting each other. They glared this way with bloodshot eyes.
“We’re retreating.”
“But captain!”
“Listen up you greenhorns. Are you not able to see properly because of the coins in your pockets? Who do you think you are? You guys only faced 2 goblins on our way here. How do you plan to face 30 adventurers with just that ability?”
I gave them a menacing look.
I’ve grown up being told that I had a vulgar looking face. There was no one here that was brave enough to face me properly.
“Stop dreaming. You’ll die without being able to do anything.”
“……but captain. There’s no guarantee that things will go well if we escape.”
The person to speak was the one who was silent and didn’t get involved in the argument.
This bald one-eyed man was a reasonably skilled senior.
“What are you going to do if we unluckily meet the enemy? We could at least hold out here and fend them off, but there’s no answer if we meet them out there.”
“I know, you bastard. That’s why we’ll split up and go down three separate paths.”
“Three separate paths?”
“There’s three routes from here to the castle entrance. Pick your path and run that way.”
A moment of silence passed.
The men creased their brows.
“……captain. Surely you don’t mean.”
“Yeah. One of the three groups will meet the enemy no matter what. However, oppositely, the other two groups will live.”
“That’s just an escape-goat!”
The one-eyed man retorted loudly. He must have been seriously enraged because the veins on his neck were visible. Tsk, he’s a good guy but the places he got serious at made it tiring.
The other guys complained as well, saying things like “That’s not right!” and “We’d rather all die together!”.
A bunch of peerless fools they were. You all don’t know what death means. That’s why you’re easily able to say that you’re willing to die together.
……but there was no benefit in speaking truthfully here. Let’s talk while mixing lies here and there. What? I’m only honest to myself. I never said that I was honest with other people as well, did I?
“Shut up you punks! My job is to send as many people as I can back home!”
They twitched. Would you look at that. They got scared just because I shouted a bit. There’s a limit to expectations if they thought they could fight 30 people with this attitude.
“You guys all have a family, right? Man’s pride? That’s good. Companionship? That’s also nice. But what’s the point of worrying about all that if we end up dead, huh? Who’s going to take responsiblity of your families?”
“……”
“What about your kids? What about the fellow village people working in the fields in our stead? What about your wives?”
A complicated silence fell upon them.
As expected, there’s nothing as persuasive as family. Even though I was illiterate, I at least knew how to deal with people.
“The one’s who are alive will take responsibility for the families of the one’s that have fallen.”
I made my words a notch softer and concluded.
“We have no more corners to back up to, you punks. Think about your families and the village. Everything else is useless. Forget it all and only think of your families……”
They lowered their heads.
Of course. If you thought with reason then my suggestion was the best. It was just the fact that they had to sacrifice someone else’s life that was hard to accept. They had to cut off that part of their minds.
The adventurers separated into 3 units.
4, 3, 3 people each.
“Let’s get going now.”
I ordered sternly.
Which route met with the enemy, that all relied on luck. Well, if you asked if it really was entirely based on luck then that wasn’t right.
I purposely placed the Demon Lord in another group. If the enemy had a magical energy detecting device then it would react to the Demon Lord. The target will naturally go to him. In other words, he worked as bait. I was good at using my head in this kind of places.
Alright. Time to genuinely run away.
Please die, my close comrades.
So that way, I can live.
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 4, Day 4 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle
The adventurers patted each other’s shoulders lightly. They then departed down their own path out of the three.
“Go and die, you dogs.”
“You’ll be the one dying. I’ll make sure to enjoy your wife in your stead.”
The adventurers swearing at each other was simply a coping method. They knew that if their farewells were heavy then their feet would be heavy as well.
The leader of the unit I was with spoke.
“We should get going as well.”
“Yeah.”
I was on the back of the new guy again.
The unit I was with specially had 4 members. It was because they had extra luggage to carry, which was me. The person that was temporarily acting as leader was the one-eyed bald man. The person who refuted against Riff earlier.
“……”
“……”
Gloomy footsteps echoed throughout the cavern.
Not a single person said a word. The shadow of people reflected on the cavern wall by the torches. The shadows wavered like a mirage.
When Riff suggested to divide the group into three, I honestly wanted to run around in joy. That was the idea I was originally going to propose. I was afraid of a group of 10 adventurers together, but I didn’t fear a group split up into 3’s and 4’s.
They were foolish.
Riff suggested to split up in order to raise his chances of survival as much as possible, however, he was mistaken from the premise. He completely believed the words of a Demon Lord. Normally, adventurers and Demon Lords were supposed to be hostile to one another, but they had easily trusted my information.
Were they being careless, or did I really appear to be that pitiful. If it was the latter, then that was a relief. It was proof that my acting skills weren’t rusty yet. The price to pay for being careless shall be huge, Riff.
I stared at the empty space in front of me.
A half transparent map was being projected. Red dots had split down three separate paths and were drifting away from each other.
Amongst the functions in the system, there was the ability to see a map. Conveniently, the adventurers were displayed as red dots and even showed their current positions.
There was a thick cavern wall between each routes. There were pathways that connected the routes at a couple of places, but only I, who had the system map, knew this. The adventurers had no means of communication whatsoever.
Even if a massacre was to occur.
‘Employment Tab.’
I spoke in my mind.
A ridiculously cheerful ‘tirring~’ sound effect rang.
Monster
Stamina
Attack
Defense
Price
Slime
F
F
E
4 Libra
Weak Fairy
F
E
F
8 Libra
Goblin Deserter
E
E
F
12 Libra
Weak Golem
D
D
C
20 Libra
For a slight moment.
It was probably for only an instant, but there was hesitation in my eyes.
The adventurers had split themselves up into 3 groups. They trusted the Demon Lord Dantalian when they should have been hostile against him. They had not only lowered their fighting prowess, but they were mentally unprepared as well.
The optimum requirement for a surprise attack.
But the reason why I was hesitating for a moment…… who knows.
If I hired monsters and attacked the adventurers here, then I’d be crossing the Rubicon River[5]. For the adventurers to die or for myself to die. Only one of the two future existed. There was no going back.
“……”
The inside of my mouth felt dry.
It was impossible to return once I’ve made my decision.
I was realizing the weight of my choice.
Then, the second choice box since coming to this world had appeared.
[1. Annihilate the adventurers like this.]
[2. Be taken by the adventurers like this.]
…… just as I thought. I figured out in what situations these choices appeared.
When my life was on the line, or when other people’s lives were on the line. These boxes popped up in those immensely vital points, as if telling me to really think about my decision carefully.
Regardless, my obvious choice was option number 1.
A hopeful future for a Demon Lord captured by humans did not exist. Even if the adventurers decided not to kill me, it was useless. The adventurers will sell me over to the city in order to gain the bounty, and then my head will be displayed on the town square to show off to the people about how well the cutting off of my head was done.
So thus, I selected number 1.
I’ll kill every last human before me.
‘Hire Weak Golem.’
You’ve hired a Weak Golem.
Would you like to summon Weak Golem?
My entire fortune of 21 Libra shrunk down to a single Libra in an instant.
At the same moment, the cave floor was covered in light.
“H-Huuh?”
“What’s going on!?”
The adventurers panicked.
The light caused by the summoning circle lit up the dark cavern entirely for a brief second. The moment everyone’s gaze was focused on the circle, I bared my teeth.
CRUUUNCH!
It sounded like a plastic bag was being ripped. However, it was something much more raw than a plastic bag. With my teeth, I had bit down strongly onto the ear of the newbie adventurer who was carrying me.
“Kuaaaaaah!”
The adventurer cried out and flailed his body. I, who was on his back, fell to the floor. I was already preparing a safe way to fall, so the impact wasn’t too big.
“J-Jack!? What happened! What’s wrong!?”
“Guh, ah, ear! My ear!”
The vision that was focused on the summoning circle moved to here.
With a genuinely fearful expression, I pointed towards the other side.
“Everyone! Behind you! Look behind you!”
In the spot I was pointing at was an arm made of stone reaching out from the earth.
The stone arm grasped the ground and, like a demon coming out of Hell itself, a bulky body emerged. A disturbing ‘grrrrdduh, grduh’ sound resonated. It was the sound of boulders grinding against each other. The adventurers stared at the summoning magic with their mouths agape.
“M-My God……”
“Raise your shields! Take out your swords!”
The adventurers were moving about in confusion. Nevertheless, the bald one-eyed man, proving that he wasn’t just the sub-captain by name, gave orders to his comrades. However, your enemy wasn’t only the golem that had suddenly appeared.
“Mmmm……!?”
I jumped back onto the back of the new guy and covered his mouth. The man opened his eyes widely.
His eyes looked like they were shouting, ‘What are you doing!?’.
He had a dagger on his hip that I had been eyeing since the beginning. I pulled his dagger out and brought it down on his throat. Once, twice, thrice, and finally for the fourth time. I didn’t even give him the opportunity to resist.
“Eub, pbb…… huppbb……”
The newbie screamed, but the sound was muffled by my hand making it only sound like a moan.
Soon the groans became bright red blood and drenched my hand stickily.
“Uuh……eub……”
I silently stared down at the new guy’s eyes.
Finally, his body went limp.
This took 8 seconds.
The other adventurers had no idea that the newbie was murdered behind them.
Thus, I had committed my first murder, but I didn’t have time to get sentimental. The situation was still dire. I immediately hid the dagger in my clothes and turned my head.
“∎∎∎∎∎∎—!”
Right on time, the golem had climbed out fully.
As if celebrating the fact that it had escaped from the stifling underground world, the golem raised its head and let out a long roar. The ceiling of the cave shook, making the stalactites tremble as well. Even if it was called ‘weak golem’, at this moment, the one dominating this space was that monster.
This was a monster.
This was a demon.
It looked so much different from humans and that atrocious outer appearance was enough to plant fear into the hearts of humans.
“Hiiiik……!”
The adventurers shrunk back. One man’s arms were trembling so much that he had dropped his torch. Since the light from the summoning circle was gone, the cavern had returned back to being dark— that raised the adventurer’s fears to no limit. The light from the torch gave the cave a reddish glow, giving only slight glimpses of that massive body in the distant darkness.
People who used to do farm work for a living in their hometown.
These people may have been realizing for the first time.
That adventurer was a discreditable occupation that normally faced against mythical terrors like this.
“E-Euuuuh……”
The three adventurers gathered together. This was an instinct implanted into humans, to unite together with their comrades when facing a large beast. However, in this situation that instinct had made them commit a grave mistake.
“∎∎, ∎∎∎∎∎∎∎—!”
As big as the golem was, its footsteps were slow.
If the adventurers had spread out instead of grouping together, then they may have been able to deal with the golem. But these men lacked experience. Experience of fighting various types of demons.
Like a tank, the golem advanced towards the men. Its feet came down with a thud and shook the ground. The tremors violently jolted the darkness.
The adventurers could do nothing but hold up their wooden shields. Their entire body had become rigid. They should probably be complimented for not having run away on the spot.
“T-This person is dead!”
I intensely shook the already disordered adventurers by another level. I was holding up the new guy’s chest and shouting.
“He suddenly fell! It’s black magic! Someone unbeknownst to me is assaulting everyone! Quickly, please get away!”
“What……”
A moment of unrest.
However, faltering for even a second while a golem was right in front of you, that was more than enough time to bring about a tragic end.
The adventurers’ attention was dispersed. Aiming for that chance, the golem swung its fist. The target was the bald one-eyed man. As the person responsible for this unit, when he had heard that the new guy had died, he had turned this way for a brief second. The golem’s heavy stone fist smashed into his body just like that.
There wasn’t even a shout.
His skull was crushed and he was met with instant death.
The wooden shield which the village blacksmith had made was of no use.
“………… uh, aah?”
One step late, the survivors reacted.
Honestly, to say that it was a proper reaction was miserable.
One adventurer, as if giving up on all hope, fell to his knees. The other adventurer decided oppositely and was about to escape. Tossing away his torch and sword, he got rid of anything that was weighing him down and ran.
It’d be troubling if I missed one person here.
“This way! Run this way!”
“Uh, ah! Aah!”
Giving me an obscure response, the adventurer ran towards me. It was like the behavior unconsciously taken by people during a fire. When told to escape this way, they ran towards that direction recklessly.
I pulled the man close and whispered.
“Calm your breathing. Golems lack good eye-sight and hearing. If you quietly hide in the corner of the cave, then you’ll be safe. You can believe me. I’m an expert on demon characteristics.”
O-Okay. I understand.”
“Now, follow after me and breathe slowly. One. Two. Hoo.”
“Hoo…… hooo.”
“Good. That’s it. Inhale and exhale slowly.”
The adventurer settled his breathing. I grabbed his hand tightly. It was a well-known fact that people became relaxed when a professional grabbed their hand during a crisis.
“One……”
The adventurer breathed while following my command. I stealthily pulled out the dagger.
“Two……”
It was at the moment he was going to breathe out. With the blade, I slit his throat. Calm breathing could never come out of his mouth ever again. Blood filled his gullet and his breathing couldn’t become words. The only sound to come out were gurgles and coughs. Shortly after, the man met death.
At about the same time the man stopped breathing in my arms, the golem had taken care of the other remaining person.
The golem simply raised its foot and stomped the last man. The human body was a lot harder than I had expected. A man’s body wasn’t crushed immediately.
A terrible scream came from the adventurer each time the golem’s feet came down. The screams grew weaker as the stomping continued. At a certain point, the screams itself had stopped completely. Only the sound of bones breaking echoed lowly. The sticky substance attached to the golem’s foot was probably the man’s guts.
It was a gruesome conclusion.
“……Hoo.”
I sat back against the cave wall.
Exhaustion weighed down on my entire body. The heat had yet to subside. I didn’t know that warmth could be so unpleasant. On the other hand, the cold coming off the wall was good. It was the perfect temperature for me right now.
Half the temperature.
Half.
“……It’s not over yet.”
I muttered to myself.
I felt tired as if I had stayed up for four nights in a row. Regardless, I had several manuals carved into my skull. Carved like the ancient hieroglyphics in Egypt. The instincts, that was implanted into me since I was a child, whispered to me.
‘Clean up everything.’
If you don’t want your crime to be caught henceforth.
‘End what you’ve started.’
If you don’t want malice and apprehension to remain.
“……”
I calmly knitted my brows.
My pounding chest slowed down.
My breathing settled and my composure returned.
Humans were beasts of instincts.
If you create an instinct for every possible situation, then no matter when and where you are, you’ll be able to cope like a beast of prey.
There was no need for trial and error.
In that sense, my father’s words were correct.
In truth, I, ‘whose life was in danger’ responded by ‘getting rid of the humans who endangered me’ with no hesitation whatsoever. You could say it was thanks to that I could stay alive.
“At any rate, father is still…”
Even after death he was haunting me like a bothersome ghost.
I stood up and went through the pockets of the corpses. This was not stealing.
I’m only taking back what was mine. After going through all the inside pockets and shoes, my fortune went up to 34 gold coins.
It was enough to summon one more golem and a goblin as well.
“Map Window”
The inner map of the cave popped up in mid-air.
I wonder if it was because they were moving cautiously, but the other two groups hadn’t gotten that far ahead. I decided to go and wait at the locations that they’ll arrive at. Using a shortcut unknown to the adventurers, I got ahead of them.
♦
“Shit, why is there a monster left……!”
The second battle commenced.
The plan was very simple.
The golem was sitting in a dark corner of the tunnel. As much as its body was made of stone, in a dark tunnel, it was impossible to tell the golem apart from the other boulders. So thus, right when the adventurers were passing by, I launched a sudden attack.
The surprise attack worked nicely.
On the first hit an adventurer’s head was destroyed. Another adventurer was then grasped by the golem’s hand, it then crushed the body with ease.
It took merely 40 seconds for the unit of three to shrink down to only a single man standing.
“Keuuk!?”
I stabbed the back of the remaining adventurer who was focusing on only the golem.
This time it wasn’t a dagger but a long sword. The blade fully pierced through his chest.
“It can’t, be……”
The adventurer looked down at his chest. He had an expression on his face as if he couldn’t believe that a sword was going through his chest.
The adventurer twisted his face, bright red bloodshot eyes glared at me.
“Demon Lord, you bastard…… betrayed us……!”
“……”
I pulled the long sword out.
The man fell to the floor. I wonder if the blade had sliced his lungs. His last breath just now was wheezy. Like the sound of air leaking out of a punctured bicycle wheel. That was the man’s last scream.
“Betrayal, huh.”
You were wrong.
I never betrayed you men. On the contrary, it was the opposite. You men were the invaders and this was Dantalian’s home. If you had not charged in here, then you wouldn’t have had to die.
“Haah.”
I went through the pockets of the corpses.
Red blood was stained on the copper and silver coins. I held these coins tightly.
As long as I was trapped in the role of the Demon Lord Dantalian, other adventurer parties will come to capture me in the future. In preparation for that day, I have to collect war funds.
Demon Lord Castle’s Wealth
Withdrawal Amount: xx Libra Total Balance: 58 Libra
※Warning. If you withdraw too much at once, you may go bankrupt.
I deposited the money into the castle vault.
If you included the 20 Libra that I had spent on summoning the golem, then I was almost back to having the original amount I had started with. Now everything will be over once I got rid of Riff’s group. I climbed up onto the golem’s shoulder and headed towards the next stage.
In a moment, I arrived at the entrance of the castle.
I made the golem lie in wait and stood in a dignified stance at the cave entrance.
Around 20 minutes passed. From the other side of the tunnel a group emerged. It was Riff’s unit.
“Hm? If it isn’t your honorable Demon Lord.”
Riff recognized me and creased his brows.
“How come you’re by yourself? Where are the others?”
I did not answer.
I wonder if they had noticed that the atmosphere was grim. The group stopped walking on their own. Well, if you had eyes then it was normal to feel like something was off. My entire body was fatigued.
“Your honor. I asked where the others are.”
Riff asked again. Impatience started to show on his face. ‘Everyone is alright. They left to do something real quick’. He was probably hoping for this kind of response. I cut down that hope mercilessly.
“They’re dead.”
“…… eh?”
“They’re all dead. Not just the group that was with me. Excluding your group, all seven men have died. They’re probably enjoying a nice beer together in the after life.”
A voice so cold came out of my mouth that it even surprised me as well. It wasn’t simply cold, but a strong feeling of mockery was mixed in as well. You could tell by the contorting look on Riff’s face.
“Don’t tell me…… the enemy attacked on both sides?”
“Sir Riff. Please stop acting the fool when you already understood what has happened. If what you said was correct, then there’s no chance for me to be standing here like this.”
I chuckled.
“There are no invading enemy forces anywhere in the castle. That was a lie. A big fat lie.”
“What?”
“Do you still not understand? It was purely a strategy made to kill each and every one of you.”
The adventurer’s faces changed dramatically.
From welcoming to suspicion. From suspicion to rage.
But this wasn’t enough. My goal was to raise their rage into wrath. I twisted the edges of my mouth and grinned widely.
“It’s all thanks to you, Riff. I’m honestly grateful that you believed me so easily. Adventurers trusting a Demon Lord. The main character to make this unlaughable comedy a success was not me, but you.”
“It was all a trick……?”
“Yes. I killed all 7 people with these hands.”
I took out the dagger I had hidden within my clothes. You could see the blood distinctively on the blade.
“This person and that person were all nothing but fools. Each time I stabbed their necks with this dagger, they each reacted by opening their eyes wide. Did you all honestly believe that a Demon Lord like myself would obediently cooperate? That’s why beginner adventurers who lack experience are laughable.”
“……”
“The newbie’s reaction was especially amazing. He looked at me and muttered ‘It can’t be’ even though blood was pouring out of his throat. So I politely stabbed him one more time. His wife back home should be relieved. She’s better off not having such a foolish hu—”
Adventurer Riff’s affection went down by 21.
Adventurer Zed’s affection went down by 23.
Adventurer Zack’s affection went down by 20.
The affection of the three adventurers instantly fell to 0. And amongst those three, someone had thrown a stone at me as hard as they could. With a thuck the stone hit my forehead. The rock contained a lot of killing intent. He probably intended to finish me with that. But, unfortunately, the aim was slightly off so after scratching a bit of my forehead it had flown passed me.
“—That’s not right.”
I’m sorry to say, but that was your last chance to hit me. If you had tossed it a bit better I may have died. You may have received the happy ending of ‘the adventurers defeated the Demon Lord’. It might have been a very slim chance but that opportunity very much existed.
“Not the side of my head, but here.”
I tapped the center of my forehead with my finger.
“∎∎∎∎, ∎∎∎∎∎—!”
It was at that moment the golem attacked them from behind. The golem, that was crouched like a boulder a second ago, reached out its arms.
It was the final battle.
Please do your best to resist, Riff. You’re the first human to push my head down onto the ground in the past 10 years. I’ve been vowing to repay you back fully for what you did for quite a while now.
▯Adventurer, Cowardly Looter, Riff Hoffman Empire Calender: Year 1505, Month 4, Day 4 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle
Impossible. This is impossible!
What is that man? He’s giving off a completely different atmosphere compared to earlier! Where’d the man who kept lowering his head like a small fry disappear to? Who is that man over there who’s grinning so shamelessly……!?
“Kuaaaaaaah!”
Shit, another one got done in.
It was especially bad that the golem had come from behind. Before we could even react someone was already dead. We tried our best to fight with just us two but…… damn it.
The weakness of inexperienced adventurers was revealed here. The other remaining adventurer was getting too worked up so he wasn’t able to back me up properly. This half-wit. Excitement will only become poison during combat. How has he not shoved this basic information into his skull yet!
…… No. The person who brought these greenhorns to the Demon Lord’s castle was me. I was blinded by greed and ended up making a mistake. At the time I didn’t think it was wrong. I kept telling myself that it was a smart idea. In the end, did my foolishness bring upon this misfortune……?
The words the Demon Lord had said while he was being cynical was right. We were too careless. Shit. But I don’t plan to die easily, you know!
Despite everything, I’m still a professional when it comes to surviving. I’ll struggle disgracefully to the very end if I have to.
“I-I surrender!”
I tossed away my shield and sword.
The man before me uttered a “Oh?”, and raised the corners of his mouth. That smile came incredibly naturally to him. That was probably his true-self; cold-blooded, merciless, and more sinister than anyone else.
“Aren’t you being quite well-behaved, Captain Riff.”
“I will do whatever you want if you spare my life. I-I really did not know. That your honor was such a terrifying person. Please, I beg for your forgiveness.”
I did my best to display a pathetic expression.
It was obvious what was going on in your head, Demon Lord.
You had won and I had lost. The positions were suddenly switched. The Demon Lord who was pretending to be the loser until now was finally able to reverse the situation.
You’re probably thrilled and excited. It’s clear that you’ll want to enjoy this as much as you can. To take delight in your victory by humiliating me as you please.
“I was dull and foolish. I apologize, honorable Demon Lord! Please feel pity for this lowly human and grant me mercy! I will never step foot in your honor’s territory ever again……!”
I slammed my forehead against the floor repetitively.
I didn’t care if this method was loud and pathetic. It was better if it was noisy. The most important part was to satisfy the other person’s pride. Sure enough, the Demon Lord grinned.
“I see. If you wish to apologize then do so by cutting off your own hand.”
“M-My hand?”
“Yes. Do so and I will let you live. I won’t cut your arms or legs off either.”
The Demon Lord chuckled.
“Think carefully. In truth, I’m the one at a loss in this trade.”
It was the exact words that I had tossed in ridicule at the Demon Lord before. Those words came right back at me like an arrow. I grinded my teeth.
But this was a chance. I would be able to take out a weapon without having to worry about drawing suspicion.
“Of course. I will more than gladly cut my hand. Thank you for forgiving me. Thank you very much, honorable Demon Lord……”
I took out the dagger that was attached to my hip.
While lifting up the dagger in the air as if to bring it down onto my hand, I stood up just like that and charged at the Demon Lord.
You naively showed an opening, Demon Lord Dantalian!
“Haaaaaaaaaa!”
I ran while crying out. I’m sorry to say but I’m gifted at controlling people’s psychology. It’s your own fault for getting overconfident and lowering your guard just because you were so close to winning.
The Demon Lord may have been holding a long sword, but it was too late to get into a proper stance. The golem behind me probably won’t make it on time. Even if the front or the back moves, I’ll be the first to stab this blade into the damn Demon Lord!
I put more spirit into my body and thrust my dagger forward and—
My body staggered right before I could reach him.
“Uhiik!?”
I ended up letting out a questionable noise. My foot had suddenly stopped. When I looked down I saw a bluish slime wrapped around my right foot.
I was unable to withstand the momentum I was running with a second ago and fell forward. I groaned as I desperately tried to take my foot out of the slime. It wouldn’t budge.
1 second, 2 second had passed before my mind started catching up to what had happened. Since when did he prepare something like a slime? Don’t tell me, from the very beginning? Are you telling me that he knew from the start that I was pretending to surrender?
Then, something large crushed my body.
“Kuuaah!”
The golem had slammed its fist down onto my lower body. My legs were obviously destroyed and my waist along with them. I could vividly feel the sensation of my bones breaking. The intense pain made everything in front of me start to blur and fade.
Something was flowing out of me. Was it my blood? It could possibly be my innards. Whatever it was, this was my end. I had never experienced something like dying before, but for some reason I had the strong feeling of ‘I will die here’.
“Damn, it……”
I vomited blood. I couldn’t even muster the strength to talk. A blurry shadow came into my fading vision. The shadow moved, then, a blade stabbed into my throat.
To make sure that I was dead at this point.
Isn’t that a bit too much for a life that was already destined to die?
Before everything went dark I was able to see the other person’s face for just a moment. The man was looking down at me and smiling.
“—Go back to your mother’s womb and learn again, amateur.”
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_02_02.txt
|
Chapter 2: A Devil Steps on Stage
A devilish grin was there.
Is that so.
Is that what the race known as Demon Lords are.
Kuh. From the start, this was a monster that a low-class adventurer like me should have never dared to go after. It was us who were the ones being hunted, not him. I had stupidly forgotten my position on the food chain……
For an animal that was unable to recognize a predator, the only fate that laid in wait for them was death. I had vowed to never fight monsters in my life and live as a looter, but in the end I ended up facing the final of final monsters.
My vision was black. Even after death I’ll probably be severely regretting my foolishness……
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 4, Day 4 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle
“Haaaa.”
Once I made sure Riff was dead I let out a long sigh.
It was over. I toppled down and sat on the floor. It felt as if my extremely sensitive nerves had been put into a spa and were starting to melt. It was the aftereffect for running my brain on full throttle for 3 hours straight.
After receiving a mysterious survey in my email I was dropped into a different world. It was a shock that I had become a Demon Lord in a world where a hero was the protagonist, but to also discover that I was the weakest Demon Lord, Dantalian. Without being able to properly figure out what was going on, I had to face a group of adventurers and was eventually able to kill them all.
This all happened in 3 hours. It was obvious that my brain would be so exhausted. Thank you for going through the effort, my pretty brain[6]. You worked to the point that some brain cells most likely evaporated.
[1. Annihilate the adventurers like this.]
[2. Be taken by the adventurers like this.]
The words that were lying in the corner of my view shined brightly.
The letters broke apart into little white particles and then formed different lines.
A cruel and merciless decision!
Infamy increased slightly.
“Not a cruel decision but a wise decision.”
I blurted out in rebuttal.
Then how else was I supposed to deal with a gang of people who had invaded with the intention to kill me? Were we supposed to grab each others’ hands and sing songs about how we’re all one? What an unfunny joke.
Tutorial Clear!
The sound of a victory horn rang loudly.
A row of notification windows appeared in mid-air.
You will receive a difficulty bonus.
LUNATIC— You will receive the highest bonus.
S-Grade privileges will be selectable.
Please select a privilege.
※Warning: The systems automatically presented during the tutorial will not be accessible after this point. If there is a system that you really want to keep then please select it in the privileges.
That’s kind of you.
So it meant that things like being able to see the Demon Lord Castle’s status, seeing other people’s stats, and showing your affection rate with other people were given as a service only during the tutorial.
It was a sampler. To test out all the systems first and then later decide which one you need the most.
A list of all the privileges appeared in front of me.
Nest Building Demon Lord (S): Observe the state of the castle and extend it. Zeus’s Eagle (S): No matter what terrain, be able to see a real-time map. Cronus’s Heritage (S): Every 10 years you are able to save your progress. Aphrodite’s Apostle (S): Be able to see the affection rate of other people.
Athena’s Apostle (S): Your leadership ability goes up to Great Hero rank. Ares’s Apostle (S): Your might ability goes up to Great Hero rank. Apollon’s Apostle (S): Your intelligence ability goes up to Great Hero rank. Demeter’s Apostle (S): Your politics ability goes up to Great Hero rank. Hermes’s Apostle (S): Your charm ability goes up to Great Hero rank. Hephaestus’ Apostle (S): Your technique ability goes up to Great Hero rank.
Dionysus’s Foot (S): All saintesses in every shrine worships you. Poseidon’s Arm (S): 50 highest-class aquatic demons obey you. Hera’s Ear (S): You can understand and use every demon language. Hade’s Eye (S): You gain an exclusive storage for your items and money. Prometheus’s Hand (S): You can hire and summon monsters whenever you desire.
“Wow. That sure is a lot……”
I looked through the list with bleary eyes.
The desire to fall over and take a nap weighed down on me heavily.
I originally wasn’t a sincere human. I was someone who revered being lazy. Can’t you tell by the fact that I had moved to some remote neighborhood and spent my days just playing computer games as soon as my father had passed away? I worked too much today!
“Uh, I guess… yeah. Let’s go with Aphrodite’s Apostle.”
I spoke as if I was trying to shoo away a friend who kept bothering me.
Being able to see the cave map was probably Zeus’s Eagle, being able to move money in and out of the vault whenever I wanted to was probably Hade’s Eye, and being able to freely summon monsters was probably Prometheus’s Hand. All of these were tempting.
However, the most cheat like skill amongst these was the ability to read other people’s minds and check affection rate. To be able to read minds. If you combined my acting skills and the ability to read minds, then I didn’t have to ever worry about going somewhere and starving to death.
You have chosen a privilege.
Your stats will be distributed according to how you cleared the tutorial.
Okay, okay.
Was it over now?
I was already leaning back against the golem. The golem’s body was made of stone and yet it was strangely warm. It was acceptable to use as a bed. Mr. Golem. I’m sorry but I’ll be using your body as a bed for a bit.
“∎∎, ∎∎∎……”
The golem let out a soft grumble. I don’t know what he had said but the meaning got across. Make use of me whenever you please, should be a decent translation of what it had said.
A demon who’s gentle to their master but merciless to adventurers. How cool. I almost fell for you. The golem’s body really was warm. As if sleep would envelop me immediately……
What this place was.
Why this place had a similar universe to Dungeon Attack.
How systems that normally only appeared in games appeared here.
There was no way to answer these questions in my current situation. Regardless, I can clearly state what will happen from now on.
I plan to lay around and sleep all day.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_02_03.txt
|
Chapter 2: A Devil Steps on Stage
Translator's Notes
[↑] These guys are pronouncing it incorrectly.
[↑] Around $433.
[↑] Around $43,335.
[↑] If you’re genuinely curious as to what he’s chanting, it’s the famous ‘Heart Sutra‘ in Manayana Buddhism. Don’t expect me to translate it because even professional translators are struggling to do so.
[↑] Point of no return.
[↑] He says this in English.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_03_01.txt
|
Chapter 3: Faceless Disease
A memory from long ago.
It was around the time I had started elementary school.
“Father. Why didn’t you marry only one girl?”
At that time I had learned that monogamy was common sense in nearly every country. Our country was the same. In other words, it meant that my growing environment being unusual was confirmed on a national level.
“Son. You probably won’t understand, but there are good women around the world, albeit rare. And even more rare than that are good men. If a good woman and a good man were to meet, then it’s inevitable that they’ll have sex.”
My father declared shamelessly.
As he always would.
“Oh? So for father, you were able to meet 5 of those so-called ‘rare good women’?”
“That’s because I did a lot of good things in my past life.”
“Maybe I should try believing in Allah next time.”
During that time, I would go to church every week and would constantly pray for lightning to strike down upon my father’s head. I’m not sure why, but my father was still fine. Perhaps it was because God was running an international business. He didn’t think the desperate plea of an 8-year-old child was important. Thus I decided to not get involved in God’s business industry.
Give and take.
There was always a background for the reason why I had become an athiest.
“My shrewd son. Keep in mind your father’s words.”
“Although I think that the reason why my personality became so rotten is 80% your fault, father. What is it?”
“If you’re lucky then you will meet good women. You’ll know they’re good just by looking at them. No matter what you do. Never. Never let those women go.”
“Couldn’t you have at least used the singular term instead of the plural, father? Thanks to that all I hear is a very trash-like statement.”
“Trash, huh…… oh well. Son. Be prepared beforehand. No matter what you choose, you will live a life more harsh than I.”
“Why would I? My personality is already more mature than you, father.”
“Because you’re more competent than I am.”
He raised the corners of his mouth.
“People who are overly competent won’t marry just anyone. In the end, they’ll search for a companion who can understand them. The only person capable of understanding a competent man is an equally competent woman. Then what will happen?”
My father raised an index finger.
“Since two competent people are together they’ll most likely achieve great things. Once you reach a higher position, you’ll end up meeting another woman as competent as you are. You’ll be able to understand one another and then it’ll become 3 people together.”
He raised his middle finger.
“Now that there’s 3 you’ll get to an even higher position. Once at the top you’ll take a look around and find another competent woman. Now there’s 4. And before you know it, it’ll increase to 5.”
He finally lifted up his ring finger and pinky.
I was dumbfounded and retorted back.
“……In my entire life, I had never heard nonsense as nonsensical as this. I thought it was impossible for pregnancy to happen between a dog and a human, but when I look at you, father, I worry that I might be the one to have gotten past that impossible barrier as a miracle and was born.”
“You are more of a Devil than I am. This dad of yours’ limit was 4 women. That’s as far as I could get. Regardless, I look forward to see how far up you’ll go.”
“Garbage of a father, I will not go out with anyone—”
I looked him straight in the eyes.
“And even if I do end up doing so, I will only date a single person. I will never do something like cheat and hurt the person that is important to me.”
“That’s not a surprise, coming from you.”
He grinned.
Annoyingly.
Even as his son, it was a cool smile.
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 4, Day 18 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle
Life was beautiful.
To the point that the people who think themselves as nihilistic should admit as well that life was so beautiful.
Following the setting in Dungeon Attack, Demon Lords are a clump of magical energy. All bodily functions are handled by magic. In other words, if you don’t eat or sleep, thanks to the magical energy, your mind will still be fully active.
There was no problem even if I rolled around on my bed for 4 days straight.
I didn’t even have to work for food.
Isn’t this the very life that NEETs all around the world had dreamed for?
I’d like to borrow this position and make a declaration.
Demon Lords are the best.
Demon Lords, hooray.
Here’s to you, Demon Lords
“……Your highness, Dantalian.”
There was a time I had actually thought all that.
I turned my head slowly because of the abrupt voice.
I was currently lying down on my bed, so if I wanted to turn my head then I had to flip my entire body as well. It was an incredible amount of wasted energy. As if I was looking at the Minister of Environment who had just finished reading the report on electricity consumption during the summer, I looked at the person with an accursed gaze.
“Why are you calling me?”
“Today is the deadline. This time, no matter what, I will have your highness pay back the debt and interest.”
There a female, who wore her hair in two braids, stood.
She looked around the age of a girl who had just graduated high school. Not matching her outer appearance, her face was incredibly void of emotions. Like a straggler returning from war would often be like, the girl looked as if she had long ago burned off all the fuel that was in the thing called emotions.
Should I call it dryasdust?
That was this girl’s normal expression. It had been half a month since I had first met her, but I had never witnessed something even remotely close to a smile from her. I’m starting to suspect that she has some sort of illness. Perhaps forever-on-her-period syndrome. That sounded like a sickness that existed.
The girl spoke.
“The 100 Libra that your highness had borrowed three months ago. If your highness includes this months’ interest, then the interest alone is a total of 96 Libra. This one is here to receive 196 Libra from your highness.”
“I’m saying it again, but I have never borrowed money from you.”
I dug the inside of my nose with my pinky.
“How am I supposed to repay money that I had never borrowed? Give up.”
“That is wrong. Your highness has most definitely received a loan from the Keuncuska Firm. Please look at this bond of debt. Your highness’ thumbprint is certainly here.”
The girl took out a scroll parchment from her bag.
In a vintage handwriting, a contract was written on the parchment.
IOU
100 Libra Coins(40% interest every month)
Rank 71st, Demon Lord Dantalian, has been loaned the above written amount of gold. The interest must be paid on the 10th of every month, and the principal is due by Year 1505, Month 4, Day 11th.In the case that the interest is overdue, the creditor may at anytime demand all of the principal and interest. The debtor, Demon Lord Dantalian, during that time shall not display opposition.
Year 1505, Month 2, Day 1
Rank 71st, Nameless Demon Lord, Dantalian Keuncuska Firm, Exclusive Consultant, Lapis Lazuli
Hereby vow to Hermes and Hades.
“As you can see.”
The girl displayed to me the parchment and spoke methodically.
“The deadline date was originally the 11th of this month. A week has already passed. Your highness had requested for us to delay it for a week. Your highness. The time limit is up.
“Did I— do that—. I don’t remember—.”
“It is of no use to feign ignorance.”
I was going to pretend to be indifferent but this girl sternly cut me off.
“I can not delay the deadline any further.”
“Can you not push it back another week?”
“That is impossible.”
Immediate response.
“Didn’t your highness say the same thing last time? Delaying the deadline may be possible once, but two times in a row will not be allowed.”
A spiteful girl.
She was the type of person who could kill someone without blinking.
♦
A week ago.
This girl had suddenly visited my castle while introducing herself as an employee of some firm. These type of guests were usually unwelcomed back in my original world, and sure enough, she had abruptly pushed a debt bill on me and pressured me to pay up.
“A debt……?”
“That is correct, your highness.”
The girl lowered her head and bowed. It was like she was a veteran maid. Her every movement was well-disciplined.
Except the fact that I couldn’t even feel the least bit of respect towards me. She gave off the feeling that she had only bowed because greetings were a core part in social interactions.
Well, I was only a Demon Lord in name. I was still something that would compare to a ricefish[1], Dantalian. I’m grateful she displayed even the smallest bit of etiquette towards me, on the contrary, I should be the one that should be bowing. I had no complaints.
“Your highness had taken a loan of 100 Libra from our firm, Keuncuska, around this time two months ago. Since the day to pay the interest has arrived, this lowly one has come in person to meet your highness.”
“My god……”
I closed my eyes tightly.
I didn’t think that Demon Lord Dantalian’s position could get any worst than this, but it seems that I had been overly optimistic.
I had put my life on the line and was able to repel the adventurers but now a personal moneylending business had arrived at my doorsteps. Economic aggression after an armed protest. It was an actual standard colonial policy. It was admirable. If need be, I wanted to applaud this clean diplomatic method. If the person directly involved wasn’t me, that is. Fucking hell.
“Your highness?”
While I was up to my neck with despair, the girl had tilted her head. She most likely had been an acquaintance of Dantlian for quite a while now. She might notice that I was suddenly acting strange compared to before.
For now, in order to figure out the person’s name, I muttered in my head.
‘Status.’
Name:Lapis Lazuli
Stamina:Rank E Power:Rank D Defense:Rank F
Affection:0
So her name was Lapis Lazuli.
I composed myself to have a serious expression. It would be fitting to lie from here on. Since the affection was at 0, it’d only be appropriate to speak a bit coldly to her.
“Lazuli. There’s a secret that I must tell you.”
“……”
Eh?
I don’t know why, but the girl had slightly raised her eyes. It seemed like she was surprised by what I had said. I didn’t really say anything strange yet, and yet her reaction was weird.
“What’s the matter?”
“My apologies. This one had never expected in their wildest dreams that your highness would remember this one’s name. Normally, your highness would refer to this one as crossbreed, low-life, larva, or prostitute……”
Dantalian was a piece of trash that went beyond expectation.
I cleared my throat and changed the subject.
“Ehem. Bearing that in mind, this is an issue which involves that as well. You may not know this, but exactly one week ago a group of adventurers had invaded here. While I was retaliating against said adventurers I had hit my head against the ground. Then what do you know. I found out that I had lost parts of my memory.”
I then pointed at my leg.
“My leg was also seriously injured and had only just recently healed a couple of days ago. If things went wrong then I would have died. Honestly speaking, other than knowing that your name is Lapis Lazuli, everything else is rather fuzzy and vague.”
“…… Is that so.”
Lapis Lazuli gazed at me with eyes containing suspicion.
Of course, there was no way she would easily believe the words of a man who had suddenly claimed to have lost his memories. Nevertheless, I stayed brazen. For a moment, an atmosphere as if we were trying to analyze one another flowed.
It seemed Lapis Lazuli had understood in her own way and bowed her head once again.
“To serve your highness would be a privilege for this one. If there is anything that this one can do to help your highness, then say so and this one shall do her utmost to help.
“Good. Then I’d like to request something immediately.”
“Yes.”
“…… Could you possibly delay the deadline a bit.”
Lapis Lazuli blinked.
“Pardon?”
“I currently do not have the money on me. I will most definitely pay within this week, so please grant me a bit more time. Okay? I beg of you.”
“……”
Her gaze became cold.
Ten to one, she had most likely misunderstood and assumed that I had claimed to have lost my memories in order to delay the deadline. Sadly, I did not have the ability to fix the misunderstanding……
Lapis Lazuli was a level-headed woman.
If I was allowed to be more subjective, then she was a devilish woman. She did not consent to delaying the deadline by even a week. Despite my plea, she only gave me 2 days.
From that day on for a week, I played a game of cat and mouse with that loan shark.
On the first day.
“Your highness. The interest has already been pushed back by two months. The original loan was 100 Libra, but the interest alone is already at 96 Libra. Please make your payment.”
“In the first place, is it not ridiculous that the compound interest is 40% every month!? That’s excessively expensive!”
I exclaimed while walking down one of the cavern paths.
In one corner of the cave there was an underground lake. Interestingly, the lake was heated just like a spa. My hobby was to go there every day and spend my time peacefully enjoying the heat of the water enveloping my body. However, that moneylender had solved her lodging problem in this cave and kept bothering me. Thanks to that, I couldn’t properly enjoy my simple hobby.
“Keuncuska Firm or whatever they’re called, I’ll make a formal complaint! This kind of interest rate is both economically and logically an evil influence to this society!”
“That is why this one had warned your highness since the beginning. That, unless it was a desperate situation, to never borrow money from our Keuncuska Firm. But the one to had kept pushing for the loan two months ago was none other than your highness, Dantalian.”
“No. That wasn’t me who borrowed that money……!”
I clenched my teeth and roared.
Why did I have to pay back the money that someone else had borrowed?
It was irrational. Ah, irrational beyond measure. Life being beautiful was, as expected, a delusion. Life was dirty and cheap. I cursed at my fate of possessing a Demon Lord.
Demon Lords were the worst.
Demon Lords die.
“I apologize, but this one does not understand what your highness means.”
“I’m saying that it was some half-wit named Dantalian that had taken that loan……!”
Lapis Lazuli looked this way as if she was looking at something rotten.
Isn’t your highness that Dantalian, is what her eyes were asking me. Yes. People other than myself probably wouldn’t be able to understand what I meant. That was obvious……
“If it truly is too difficult, then there is also the option to declare bankruptcy.”
“I have to be concerned about bankruptcy right from the start, huh. Ahaha.”
Hello, people of the nation.
This is exemplary citizen turned Demon Lord.
When talking about Demon Lords, you’d think they’d command an army of demons and mercilessly devastate humans, but for some reason I seemed to have absolutely nothing.
I thought it was unfair that I had almost died to adventurers as soon as I had opened my eyes, but to now also tell me that I had to repay a debt? Where should I go to deal with this unfairness? The cops? Court? Or maybe a mental hospital?
I just wanted to comfortably live the remainder of my life as a NEET in the corner of my house. Peacefully. Without causing any fuss. Were you blocking me off from even this small desire? Was the world messing with me? I wanted to kill myself……
“Your highness. It is not embarrassing to not have the ability to pay back the loan. However, the thing that is embarrassing is the attitude of trying not to repay the debt. What does your highness mean by having lost your highness’ memories? How could a great Demon Lord, like your highness, resort to such a childish excuse.”
“I really am going through partial memory lost!”
“…… haaa. Of course.”
“You really do have the knack of making people upset, huh!?”
The corners of my mouth twitched.
“Anyways, give me a week. Just a week. Once a week has passed I will do whatever you tell me to.”
“This one shall wait one more day.”
“So frugal……!”
Second day.
It was morning and as I was getting up from my bed, as if she had been waiting for me, Lapis Lazuli entered the room. I should add that I had the habit of sleeping naked.
Based on a logical conclusion, when Lapis Lazuli had invaded my quarters, I was sporting a new fashion style of not even wearing my underwear. Thus, as soon as I saw her I had let out a scream.
“Get out! I said get out!”
“Your highness. The interest……”
“I’m not wearing anything below right now!”
“That is fine. This one does not care for your highness’ body.”
“I care!”
With all my strength I threw a pillow at her.
Lapis Lazuli didn’t even move an inch and allowed herself to be hit. Of course, the attack didn’t work. Her face was still calm and emotionless.
“This one will say it again, but declaring bankruptcy is also a fine idea. If your highness can’t possibly pay off the debt then please do put into consideration this option.”
“…… I’ll hear you out.”
I spoke while slowly getting dressed.
I was getting a headache by this loan shark.
“What will happen if I declare bankruptcy?”
“For starters, our firm will claim all rights to the Demon Lord castle.”
They’ll seize my home.
A beautiful hell of a life was already being spread before me.
“After that, our firm will make a few requests to your highness. All your highness has to do is oblige.”
“So I’ll be downgraded to your firm’s puppet……”
“My apologies, but that is so.”
I had done this kind of work before, so I knew well about it.
Like a large company supporting a poor politician and using them as a chess-piece. In this world, it was a big firm taking advantage of a Demon Lord in poverty.
“Look around, Lazuli. I am a Demon Lord with nothing.”
I told her earnestly.
“It wouldn’t even be fun to use me as a puppet.”
“That is alright. There’s an infinite amount of economical uses by just being a Demon Lord. Our firm executives are putting a lot of expectations on your highness, Dantalian.”
“You really are quite honest!”
“Unfortunately, the only product that your highness can purchase from this one is honesty.”
But you don’t have anything so you can’t buy anything, anyway.
Was the nuance that she had plainly put into her words.
I disliked her.
I really disliked her.
I disliked her to the point that I wanted to step on her foot.
“……your highness?”
“What is it?”
“Your highness is right now stepping on this one’s left foot.”
“I consider it a boast that my thoughts and actions line up.”
“It hurts.”
“You don’t look like you’re in pain.”
“I’m sorry…… but I actually feel more pleasure from it.”
“Were you perhaps a pervert!?”
“Despite this one’s looks, there is succubus mixed into this one’s blood.”
“Was it not you who stated that all succubus being perverts was just a bias last time we met! You yourself said it!”
“Please throw away the bias that all biases are nothing but bias.”
“Why are you the one acting high and mighty……!”
“I’m sorry, but I’m actually a very competent person.”
“Annoying! You’re seriously annoying!”
“I am a half-breed of a human and a succubus. My birth is so low that I am considered an outcast. Born an orphan, I roamed the bottom of the streets for 20 years. However, I was able to succeed in life with my ability alone. Now I am currently a white-collar worker for the biggest firm in the demon continent, Keuncuska. Adding to that, I am now here with your highness Dantalian as your exclusive consultant.”
“You really are competent……!?”
“That is correct. It is on a completely different level to your highness who was born a Demon Lord. But also, your highness is a Demon Lord and is yet to have achieved anything, but this one was able to climb up this far by her power alone.”
“You’re competent but as expected you’re annoying as well! What’s with that.”
“My apologies. Since this one is always honest to your highness.”
“If that’s honesty, then the world is better off if everyone was a liar.”
I wonder why.
This person wasn’t insulting me but Dantalian, but for some reason I feel offended. The girl shooting spiteful remarks at me with no emotions stabbed into my chest.
“I will make myself clear now. I do not plan to become someone’s puppet.”
“Understood.”
Lapis Lazuli nodded.
“Then please pay the debt.”
“Sorry, but I don’t have money either. Tsk tsk, it’s quite the shame. I want to give you the money but it seems my pockets are empty so I can’t! Haha! Ahahaha!”
“……”
In truth, there was 80 Libra hidden under my bed in the Demon Lord’s Quarter.
That was the money that I had risked my life to take back from the adventurers. Like I’d give the money to some frugal forever-on-her-period succubus.
“Your highness. Do you truly have the will to pay back the debt?”
“Indeed. I’m a man who’s constantly burning with will. Aah, what a tragedy. I sincerely want to give you the money, but alas, since I am penniless I am unable to do anything. Restrictions. These restrictions.”
“Then work to pay it off.”
“……Eh?”
Lapis Lazuli’s right hand glowed brightly.
A light pink magic circle formed for a moment before shortly after Lapis Lazuli was holding a pickaxe in her hand.
A pickaxe.
It was something you’d see a rough worker using in a mine.
“……Why are you giving this to me?”
“Does your highness not know? Compared to other areas, Demon Lord castles have a high concentration of magical energy. Perfectly, your highness’ castle is in the form of a cave, so if your highness picks any deposit and mines from it, then your highness should immediately get magic stones. Magic stones with a large amount of magical energy in them can sell for a very high price.”
“Are you perhaps telling me to become a miner and work?”
“Yes.”
“Are you serious.”
I unintentionally spoke with honorifics.
It was such a shock that I had forgotten for a moment that I was a Demon Lord.
“Did your highness not say that you were overflowing with will?”
Lapis Lazuli handed the pickaxe to me.
I stared blankly at the wooden stick with another iron stick attached to it.
“Now all your highness has to do is emit that will.”
“……”
CLANG!
You have extracted 1x Iron Ore.
CLANG!
You have extracted 1x Iron Ore.
CLAANG!
You have extracted 1x Iron Ore.
CLANG……
You have extracted 1x Iron Ore.
CLAAANG………
And thus, on the third day.
I glared at Lapis Lazuli ferociously.
“—I declare bankruptcy.”
“But only one day has passed.”
“It was a miracle that I was able to last 30 minutes of manual labor!”
I tossed the pickaxe as far as I could.
My body was screaming because of my sore muscles. As a person who was aiming to become a peerless house corner dwelling NEET, a large amount of labor was too tough for me. There was also no profit. Even if I swung the pickaxe all day, the most money I could earn was merely a single silver coin.
“How could I continue to do something like this!”
“It was just that your highness was boasting so much that this one had high expectations.”
“Isn’t the efficiency the worst!? The efficiency! If I made 1 silver every day, then even if I worked for one whole month, all I’d make is 6 gold[2]! The interest alone is about to be 80 Libra this month and that’s 10 times the amount I’d make. How do you expect me to waste my time mining!”
“……”
Lapis Lazuli had abruptly stopped talking.
Her blue pupils had grown slightly bigger. For some reason, I think she was surprised at me. It was incredibly rare for Lapis Lazuli to show an emotion.
That was strange.
Nothing that I had said just now was weird. From what I could tell, a reason to be surprised didn’t exist either. I wonder why Lapis Lazuli, whose default was always void of emotions, was surprised.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“…… I’m sorry. This one did not expect that your highness would possibly be able to do simple mathematics. It was so unexpected that this one had become speechless.”
It was an outrageous response that went beyond my imagination!
“Your highness’ deduction is correct. It would be difficult to repay the debt with just mining.”
“Yes. If it was you then I did not doubt that you would agre…… wait. If you knew that it would be difficult to repay the debt with that then why did you make me go mining in the first place?”
“This one does not understand what your highness’ is talking about. How could someone as lowly as myself possibly make a Demon Lord do something. All this one has done was gift a pickaxe to your highness.
“Oi, this bitch……?”
I looked at Lapis Lazuli with slanted eyes.
“Lazuli. This is the first time I’ve met a woman like yourself.”
“I do not deserve such high praise.”
“I’m not joking.”
A life over 20 years.
The only woman to have messed with me excluding my mother, was my second half little sister. Putting being a half-breed and an outcast aside, it was amazing that Lapis Lazuli had still not fallen.
For example.
I was purposely treating Lapis Lazuli with affection. My goal was affection points. A Demon Lord like myself was treating a low status person like her equally. I had judged that this by itself would be enough to raise her affection considerably.
However, the results was a failure.
If I talked to her slyly, then she’d match me and responded slyly. If I tossed a joke at her, then she’d, with her emotionless face, would respond with a joke.
That was it.
She gave off the feeling that ‘since a Demon Lord like myself wanted this kind of chatter, then it was only appropriate to humor me’. As a result, she didn’t open herself up to me.
Like the need to greet in social interactions. Lapis Lazuli treated me with only a dry and businesslike attitude.
…… And so, time passed helplessly.
♦
Finally, today was the 7th day.
In order to see the results of my week worth of hard work, I looked straight at Lapis Lazuli and muttered in my head.
‘Status’
Soon after, the other person’s stats appeared in mid-air.
Name:Lapis Lazuli
Stamina:Rank E Power:Rank D Defense:Rank F
Affection:2
“Haa……”
A sigh came out on its own.
After defeating the party of adventurers I had lost access to all the systems.
I couldn’t see the status of the castle, I couldn’t see the map of the area, and I didn’t have the ability to withdraw and deposit my money as I pleased anymore. Except one thing, I still had access to the function to see the stats and affection of other people.
I could know if the other person truly had an interest towards me…… This was a precious skill. Especially for a person like me whose everything relied on acting and politics.
Lapis Lazuli’s affection was only 2.
If I did not have this ability, then I would have most likely assumed that ‘I’ve gotten on friendly terms with Lapis Lazuli now’. I wouldn’t have been able to figure out what emotions lurked underneath that stoic face of hers.
But I was certain now.
This person had a frozen heart.
I was nothing more than an object of business to this succubus girl. The fact that the affection had barely gone up during this entire week proved that. She was a formidable girl.
To get close to her and then use her…… that original plan of mine was disposed of. It failed magnificently.
Regardless, it didn’t mean that all my methods had vanished.
There was a method of handling people who moved with their heads instead of their hearts. I knew exactly what that was.
Except, it was one of the more drastic out of other drastic measures.
If you wanted to hunt a tiger then you had to take up the gun yourself and dive into the mountain. At worst, I had to be prepared to be torn apart by savage beasts. That mental attitude wasn’t something you could simply order at a fast food restaurant and get moments later.
My own resolution.
If I don’t kill them then I’ll be the one to be killed, this kind of thinking was vital.
“Your highness.”
Lapis Lazuli informed me calmly.
“If your highness does not repay the debt and interest or declare bankruptcy, then the Keuncuska firm will have no other choice but to take your highness’ property and body by force.”
“I am a Demon Lord. A person with one of the highest nobility amongst demons. Who could possibly forcefully capture this Demon Lord?
“There are a countless number of supporters for the Keuncuska Firm. Amongst them, there are other Demon Lords like your highness. Rank 5th Demon Lord Marbas and Rank 9th Demon Lord Paimon are included.”
The highest of Demon Lords.
They were people that a rank 71st like me couldn’t possibly face.
“Our firm is famous for being merciless to debtors who fail to make their payments. In the past, there was an incident where Rank 25th Demon Lord Glasyalabolas received a loan of 20,000 Libra and did not pay back the interest for 2 years. At that time, our firm had hired a small number of 9,000 mercenaries and left them in the command of Rank 12th Demon Lord Sitri. Your highness. Demon Lord Glasyalabolas could not even hold out for 3 weeks before surrendering.”
Lapis Lazuli let out a sigh.
“…… That is the Keuncuska Firm’s strength. It is rational violence. That is also the reason why our firm has been able to stay as the highest amongst demons for the past 500 years. Your highness Dantalian, this one is sincerely suggesting this. Please, declare bankruptcy a day sooner.”
I pushed down the sheets of my bed.
“……”
It was fine.
I could still win.
If things goes as planned, then I could rip this girl in front of me apart and make her mine.
I firmed my resolve and—
slowly, opened my mouth.
“Lazuli. I will give you a proposal that will most definitely benefit you.”
“Yes, your highness. Please tell this one anything.”
“Seeing as it has already come to this, I shall borrow more money from that firm of yours.”
Lapis Lazuli narrowed her brows.
Even if she were to hear that the world was going to be destroyed, she would probably respond to that by saying, ‘Let it be destroyed in a single moment’. For that Lapis Lazuli to narrow her brows was a huge gesture.
“This one objects.”
Her voice became a level drier.
“Your highness Dantalian already has a debt. But it is still okay. If your highness works hard for a while then your highness could more than likely pay it all off. However, if your highness receives more of a loan here……”
“Then I’ll fall further into a swamp pit.”
I smiled.
“That’s what I want.”
“Pardon?”
“Lapis Lazuli. Let us not be prudish and speak honestly.”
I held a soft smile on my lips.
“Even if you claim to be my exclusive consultant, you are still a pawn for the Keuncuska Firm. Profit for your firm will, in the end, become profit for you as well.”
According to her, Demon Lords had more than enough political uses.
To succeed in turning that figure into a puppet for the firm, Lapis Lazuli will most likely receive high praise from the executives. She will advance up faster than anyone else. To take a step, no, 20 steps, ahead of other competition.
“……”
The mixed blood succubus still had a poker face.
Was she perhaps pretending to not know what I was talking about.
“Wouldn’t myself not being able to pay the debt off be a profit to you?”
“That is a misunderstanding. This one has always, for your highness……”
“I know full well of the habits of a merchant.”
If the other person tried to make an excuse then shift the topic.
We were not fighting with weapons, but with our words. I had to attack fiercely. There was no need to listen to the other person’s useless excuses.
“Since olden times, merchants did not invest into things that wouldn’t give them profit. However, for some reason, the Keuncuska Firm had loaned me 100 Libra…”
The fact that Dantalian was incompetent was already obvious to the world.
Even if they loaned him money, there was a zero to none chance of getting anything back. It didn’t make sense. It was like a bank giving millions of won to a credit defaulter.
This meant that they didn’t plan to collect the money in the first place.
“To put a dog collar on me.”
I grinned.
“To turn me into a puppet with the debt as a pretext. From the beginning, this was your firm’s goal. Am I wrong?”
“……”
“You said it before. That if it was too difficult then that I had ‘the option’ to declare bankruptcy. But in your mind, you honestly wanted to say this.”
That bankruptcy was my only option.
A choice never existed from the get go.
The loan itself was a trap, and two months ago, the Demon Lord Dantalian got caught in it stupidly.
Now, deadpan succubus. Go on and respond.
You’re like a mountain fortress. Since it was built on top of a rugged mountain, it was a wall that was difficult to conquer. It was something annoying for invaders to even approach.
Regardless, if the fortress was sieged then it was over. I will not give you a path to escape. I’ll capture your fortress in an instant……
▯Keuncuska Merchant, Mixed Blood, Lapis Lazuli Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 4, Day 18 Keuncuska Firm Office
Demon Lord Dantalian was smiling before my eyes.
…… Honestly confessing, I underestimated him.
It had been 1 year since I had become Demon Lord Dantalian’s exclusive consultant.
I had thought he was a good for nothing piece of trash, but it seems I was mistaken. Truthfully, I was surprised. The intimidating sharp look in his eyes and his gaze looking this way as if he was testing me.
His pupils were as dark as a well.
I couldn’t see the bottom…… that was the natural feeling I got. Was Dantalian always this kind of character? Someone who got lucky and was born as a Demon Lord and thus lived a lazy and sleazy life. At most, that was all I thought he was……
‘Ah’
For the first time, I realized my mistake.
Because of the unexpected blow I had taken, I had unintentionally stopped talking.
To make such a mistake. To be silent here meant that I was admitting that he was correct. I had to change the topic.
“Let us assume that what your highness has inferred is correct.”
“I do not want to know about hypotheses. What I want to know is the simple truth.”
…… Are you not even giving me a corner to escape to.
The back of my neck felt cold.
Demon Lord Dantalian had most certainly changed.
Half a month ago, Dantalian was being threatened by a group of adventurers. Conveniently, it was a group of adventurers with a map of the Demon Lord castle. They may have been a group of adventurers on the same level as a small vigilante group in some far off mountain valley, but Demon Lord Dantalian was in a serious situation…… was that it? Does experiencing near death really change people so drastically?
Dantalian was a Demon Lord that I was in charge of. If that person was to become competent then unmistakably it was a situation that I should be welcoming with open arms. But honestly, it was hard to be happy.
I wanted a Demon Lord on the level of a fox. I did not want a Demon Lord on the level of a tiger. It would be troubling if the puppet was to become too clever. Who could have expected for this to happen.
The Demon Lord gazed at me hard.
“Lala. Go to the Keuncuska Firm and tell them.”
Lala?
I blinked.
“Lapis Lazuli shortened to Lala. It’s a suitable nickname.”
“……Is your highness giving a lowly one such as myself a nickname?”
“Do you not like it?”
“This one is only grateful.”
The demon world was strictly a hierarchical society.
Even if the race was the same, if the tribes were different then your status was different as well. If there were some orcs that were considered to be nobles, then there were also orcs that were treated as slaves. If one were to try and figure out each and every of the ranks that existed then they’d have to go through hundreds, if not thousands of tribes and races.
I was an outcast. A half-breed of a succubus and a human. Succubus already received scorn as being a race of prostitutes. But amongst those, the person to be born between one and a vulgar human, was none other than myself…… Thus I was a crossbreed.
A leprosy of society.
I could not dare to come in contact with other people with this filthy body. By chance, if I were to even touch a person of a higher status than myself then I would have to cut off a finger, if I were to enter a temple then my toes would be severed, and if I were to even recite a scripture from one of the Gods then my tongue would be sliced.
That was why, when Demon Lord Dantalian had stepped on my foot I became nervous. Thankfully, it was shrugged off as a joke, but if someone else had seen this then my foot would have had to been cut off. Now looking back at it, that was most likely Dantalian’s way of threatening me.
As expected, I had to go along with the Demon Lord’s rhythm here.
I shall lower my head at once.
“What is the message that this one should deliver to the firm?”
“Demon Lord Dantalian has finally gone mad. Because he did not have anyone else to rely on he had entrusted his mind and body to you, a succubus. You, making full use of your charm, was able to successfully entice the Demon Lord.”
“……”
What were his intentions.
I couldn’t grasp what was going on in his head. However, even if I honestly spoke my mind about how foolish of an idea that was, I’d probably be pushed back in the battle of vigor. For now, I will respond as if I understood completely and as if that sounded like an interesting idea. There were times where an empty boast was a valid tactic.
“So. A mere peasant such as this one will become your highness’ concubine……? That is an interesting story.”
“Since long ago, there was nothing more romantic than the story of a prince falling in love with a peasant. It is a story that goes over big regardless of what time period it is told in. Tell your firm executives that I am so head over heels for you that it seems like I won’t be able to get out.”
“That is quite the part being given to this one. That is more than this one deserves.”
“Aah. Dantalian, doing whatever he can for money, started to spout nonsense. He claims that a disease will spread within two months, and that he knows what the cure for that disease is. That he’ll monopolize the ingredients to the cure before the plague spreads and he’ll be able to gain a fortune. Tell the firm that I wish to gain another loan with that statement.”
“……”
I see.
I was able to understand just barely.
Right now, Dantalian was setting himself up to be a clown. A Demon Lord who fell for a mere succubus. Adding to that, in order to gain another loan he made up a ridiculous lie……
“The loan amount then, huh. About 10,000 gold coins should suffice.”
“To say 10,000 gold coins……”
It was an amount that couldn’t be paid off even if he worked for 130 years.
If you included the interest, then it was an even more distant sum.
The firm executives would probably welcome it with open arms.
That was obvious. The larger the debt, then the stronger the collar on Dantalian’s neck would become. It was like a Demon Lord making a mad dash straight into a trap to self-destruct.
I’d be the very person to have lured the Demon Lord to his own destruction in this comedy, thus gaining an incredible amount of merits. No matter how low my status was, people could not ignore my contribution. At once, I’d become a candidate to become an executive for the firm.
“How about it? Does this much attract your interest?”
“Yes.”
A sweet offer.
No matter how you looked at it, it was an opportunity to gain an enormous amount of profit.
…… It was so tempting that I felt more suspicion from it.
Where would Dantalian get any benefit from this? This was a story only good for me. I didn’t expect him to give me a proper response, but I should ask him for now.
“Your highness. This one does not understand. Where does your highness plan to gain profit from this grand play?”
“You are a merchant.”
His highness Dantalian responded calmly.
“Merchants thoroughly check if there’s profit to be gained and if there is, then they’ll dash for it. If you see profit in my offer, then shouldn’t you be taking it with no questions asked?”
“Your highness is correct. However, to be cautious in front of game that appears excessively appetizing, is also a proper merchant’s attitude. If this one had woken up one morning and was told that a fox was sprawled out at the front door, then that would be hard to believe.”
Upon saying that, his highness grinned.
“Why not? The fox could have fallen for you at first sight.”
“……”
He was smooth.
His talking ability wasn’t on an average level.
Even if he had been at death’s doors before, was it possible for a person to change this much? It was strange. From a common sense point of view, this was incomprehensible.
“Lala. When a hunter is catching a fox, there are no cases where the hunter shows consideration for the fox’s feelings. That would be laughable. As a hunter, what you have to do is simple. First, take out a crossbow—”
His highness Dantalian moved his hands.
As if there really was a crossbow there.
“Go after the fox with the resolve to kill. If you fumble the shot then you will only startle it and cause it to flee. Aim exactly at the center of their forehead. And then……”
The invisible bolt on the crossbow was aimed at my forehead.
His highness Dantalian pulled the trigger.
“Bang.”
Playfully, he fired.
“Splendidly finish it off in one hit.”
“……”
“Go to the firm right away and tell them. That Dantalian has finally gone insane. That it’s the golden opportunity to forever bind that pathetic Demon Lord.”
His highness Dantalian lightly patted my shoulder.
A corner of my mind felt uneasy. On one hand, my rationality was saying that his highness was correct, but on the other hand, my heart was throwing up red flags.
This was a trap.
A cruel snare was placed before me.
If I put my foot forward thoughtlessly then it could be my end.
……Whenever my mind and heart reacted separately I would always follow the former. The problem was this situation, my heart was pounding at an unprecedented speed.
Pushing down the ominous foreboding feeling.
I moved my lips.
“Your highness. This one only fears this one situation. Namely, the game that this one had thought to be a fox had turned out to be a tiger. One arrow is not enough to catch a tiger.”
“Well. Then I guess you can only get eaten by the tiger at that point.”
His highness Dantalian put out his right hand.
Not understanding what that hand gesture meant, I stared blankly.
His highness, thinking it was helpless, smiled wryly.
“How long do you plan to leave my hand by itself like this?”
“……”
At last, I realized that his highness was requesting for a handshake.
To ask for a handshake. I did not know how to respond.
I had never held someone’s hand before up until now. The fact that our feet had touched was still excusable, but if our hands were to touch then that would be a clear crime.
“……A person of obscure birth such as this one could not dare dirty the hands of your highness.”
His highness Dantalian most likely knew this as well.
He was a person who had held a peerless amount of pride when it involved aristocratism, after all. He didn’t even consider something like myself as a person. I didn’t hold a personal grudge because of that. It would be stranger for a Demon Lord to not treat a succubus/human mixed blood like so.
I did not have a desire to sever my wrists.
“Pardon this one’s opinion, but while this one is grateful, this one would only trouble your highness’ dignity. Please withdraw your highness’ hand.”
“What a strange place to be worried about losing face while discussing such a daring topic.”
His highness Dantalian chuckled.
“If you shake my hand then would my hand suddenly become defiled, make me catch a cold, and cause my social status to drop? I merely wish to shake hands with the meaning of treating each other well from this point on.”
“Even if your highness were to now have a negative opinion of the hierarchical system, the majority of the people do not share that opinion. If a peasant such as this one were to come in contact with your highness’ body then upon this one a legal punishment will……”
“Ooh. So are those ‘majority’ here?”
With exaggerated movements, his highness Dantalian takes a look around. Naturally, there were only his highness and myself, the two of us here.
“Demon Lord Dantalian is also a trash like person anyways. I am only a Demon Lord by name. I do not have anything at all. Lala. Do you still wish not to shake my hand?”
“……”
Having said that much, I did not have the right to refuse.
Carefully, I reached out and touched his hand.
The first person’s hand that I had ever touched was cold. I furtively felt the touch of his palm. Upon doing so, his highness Dantalian grasped my hand tightly.
“Treat me well from now on.”
“…… Yes. Please treat this one well as well, your highness.”
It felt like it would be a long relationship.
I wasn’t sure why, but my intuition told me so.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_03_02.txt
|
Chapter 3: Faceless Disease
▯Keuncuska Executive, Miser Goblin, Torukel Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 4, Day 20 Keuncuska Firm Headquarters, Conference Room
“For there to be a full assembly. Quite the rare occasion, keruk[3].”
An order had suddenly come from the firm headquarters for a full assembly.
Keuncuska executives were dispatched across the continent. I too had plans to go to Bataafse today to direct a fleet. This full assembly was clearly not scheduled.
To suddenly call for all the executives to gather…… it wasn’t an everyday occurrence. I had a bad feeling. Did something big happen somewhere, perhaps.
Concealing my anxious mind, I made my way to the headquarters. In a large meeting room all of the executives were gathered.
“Keruruk.”
Still as usual, there were a bunch of rough mugs. Vampires, werewolves, lizardmen. It was quite the exhibition of races. ……Hm? In one corner of the conference room there was a girl that I had never seen before. Her hair was a light pink. Races with that hair color were rare.
It was then that I had made eye contact with that girl.
“Hm……!”
Unintentionally, I gulped.
The venomous eyes on her emotionless face were out of the ordinary. Those were eyes of a person who had killed before. And not only one or two people, but eyes that had killed a countless number of times. Thankfully, the time we exchanged glances was short. The girl had shortly after turned her head.
Keruk.
I didn’t know who she was, but this emergency assembly was probably called for because of her. Situations always precipitate because of unwelcomed guests. There was a girl I had never seen before here. I could easily analogize.
The executives were voicing their discontent.
“Now that Miser Torukel is also here, start the conference already.”
“Do you know how many pushed customers there are?”
“Yeah, that’s right. It’ll be bad if I can’t sell all of the dried herrings today.”
What impatient people.
Even I had plans to hold an audience with the merchants of Phrygia at the harbor. I had a fairly busy body. Time is essential for a merchant. Be it a meeting or whatever, start already. And if possible, end it soon.
“Well. Everyone calm down.”
The old vampire sitting in the upper seat calmed the executives.
“There is a reason why we have called for all of the executives to gather. We will not waste your time so do not worry.”
Ivar Lodbrok.
That old man with the splendidly grown white beard was our firm’s highest executive. He could be referred to as the actual person who was controlling the entire firm.
Fitting for a person known as vampire, he had lived for over 600 years. Although, I do have to say that he should crawl into his coffin and have his funeral carried out already. He sure does live for a long time.
“Now then, Lapis Lazuli. Explain.”
“Yes, chief.”
The girl responded at the center of the conference room.
Lapis Lazuli? …… I had heard of that name before.
“It’s the fellow born with the cursed bloodline.”
“Why is something like that attending this executive conference?”
Several of the executives had recognized the identity of the girl. While creasing their brows they started to whisper among one another. They were openly displaying their discomfort.
Aah. I remembered. It was the kid who, despite being an outcast, was able to successfully settle into our firm.
There was a time that a topic of a girl who had talent that surpassed her status was going around. Keruruk, so that girl was the main charater of that dispute.
Certainly, her voice was clear. She was calm even though she was standing before this galaxy-like group of executives. It wasn’t normal courage, that was for certain.
“Chief, that isn’t even an executive candidate. Is that not just an office clerk? What is this? There are limits to exceptions.”
“It is already unpleasant that I have to breathe the same air as a crossbreed.”
The executives poured out their complaints.
How idiotic.
The hierarchical system was nothing more than a useless antique. It was a tool that stupid nobles used to raise their even dumber sons and daughters. Despite that, do you scorn this outcast. In the first place, us merchants already had low ranks. Tsk tsk, they were cutting off their nose to spite their face[4].
Ivar Lodbrok smiled bitterly.
“How about listening to what she has to say first. It is something profitable. Gold that’s been in a pig’s stomach and gold that has been dipped in holy water, they all have the same value…… Lapis Lazuli.”
“Yes. Demon Lord Dantalian has requested for a loan.”
Lapis Lazuli spoke calmly.
“Currently, Demon Lord Dantalian has a debt of 196 Libra. Even if he has to raise his debt further, he is planning to obtain a come from behind victory.”
“Hm.”
The executives turned to look at each other.
Regardless to their previous attitude, these people still had a good head on their shoulders. They quickly realized that this was a heavy agenda. Putting behind Lapis Lazuli’s status for now, the executives started to mutter amongst one another.
“Is he planning to use debt to stop debt.”
“That’s the height of stupidity right there.”
“The bunny is offering to get itself caught in the trap, there’s no reason to decline.”
“So? How much does he want to borrow?”
My thoughts were the same.
Demon Lords had a political use, even if he was a rank 71st Demon Lord. It’d be good to use this chance to tie him up.
However, after the following response, all of the executives went silent.
“The amount that Demon Lord Dantalian has requested is— 10,000 gold coins.”
What?
The expression of the executives was dumbstruck.
“Is he sane!”
“Ha, for a bumpkin who couldn’t even handle 100 gold coins.”
He was crazy, that’s insane. Those kind of words flew out openly. Despite the fact that we were badmouthing a Demon Lord, who were at the peak of social status, it was fine. There was no one other than us to hear it.
“Are you certain. 10,000 gold coins. Was that what he said exactly?”
“Swearing on the River of Styx, I am certain.”
“He really has gone mad……”
The executives smirked.
10,000 gold coins was about the amount an Earl would earn annually if the population in his territory reached 50,000. Last year, the budget processed by the Imperials from the Habsburg Empire was about 500,000 Libra.
For Demon Lord Dantalian, who didn’t have either territory or citizens, to request for 1/50 the amount earned by a great empire in a year? Did he have a slime in his skull instead of a brain?
“My dear Keuncuska comrades.”
He had probably judged that the atmosphere was getting complex. Ivar Lodbrok opened his mouth.
The meeting room slowly became quiet. If that old vampire spoke, then even the most proudest of executives closed their mouths.
“I personally think that this is a good opportunity. Certainly 10,000 gold coins is a fortune. However, if it means to make a Demon Lord forever be our housekeeping pet, then it is not that much of a precious amount.”
“Keruruk.”
I carelessly let out a laugh.
Sacred and inviolable representatives that symbolizes absolute dignity, one of the 72 lords that commands an army of demons. To have referred to such nobility as a housekeeping pet…… Indeed he was one of the three ancient vampires to still remain in this world. It was a haughty attitude fitting of Ivar Lodbrok.
Well, I’d feel sorry for leaving this entire meeting to only Ivar Lodbrok. Let’s step forward a bit here.
“Wait, chief. I have something that I wish to ask on my side.”
“Mm. Do not mince your words and speak your thoughts.”
Ivar Lodbrok met my eyes.
Pure red pupils. It was a color that reminded people of blood. There were some executives that’d whisper to one other that those eyes were frightening, however, for some reason, I could only think of those eyes as beautiful. Cold-hearted, harsh, and a cynical vampire…… Ivar Lodbrok will most definitely establish this firm into an imperishable company. If possible, I want to be there when that happens. That was my small dream.
“Could it not be a trap?”
“A trap?”
“Not one or two gold coins, but no less than 10,000 gold coins. Keruk. If Demon Lord Dantalian truly wasn’t insane, then he would have a plan.”
I did not think that Demon Lord Dantalian could possibly possess the ability to handle this huge loan. Regardless, one must consider every possibility in the world. This had to be made clear.
“That is a fairly good point.”
Hm?
Ivar Lodbrok was smiling faintly. It was an expression he’d show when he was thinking of a wicked plan. Even if he was as old as old can be, that man had cool wrinkles.
“Lapis Lazuli shall explain that part.”
“Yes, chief. I’d like to inform the pillars of Keuncuska. Currently, Demon Lord Dantalian is regarding myself as his concubine.”
“……What did you say?”
“This may be rude to say, but on my own decision, I had used my charms to entice the Demon Lord Dantalian.”
This time, the executives could not hold back their astonishment.
On the other hand, Lapis Lazuli—from start to finish maintained her emotionless face. Always calm.
No, I didn’t know whether to call that calm. Any sign of tension on her face was completely missing. For a normal office worker to not even twitch a brow when in front of all these executives? Calm or not, that was clearly strange……
“Lapis Lazuli. What do you mean by charm?”
I spoke with a sour tone.
“Are you saying that you captured the Demon Lord by using your body?”
“Just as you say, sir Torukel.”
Lapis Lazuli looked straight this way.
Solid pupils as blue as azure.
Her transparent gaze did not even budge.
“I had relations with Demon Lord Dantalian.”
“My god.”
A few executives murmured to themselves.
If one were to fornicate with a mixed blood crossbreed, a curse from God will fall upon you. It may have just been a superstition but when 90% of the population on this continent believed it seriously, you could not brush it off. For a sacred and inviolable Demon Lord to be defiled by a crossbreed. That itself was the obstinate problem. This would cause a tremendous issue to occur.
“Do you understand what you have done!”
“We could be excommunicated by the temple!”
The executives were thrusting their fingers at Lapis Lazuli’s face.
If you wanted to sell and buy products in this continent, then you had to have received a permit from the temple. Also, excluding the temple of Aphrodite and Artemis, all other temples strictly forbid outcasts from having intercourse with people of different social status……
The executives, with red faces, shouted.
“Chief! Kick that whore out right this instant!”
“Not only did she go against the laws from the Gods, but she has also put our firm in danger! We shouldn’t have let that accursed being into our firm in the first place!”
“This leprosy-like scum……!”
Criticism took the conference room by storm.
The prostitutes of the demon world, succubus.
And amongst those, the especially disgusting crossbreed.
Even I, who disliked the hierarchical system, was speechless. However, Ivar Lodbrok was calmly sitting in his seat and watching the succubus.
“That is not all. There is still one part that must be explained to the executives. What are you doing? Hurry up and tell them.”
There was a mischievous laugh mixed in Ivar Lodbrok’s voice…… he was enjoying this? Even though, adding a bit of exaggeration, the life and death of our company was on the line? In any case, vampires were not sane. Their heads were weird since they didn’t receive any sunlight. Lack of nutrition gives a serious blow to your mind. As a goblin with both refinement and common knowledge, I couldn’t keep up with him.
“Yes. There is something that I have still not told all of the executives.”
Lapis Lazuli continued to speak in a low tone.
She had received all kinds of curses and swears a second ago. Are you telling me she was still unfazed? She really was not normal.
“As you all may know, originally our firm did not deal with Demon Lords below the rank of 60 as customers. Since it meant that the class of our firm would go down. Regardless, I have been working as Demon Lord Dantalian’s exclusive consultant for the past year now. There was only one reason for this.”
After taking one breath, Lapis Lazuli announced.
“I, personally, had strongly requested for that consultant position.”
“What?”
“From the beginning I had been aiming for the position of Demon Lord Dantalian’s mistress.”
The executives started to get noisy.
The people who were criticising the succubus a second ago were now baffled. It was because Lapis Lazuli had spoken in such a dignified fashion. The situation was going further away from the area in which the executives could understand.
At that moment, someone laughed.
Turning my head, Ivar Lodbrok was laughing loudly. To be laughing in this kind of situation. Ignoring the fact that the executives were all dumbfounded, Ivar Lodbrok let out a roar.
“Comrades. Do you still not understand? Demon Lord Dantalian did not suddenly go insane. Everything was done by that succubus. In no more than a year, that kid was able to turn Demon Lord Dantalian into a slave of passion.”
So was that it. That’s what it was!
At last, everything made sense.
Although Lapis Lazuli’s status was low, she had quite the remarkable appearance. She had captivated the Demon Lord with her looks. And, unknown to us on how, she was able to incite the Demon Lord into borrowing a large fortune from the firm……
The other executives must have also realized the true nature of the situation. Their faces were becoming pale. They weren’t giving Lapis Lazuli looks of contempt anymore.
“But…… why such a reckless act……?”
“To succeed.”
“Succeed?”
“The Demon Lord will become the firm’s informant. My contribution on this matter will most likely receive high praise.”
“……”
Everyone. All of the members in the meeting room were at a lost for words.
What were they supposed to say to the office worker who had just confessed with an emotionless face that ‘I had sold my body in order to succeed’.
Ivar Lodbrok, alone, has been laughing since before.
“How is it, comrades. Is this not a masterpiece!”
“…… a masterpiece?”
I ended up asking back.
Ivar Lodbrok stood from his seat. He had spread his arms out wide as if he were showcasing something. It was like he was introducing the next actor to step on stage.
“That is so. A masterpiece. That half-breed is the trash of society. Born as a rat crawling on the floor. From the start she was destined to silently age and die in some back alley…… and yet, look! That succubus was not only able to get into the highest firm in the demon world, she was able to become the mistress of a Demon Lord!”
“……”
“If this is not a masterpiece then what would it be. Is this pure desire to succeed not beautiful. Is this pure desire for power not blinding. Ooh, whenever I see a militant young lad like this I can’t help but shed a tear and praise out. Power is a lady! Thus, they will always only love warriors!”
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_03_03.txt
|
Chapter 3: Faceless Disease
The executives were overwhelmed by Ivar Lodbrok’s madness.
But I was a bit different.
My heart was pounding.
That was the madness that I had fallen for.
Like a mosquito born in a dark and moist swamp would yearn for the glorious sun. I, who was always normal and followed common-sense, couldn’t help but be attracted to Ivar Lodbrok who was located in the complete opposite of my position.
“Lapis Lazuli. Go and tell the Demon Lord! That we will gladly lend something like 10,000 gold whenever he desires!”
“I shall carry out your order at once, chief.”
“And that great desire to succeed where you had even offered your virginity just for our firm. Truthfully, I took a liking to it. Keuncuska is a place only concerned about one’s skills and contributions. You have more than enough rights to receive a reward. Tell me what you desire.”
Ivar Lodbrok spoke coldly.
“Is it gold? Is it honor? I could even offer to adopt you as my daughter. Your biggest weakness is probably your status, right? If you become my child then that weakness will disappear considerably.”
“Chief! No matter how much she has done that’s—”
“Do not impede on another person’s conversation, comrade.”
When the executives tried to oppose, Ivar Lodbrok silenced them.
“I’m trying to enjoy a conversation with this outcast who was able to entice a Demon Lord.”
Eyes as red as blood slowly gazed over the executives.
A thick killing intent. The executives shrunk back their shoulders. The air in the meeting room instantly became cold.
“So, Lapis Lazuli. Tell me what you desire.”
“Please prepare a seat for me in the executive meetings.”
The other executives were badly shaken.
A normal white-collar office worker had just requested to become an executive. It was impressive. However, there was something more impressive. What shocked the executives more was Ivar Lodbrok’s response.
“Not gold or honor, but authority. Okay then.”
“C-Chief……!”
“If the plan goes well, then I shall promote you to the executive in charge of the entire region of Dolstat. With the Rhine River as the center, Cologne, Xanten, Wirthen, Strasbourg, Duisburg, Worms, and Mainz will be in your jurisdiction. How is that?”
Ivar Lodbrok was examining the girl. He was most likely testing her boldness with his eyes.
“It would be an honor.”
“The strength of the Empire has weakened, so in accordance to that, the autonomy in these cities are at the highest point ever in history. As much as the development has suddenly changed, empty-headed people will be tossed to the side and only the true talented people will survive. Lapis Lazuli. I wonder if you will be able to withstand these conditions.”
“I will prove it with my ability.”
“Of course you will. Since if you took out ability, then you’d have nothing.”
For the second time, Ivar Lodbrok laughed loudly.
In the dark conference room, all the executives were dumbfounded. It was as if this old vampire and this cold succubus were in a world of their own.
I must admit, this had become an absurd situation.
To make a succubus who lacked a lot of experience, and was also a half-breed, into a branch manager. There was a limit to advancing quickly. This will be the first time in Keuncuska history, as well as it will be its last for this to happen.
“Keruruk.”
But, Demon Lord Dantalion, huh. I did get the feeling that we were looking down on him too much…… but oh well. He was only rank 71st anyways. It would be good enough to just put a decent amount of caution.
This was interesting. I ended up getting a bit excited too.
Let us enjoy playing around with his highness Demon Lord.
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 6, Day 20 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle
“…… Does your highness plan to stay in bed all day today as well?”
“If you think that I’m not doing anything just because I’m lying in bed, then you are heavily mistaken. Despite the way I am, the fate of the universe is being spread out in my head.”
Two months had already passed.
Ever since I had borrowed the gold, I had spent the past 2 months plainly doing things at my leisure. It had already become a daily routine for Lapis Lazuli to come find me and start sighing.
“The piled interest is already no less than 2,000 Libra.”
“Ah, this book is quite enjoyable.”
I was flipping through a book while lying down. The title of the book was <Chronicles of the Great Demon Lords and the Custom Laws That Were Derived From Them>.
The reason why I was reading this kind of literature was simple.
The information I had of this world was heavily leaned towards one side.
<Dungeon Attack> was a game where you played in the shoes of the human hero. Thanks to that, I may have been knowledgeable about the humans and their society, but I was ridiculously ignorant regarding the demon world.
At most, there was a vampire heroine that falls for the protagonist and thus surrenders to him. But that was it. That heroine never went into details about the demon world.
Well. It just meant that I had to study it on my own.
“Hoh. In this world, for a Demon Lord to attack another Demon Lord, they must have at least sent a declaration of war two times, huh. What a pointless place to stick to formality. Although, it is an impressive means to prevent war. Hm, hm.”
“If your highness continues to not take any measures like this, your highness will end up bankrupting within 3 months. Please be aware, your highness.”
“I want to eat some ice cream—”
“……”
She had probably realized that this side was completely ignoring her.
Lapis Lazuli pressed her forehead with her index finger and thumb. Although her face was still emotionless, I could judge by her mood that she was receiving a lot of stress.
I gave her a bold-faced smile.
“Do not worry. Since all the preparation is already complete.”
“…… My apologies, your highness. Excluding the order that your highness had given this one two months ago, has your highness done anything else?”
“That was all the preparation needed.”
About 50 days ago.
I had made Lapis Lazuli purchase a certain herb en masse. Right now, it was a plant that most people would only consider it to be merely a useless piece of greenery. However, I knew the future.
The current date was year 1505 on the Empire calendar.
This summer, an infectious disease will occur and spread across the entire continent.
In the future this disease will be known as the Black Death and spread throughout the continent as the symbol of fear. Nearly 40% of the entire population on the continent will be wiped out, making it so that calling it a nightmare wouldn’t be even remotely close to describing the event. In Dungeon Attack, the game started around the time that the Black Death had already passed…… to be exact, the game story started in the year 1515 on the Empire calendar.
A tragedy yet to have arrived. It was something I shouldn’t be concerned with, right? The interesting part was what came next.
This plague, surprisingly, had a cure.
The name was plainly ‘Black Herb’. Since it cured the Black Death, it was thus called Black Herb. The people of this world had a dreadful naming sense. They’d probably give an illegitimate child a better name.
‘Angel’s Herb’, ‘Goddess’ Mercy’, ‘Apollon’s Liver’, these kind of glittering nicknames followed after. However, this was also talk of the future. The summer of 1505 on the Empire calendar, before the plague had arrived, this Black Herb was simply a weed. In many regions, this was a plant that didn’t even have the honor of having a name.
That was it.
A weed.
It was a piece of greenery with absolutely no monetary value—
I, using all 10,000 gold coins, invested into this plant.
Truthfully, it was easy.
First, I made a contract with the smaller merchant firms around the continent. Next, through the smaller firms, I was able to form a contract with the pharmacists spread throughout the land. And finally, the pharmacists hired herb gatherers from cities and villages. Instantly, a three-way contract was signed. The broker and transportation fee for the small firms, 2,000 gold coins. The pharmacy fee and herb gatherers’ personnel expenses, 6,000 gold coins. In addition, in order to be able to keep the herbs as fresh as possible, I had obtained a semi-permanent storage of the highest quality.
I was still not used to this world’s customs, but it was fine. I planned big wherever I was. All the detailed(lazy) affairs were handled by Lapis Lazuli as a proxy.
The person to go around making contracts with the small firms and pharmacists was not myself, but Lapis Lazuli. Some could say we were a good match. We were quite the amazing combination.
People who didn’t know the inside story would probably burst out in laughter if they saw this.
He had borrowed 10,000 Libra and we were curious as to see what he would do with it, but would you look at that. He bought a bunch of plants that weren’t even used to eat, and was storing them as if they were some sort of treasure. Lapis Lazuli had tipped me off on what the executives at the firm were saying, ‘That’s the biggest joke I’ve heard all year’, they said and laughed their heads off, is what she told me.
Demon Lord Dantalian’s antics were even the talk of the town.
‘The foolish act of the lowest and crazy Demon Lord.’
‘10,000 gold coins worth of bullshit.’
‘Throwing his life away just for some attention!’
etc etc
I was incredibly pleased.
To be able to put laughter into other people’s lives with such trifling matters. Was this not the true fruits of life? Besides, we all lived an endlessly hard and dry life. If I was able to put a smile on these people’s faces then I could not be more happy.
Was I serious?
That’s why I’ll be making it more interesting.
Not the best joke you’ve heard all year, but the best joke you will ever hear in your entire life. ‘The plant that we thought was just a weed was actually as rare as a jewel!’, that was the kind of ending that awaited. If you had common sense, then you could only laugh till your insides shook.
“I truly am curious as to what face you will show me in a month.”
“Pardon?”
“Since you display no emotions all year round. It’ll be alright for you to look forward to it. I will most certainly make you laugh.”
“…… This one does not understand what your highness is talking about.”
“Wait patiently and you will know everything.”
While rolling around on my bed, I giggled.
Was it because I had teased her a bit too much. A notice popped up.
Merchant Lapis Lazuli’s affection went down by 1.
Oh dear. With this, Lapis Lazuli’s affection had become 0. It had been dropping since 2 months ago, and now it had finally reached the bottom. A stranger would probably treat me better than her now.
“Apologies, but this one shall take her leave here. There is a lot of paperwork from the firm that has been pushed back.
Lapis Lazuli coldly turned her back towards me.
“Ah, Lala.”
“What is it?”
“Take this with you.”
I tossed her a piece of parchment.
Lapis Lazuli received the note with both hands.
“…… your highness. This is?”
I gave her a playful wink.
“It is fine to not return to my castle for the time being. Instead, go to that location and look at the situations there. Since you will discover something interesting.”
After Lapis Lazuli gave me a gaze full of a suspicion, she soon departed.
That piece of paper was the last trap. Lapis Lazuli will most likely realize the existence of the trap much later. I look forward to that day.
▯Keuncuska Merchant, Mixed Blood, Lapis Lazuli Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 6, Day 27 Syracuse Relaxation Hot Springs
“Haa……”
Sighs kept coming out. I wonder how many times that made it now.
The great Keuncuska executive candidate, Lapis Lazuli, was currently at a hot spring. It was a place where the citizens enjoyed taking baths. Men and women were proudly walking in front of me in the nude.
Although I’m saying this, I too was unclothed. Men would stroll through the halls and look this way with an obscene gaze. Their eyes were incredibly unpleasant…… I wanted to crush the eyes of each and every one of these men.
Hot springs were not only a place for relaxation, but it was a type of love area as well. In other words, you could say people were dating in the nude.
A man and a woman would go into a spring and naturally start to philander. It was a kind of culture. Even now, I could hear the sound of moaning over on the side…… I was desperately keeping my head turned away.
“Haa.”
Another sigh.
There was a reason, that was so simple that it was shocking, as to why I was here in Syracuse, the southmost area in the continent. In the note that his highness Dantalian had passed onto me had contained strange words.
Sardinia Kingdom, Syracuse, Citizen Bathhouse, Clinic
Starting point
Joint pain, high temperature, skin turning black
At glance, if one had no context then it’d appear like some code.
His highness Dantalian had been mentioning a disease for the past two months now. At the time, I had misunderstood that it was just his highness purposely saying nonsense. However, after seeing him write this note and pass it on to me, it seemed he was actually serious about it…… This was a joke, right? Anyone was fine, so please tell me this was a joke. Was that so. Was there no one.
“Haa.”
I had sighed for the third time already.
Diseases themselves were not rare. Regardless, to predict when and where a disease would appear? In addition to that, to also already know what the cure to that disease was? That was impossible. That was why it was natural that the executives were treating his highness as a madman.
Honestly, it may have been a little amount, but I had hopes.
His highness, who was once helpless but had overcome a life or death situation, to be reborn as a true Demon Lord…… That kind of folktale-like story, it may have been a small amount, but I had hopes for it.
But rank 71st.
Was he just an idiot that was beyond remedy.
Demon Lord Dantalian really did absolutely nothing after having bought all those plants. He only rolled around on his newly bought bed like a child. It was honestly pathetic.
“Ooh. Lady, you’re quite the pretty one.”
A pedestrian who was also using the bath tried to talk to me.
I was currently using magic to disguise myself as a human. It may had been magic but it was nothing impressive. I had only changed my hair color to red. Succubi were a demonic race, but their outer appearance was pretty much identical to that of a human. I was able to simply conceal my identity.
“How ’bout it, in a single pool for 3 silver…… euut!?”
“……”
I looked into the man’s eyes for a moment.
He had probably mistaken me for some prostitute working in this bath, so I had returned him a cold gaze. As soon as we made eye contact he had taken a step back.
It seems that there was a peculiar murderous intent hidden in my eyes. There were not a lot of people who were able to stare me straight in the face. As the person directly involved, I didn’t understand that well.
“S-Sorry. I mistook you for someone else. Have a nice day!”
The man hastily ran back out to the halls.
His fleshy waist shook violently as he ran. It was pathetic. How could he have expected to buy me with 3 silver coins with a body like that. At the very least 10 gold. If he did not offer that much then an exchange itself couldn’t possibly be established. No matter how I looked, men who couldn’t judge their appearance objectively were all shabby.
I turned my steps towards the clinic of the hot springs. There were many patients here who got admitted believing in the effects of the hot springs. If perhaps, in a one in a million chance, his highness Dantalian’s prediction about the disease was correct, then this was the starting point.
“Ah. What can we do for you, ma’am?”
The doctors welcomed me. They thought I was the daughter of some noble family. That a pure maiden, ignorant of worldly affairs, was coming to do volunteer work. Yes, I had used charm and suggestion magic to purposely delude them.
“How are the patients?”
“Well, it’s pretty much the same. Day in, day out they groan and moan about it hurting. Truthfully speaking, the majority of the patients here are completely fine.”
“I’d like to meet the most recent patient.”
“There’s a bloke who was brought in just yesterday. But I don’t really recommend for you to visit him, miss.”
“Is there a reason?”
“Yeah. This guy’s fake illness is rather serious. My armpit hurts, my groin feels like it’s ripping, and so on. Talk about fussing over nothing. You’ll detest it, miss.”
“……”
Joint pain
“……no. That is alright. If it’s a patient, then I’d like to trust his words for now. I’d like to meet that person first.”
“Haa. How good-natured of you. I may be a petty doctor, but it’s been a long time since I’ve met someone as sincere as you, miss.”
While being delighted, the doctor led me to the sick ward. As soon as we had opened the door, a patient who was further inside started to holler.
“Aaah, I’m dying! This merchant for the great land of Syracuse is going to die because of a quack[5]! Townspeople! Someone beat that quack up for me!”
“Gah. He’s like a pig in heat.”
The doctor sighed.
I understood why he had warned me about visiting this patient. The doctor, after taking a quick glance at me first, approached the patient.
“So what’s the problem this time, that’s making you have an epileptic fit?”
“Problem? What’s my problem? All right, I’ll explain it to you one more time, so this time make sure to carve it into your ear. First, the bed is so hard that my spine is about to become flat. Second, I’m not sure if the servants here are bringing me bread or stones, but my teeth are about to break apart. Third, the long-term doc friend I had keeps sighing whenever he sees my face and that’s starting to make my life miserable.”
“You, moron. My life is becoming miserable because of you.”
“Yeah? Good. We have finally reached the point where we make each other miserable. But that’s the same with the missus as well. My wife and I have been at each other’s throat for a while now, and at this point we’re only thinking of ways to screw with each other. Oi, pal. If you aren’t planning to become my second wife, then shit! Hurry up and act like a doctor and fix me up!”
“Damn it. This guy isn’t even helpful in life.”
It seemed that these two had been friends since they were kids.
It meant that they were close enough to be able to freely swear at each other’s faces.
It was a strange scene for someone like myself. Friendship. Could that actually exist?
Commonly, people would praise that friendships last forever. It was suspicious. No matter what sentence, whenever the adverb ‘forever’ was included, then I’d start off by being doubtful. I personally thought this was a good habit.
There were only backstabbers or potential backstabbers that existed in the world. That was my opinion. Friendship simply referred to a person who hadn’t betrayed you yet.
“Sorry, miss.”
The doctor abruptly apologized.
“This guy always had a crude mouth. Just think of it as his limit of education and ignore it if you can.”
“I am okay. Please proceed with the checkup.”
“Okay then.”
The doctor placed his hand on the patient’s forehead.
“Places here and there are indeed hot. But no matter how I see it, it’s just a summer cold. I’ll prescribe you with some medicine, so if it does get bad then take the medicine. Other than that you should be fine, so don’t worry.”
“……”
High temperature
For an instant, disbelief had crossed my mind.
…… There was no way. I was overthinking it. Joints aching and having a fever, these were symptoms you could find anywhere. You couldn’t consider something like these to be a sign of a disease.
“Eh, how do you expect me to believe the words of a quack?”
“If you keep calling me a quack, I’m going to prescribe you poison instead. If you keep saying something like that so loudly then you’ll be hurting my dignity. You bastard. Are you planning to ruin your childhood friend’s business like this?”
“It really hurts like hell! Here, look.”
The patient suddenly pulled his top off.
The doctor panicked and turned to look at me, but I was the same as ever and stood calmly. I didn’t care about the naked body of a man at all. More than that, there was something else that had caught my gaze.
The patient’s right chest.
There was a black spot the size of a thumb.
“…………”
My entire body went stiff.
Like a person who was petrified.
“Ara, what’s this?”
“There’s no reason to have this bruise if it was a normal cold.”
“That, well. I guess you’re right……”
The two didn’t notice my sudden change in mood.
The doctor and patient were busy discussing with each other.
“That’s weird. Did you perhaps catch an endemic disease from someone else?”
“That’s something you, the doctor, should know. Not the merchant, you quack. If you don’t want to get a job change to an undertaker, then cure me already. If I end up being a corpse by tomorrow then you don’t have to worry about your reputation, because your life as a doctor will be over.”
“Bah, spitting out annoying words, this dumbass.”
Skin turning black
“…… I just recalled something that I have to do. I shall take my leave.”
“Ah? Oh, sure. Stay safe.”
With fast steps, I made my way out of the ward.
I did not have the leisure to give a proper farewell at the moment.
The situation.
I couldn’t understand the situation.
Turmoil wrapped around my head and shook it violently. What was going on? Surely, you weren’t telling me that a disease was actually starting to run rampant? And for it to also be according to Demon Lord Dantalian’s prediction?
That was impossible. That was absolutely impossible. The ability to foretell the future only manifested in the smallest amount of the already small amount of saintesses. Even then, the last recognized case of a prophecy coming true was 210 years ago. There was no chance for his highness Dantalian to have such an ability, or it was supposed to be that way. But why?
…… I had to be calm. It was too soon to get ahead of myself. At most, it was only one patient. There was still the chance that it was just a coincidence that a patient with the symptoms that matched the nonsense that his highness Dantalian had spouted was here. For starters, I had to visit the other doctors in Syracuse.
At least 2, no, at least 4 patients had to have the same symptoms before it could be judged as a disease. I must not panic. Prophecies were fantasies that appeared in story books. There was no way they could happen so easily in real life.
‘But, if his highness Dantalian was right……’
A simple speculation.
I had only thought of it for a moment but the back of my neck was already cold.
His highness Dantalian, claiming they were the cure to the disease, had bought bulks of a certain weed. Naturally, the price of the leaf was incredibly low. Most of the gold was spent on personnel. Due to the exorbitant price, however, the amount of the plant that his highness Dantalian had bought……
Was no less than 30,000.
If those truly were the cure, then no matter how low the price was, they’d sell for at least 2 gold each. Thus, 60,000 gold coins. That transcended the amount that his highness had initially borrowed.
No, that was still the situation where the money earned was set to the least. If the contagion were to spread across the entire continent then it could cost 5 gold…… it would reach a preposterous state. An unprecedented amount of chaos would occur.
No one in the firm would predict this. A blunder among blunders. They will probably find the one responsible to blame, and ten to one, I will end up being that scapegoat.
The goal of becoming an executive in Keuncuska.
The promise to leave me in charge of the entire region of Dolstat, as well.
Naturally, all of these will pop like bubbles.
“……”
I carefully bit my lips.
Born in a back alley, I had lived my life scavenging sewers and trash. I had just barely been able to grab hold of an opportunity to escape that hell. I could not let all that go down the drain.
Certainly, I had hoped that his higness Dantalian would awaken as an actual Demon Lord. However, his awakening was only meant for my success and growth. Thus, I had never considered this situation.
My feet moved faster on their own.
On that day alone, I had visited every doctor in the city of Syracuse. And I had no choice but to give an objective conclusion.
Severe fevers.
Pain spreading from the joints.
A symptom where the skin would turn black in areas.
“……”
In my hands was the piece of parchment that his highness had handed me. Standing in the center of the city square, I kept staring down at the note for a long time.
16 clinics in the city of Syracuse.
29 patients with similar symptoms.
The next day the patients increased to 56 people.
25 patients complained of a sharp pain and then died.
10 days later, the patients in the hot springs that I had visited before had all died. Half a month later, the entire city was filled with the pained cries of the citizens.
His highness Dantalian’s prediction was correct.
It was an epidemic.
An epidemic was going rampant.
▯Keuncuska Executive, Miser Goblin, Torukel Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 7, Day 16 Keuncuska Firm, Amstel Branch
“Sir Torukel, an emergent report has arrived.”
“Keruruk. You discourteous fellow! Did I not tell you that no matter what happens, to not bother me when her highness Paimon was visiting!”
A fancy reception room.
I had gotten upset because of a secretary that had suddenly started pounding on the door.
Her highness Paimon was sitting across from me, that idiot. She was one of the most precious guests to the Keuncuska Firm. When this person was visiting, be it work or contact, I had forbade everything. This was a problem of common courtesy!
“Oh dear. This lady is fine, Torukel.”
Fortunately, her highness had displayed understanding first.
“It must be quite the urgent matter if he had to come in contact with you immediately.”
“I sincerely apologize. That secretary normally isn’t like this……”
“I said that I was fine. This lady will be enjoying the fragrance of the tea, so you may take your time.”
Her highness Paimon smiled gently.
I wonder how benevolent this person was. She would always treat me, a lowly merchant, with gentleness. While being moved, I bowed several times.
Of course, once I had left the reception room, my expression had twisted.
“You fool. What is it, keruk?”
“I-I’m sorry.”
The secretary lowered his head while being nervous.
Even if you did that, the thought of forgiving you doesn’t come up. How dare he interrupt a meeting with her highness. Having come this far, it wouldn’t even be satisfying to cut his head off. He better be prepared.
“An urgent message had arrived from the firm headquarters. A mage wrote down the information onto a note and has delivered it.”
“No matter how urgent the message is, the person in that room is her highness Paimon. If the message turns out to be a matter of no importance, then I personally will cut your head off.”
“S-Sir Torukel……!”
“Hm.”
I quickly snatched the note away from the secretary and scanned it. Just like our firm to put importance on efficiency, only brief words were written down. Additionally, it was written in a code that only the executives understood, so I was the sole person here that was able to read it.
An epidemic outbreak.
Centering the harbors, the plague has spread throughout the entire region of the Sardinia Kingdom. It is certain that it will spread to the countries in the vicinity soon.
Fatality rate: 80%
“What……?”
Once I had decoded this far, my brows creased.
For it to say that the fatality rate was 80%. Doesn’t that mean that if 10 people were to catch the disease, then 8 people would die? This wasn’t a normal contagious disease.
It also stated that it was ‘certain’ that the disease will spread to the countries in the vicinity. This was also serious. It was a rule for merchants to not exaggerate information. In these type of situations, it was normal to write that it was ‘expected’ to spread.
Surely, Ivar Lodbrok couldn’t have possibly made a mistake on this part…… Certain? Did it mean that the epidemic was spreading at that much of an incredible rate? This was not good. An ominous premonition was looming over me……
The following sentences made my pupils stop.
The cure to the disease is in the Demon Lord Dantalian’s possession.Currently estimated value, 1,200,000~3,000,000 gold coins. All executives are to return to the headquarters immediately.
“…………”
This didn’t make sense.
“I-I am sorry. Sir Torukel. I truly am sorry. I too, wanted to wait till her highness Paimon had left before handing this to you.”
This couldn’t be happening.
“To tell you the truth, this was a note delivered about an hour ago. But it was branded with the first class classified seal. I thought it’d be troublesome for Sir Torukel if it were to be delayed any further……”
It was impossible.
“S-Sir Torukel? Are you listening to me? Sir Torukel……?”
▯Keuncuska Firm Owner, Pure-blood Vampire, Ivar Lodbrok Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 7, Day 16 Keuncuska Firm Headquarters, Highest floor
We were tricked.
Honestly, I was completely deceived.
“Hmm.”
In a dark room I was drinking wine by myself.
My glass continued to empty. It meant that I was that deep in thought. Somehow, it felt like I was going to be drinking till late at night, tonight……
Who was it. Which person was the one to have made Ivar Lodbrok into a fool.
Demon Lord Dantalian was a small-fry. He lacked the ability to plot such a grandiose plan. Then who was it. There was only one answer. The half-breed succubus, that girl was the one who had schemed everything……
“Lapis Lazuli.”
While rolling the fragrance of the wine around my mouth, I spoke the girl’s name. Was it just my imagination. The alcohol tasted a bit sweeter.
The desire to succeed was beautiful. To not be satisfied with one’s current position and continue to aim higher. That was the attitude that everyone should naturally take. That was my thought.
Except.
If you show your fangs towards me then the story became different.
I will now teach Lapis Lazuli a lesson.
It was unfortunate that I had to stomp on a junior who had such a promising future ahead of them. I was speaking the truth. If you asked what I meant by that, then it was because Lapis Lazuli was going to become a living but not living doll.
I hold out my glass.
“Another cup.”
“……”
A servant girl poured more wine without a word.
At one point, this girl too was a promising executive candidate. She was just like Lapis Lazuli. Having a low status, her desire for power was mesmerizing. The beauty of her eyes were peerless. However, the decisive part was that she was a fool. She had revolted against none other than myself.
The bright eyes that would always shine with intelligence, was now a hazy and achromatic color.
Having lost her will and consciousness, she had dropped down to being a slave doll that obeyed my every command……
“What a shame. Why is it that all the useful talents can’t resist the temptation to go against me?”
A sigh came out on its own.
I had turned my head towards the side, and there my face was reflected by the window. Surprisingly, I was grinning. Uncontainable joy was floating around the corners of my mouth. It appeared as if I was having a fair amount of fun.
It was true.
The fact of it being a shame was a lie.
What’s there to hide.
Personally, I was having the most fun I’ve ever had since forever.
For an unpredictable twist to occur, that was the joy of life.
To personally be able to trample the junior with a promising career ahead of them, those were the fruits of life.
To turn that junior into a puppet, and like one would store wine to mature, to store her like a doll in my own personal collection—
That was the highest of pleasures.
“Lapis Lazuli.”
Once again.
I murmured the name of that beautiful girl.
I will cut every last hope that you have.
I will defile you from head to toe.
Once you fall into despair and begin to flounder, I shall pierce my fangs into your white neck and make you into my slave for eternity.
“Mm.”
I couldn’t hold back any longer.
I pushed my teeth into the servant’s neck.
“……Ah, aah…… aaaah……”
The servant shuddered slightly.
Her conscience may have been gone, but her sense of pain remained.
The fragrance of her blood was like that of a well matured first grade wine.
I had collected wine dolls like her for the past hundreds of years.
But for the past 60 years, the number of dolls had stopped at 32. Because people had stopped showing defiance towards me. It was a boring time.
The true owner of the Keuncuska Firm. Richest person in the demon world. One of the three pure vampires to walk this land. All of these were addressed to myself. Young ones brave enough to go against me were extremely rare.
In that meaning, Lapis Lazuli was the first obstacle to appear in 60 years. She was precious in that regard, and she was also precious as my 33rd wine.
…… Now that I thought about it. In my collection there was an elf, a witch, a werewolf, a centaur, a mermaid, and more. I had all kinds of races but not a succubus. Thus, Lapis Lazuli’s value as a collection piece was higher.
I do wonder what fragrance of wine she’ll give off.
I sucked the blood of the servant until she had fainted and laughed.
Keuncuska, oh great Keuncuska.
You shall repay blood with blood.
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 7, Day 16 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle
Life was beautiful.
To the point that, I, the most pessimistic person in history, should slowly start to admit that the world was beautiful as well.
According to the setting in Dungeon Attack, Demons Lords did not have parents. If you were asking what I was talking about, I was referring to the fact that Demon Lords were born from magical energy abnormally gathered at a single point. Purely made by chance. Their birth had nothing to do with having a good personality or being talented, it all relied on luck……
That was why people couldn’t help but look down on them.
It was like a competent peasant scorning an incompetent noble. People who had reached the top through their talent and ability alone looked down on Demon Lords. ‘They were only born as a Demon Lord by chance anyways. They wouldn’t be a challenge if you faced them head on.’, was what they’d say.
They were carelessly letting their guards down.
And it was fatal for someone to drop their guard, for even a second, around someone as villainous as I was.
There were only two cases where I’d think that the world was beautiful.
First, it was when I did absolutely nothing and rolled around on my bed.
The second, was when I stabbed a dagger into the people who underestimated me on their own. During these times were when I felt like I understood the true meaning of life.
…… My little sister said that this was a perverted preference and fiercely denounced it. But I didn’t get her. Was it not the person who lowered their guard that was at fault?
When a lion hunts a rabbit, they put their all into the hunt. That was why hunting was an incredibly tiring job. If you were not going to do your best from the beginning, then it was better off not starting the work in the first place. Half-assed work only returned half-assed results. It would be more efficient to just be like me and laze around all day and save energy.
If one had to endure their laziness and go hunting, then in one hit.
Kill the game off without giving it a single chance to resist.
Currently, the result of that was spread before me.
“Ooh, Lala. Your complexion looks rather dark today.”
“……”
Lapis Lazuli was standing silently.
Her expression wasn’t as sharp as it used to be. The eyes of hers, which used to be as transparent as glass, were unclear now. They were eyes that I had seen a countless number of times before, the eyes of a defeated person.
“Is it perhaps, that? The magical spell that falls upon women every month? You too, have a rough life.”
“…… how did your highness predict this.”
“Oh dear, Lala. I can hear impatience in your words.”
Like the reclining Buddha statue, I was lying while supporting my head with my arm.[6]
“Always cool-headed and calm, that is your charm. Please do show some more consideration to your beauty.”
Lapis Lazuli’s complexion grew darker.
A pitiful fellow.
Regardless, I rather liked mentally tantalizing the loser. Please partake in my ridiculing a bit longer.
“What is the reaction from the Keuncuska Firm?”
“…… It was like a stirred bee hive. A call up order for all the executives was sent out only a few hours ago. This one had also received the summons to come to the headquarters immediately.”
“Oh ho. Then why are you here instead of going to the firm?”
“……”
Lapis Lazuli didn’t respond.
No, it would be correct to say that she wasn’t able to respond.
I smiled slyly.
“Should I guess what you’re thinking? You had judged that your life would be in danger if you were to go to the firm now. The firm executives have no idea that I was the one to have planned all of this. In their minds, the culprit to this incident was you, Lapis Lazuli.”
Lapis Lazuli glared at me.
Like a wounded beast staring with hatred at their hunter in the last moment.
“Was that why your highness had sent this one to Syracuse? To plant a misunderstanding in the firm executives. This one, on purpose.”
“Correct.”
If you thought logically, then the act of predicting a plague was impossible. Someone, mobilizing unknown methods, had spread the disease in Syracuse on purpose. That was the normal conclusion people would come to.
Who could that person be.
Who would the firm executives point their fingers at, as the criminal.
“The person to become the concubine of a Demon Lord and entice him, was also you.”
There was one woman who had captivated Dantalian with their body.
“The one to have seduced the Demon Lord into borrowing a large amount of gold from the firm, was also you.”
There was one woman who had passionately convinced the executives that it was the perfect opportunity to put a collar on the Demon Lord.
“Coincidentally, the person to have stayed in the area where the disease had first spread, for a week at that, was also you.
There was one woman who had first reported exactly where the Black Death outbreak initially occured—.
“Finally, the person to have bought several thousands of the plant that could cure said disease, was none other than you.”
That was so.
Just for this, I had left all the detailed affairs to Lapis Lazuli. The meeting of the small firms and pharmacy, and also the process of buying the plant. All the paperwork was done through Lapis Lazuli.
Now then.
“Now your firm executives have no other choice but to suspect you as the prime suspect.”
The most that Demon Lord Dantalian was, in this act, was a puppet controlled by the succubus. The one pulling the strings was the half-breed, Lapis Lazuli, was what all the executives would assume.
Although they were completely wrong.
I chuckled.
“Lala, you should have thought this far as well. That’s why you came here instead of returning to your headquarters. A good judgment. If you had gone to your headquarters you would have been punished, no questions asked.”
Silence took over for a moment.
In a ruin-like Demon Lord room, previously destroyed by adventurers, excluding the bed the room was full of dust and rubbish, in this grey room, Lapis Lazuli was the first to break the silence.
“…… why?”
Lapis Lazuli slowly opened her mouth.
“Why is your highness revealing everything to this one?”
“Because I evaluate you very highly, Lala.”
I stood from my bed.
“You are beautiful. I’m not complimenting your looks. I’m referring to your inner beauty.”
Rolling my snake-like tongue, I approached Lapis Lazuli.
“Despite being born a half-breed outcast, you did not throw away your passion for authority. You even tried to sacrifice a Demon Lord for your own success. Just one more step. If you were able to take one more step, you could have become an executive at Keuncuska……”
An unusual amount of lust for power.
Cool-headedness that did not fear sacrifice.
Adding to that, talent that leaped over one’s origin and rank.
“I want to obtain you.”
I lifted Lapis Lazuli’s chin.
Endlessly blue eyes looked up at me.
“Abandon the Keuncuska Firm and come under my command. Keuncuska, in the end, is nothing more than a firm. Money may be great but it is not greater than authority. The thing that truly excites and enthuses people is authority.”
“…… Your highness has only just succeeded.”
Lapis Lazuli spoke quietly.
Our faces were so close that we could feel each others’ breaths.
“Of course, your highness will make a lot of money. However, there won’t be any authority there yet. Your highness is still rank 71st, the lowest Demon Lord, there is no adequate foundation. How does your highness plan to present authority to this one?”
“I shall leave all the trading of the cure to you.”
“……”
Lapis Lazuli hesitated.
I slowly moved my face closer to hers. I did not rush. She was already caught in the center of the spider web. She could not run away.
“Close your eyes. Imagine. The continent will scream as the nightmare like plague envelopes over it. No matter how short it lasts, 2 years. If it goes on longer, then over 5 years. Hundred and thousands of people, hundreds and thousands of people will die off. Among them there will be nobles and the rich. They, in order to stay alive, will do whatever they can to struggle.”
Lapis Lazuli, listening to my order, closed her eyes.
In a soft voice, I whispered into her ear.
“This cure that will allow you to control these people’s lives, I shall give it to you.”
“……”
“Countless number of people in power will run to you in order to trade. If you sell the cure, then those people in power will live. If you don’t sell the cure, then those people in power will meet their end. A single word from you could make numerous authorities delighted, despair, sad, and regret for eternity……”
I stroke her hip with a hand.
Lapis Lazuli, albeit weakly, furrowed her brows.
With my palm, I faintly felt her skin. It was a smooth body with no useless fat. As if I was searching through the unknown, I passed my hand over here and there of her body.
From her chest to her stomach.
From her stomach to her waist.
“Half-breed. The rubbish of demons. Daughter of a whore. An outcast. You who used to be condemned by these names and scorned will instantly grasp the lives of hundreds and thousands of people. How is it, Lala. How is that feeling, Lapis Lazuli.”
It was then, I felt something hard against my finger.
I found it.
“The thing you’re feeling right now, that is authority.”
I daringly pushed my hand into her clothes.
Lapis Lazuli furrowed her brows further. Did she think that she would be violated here? While being all smiles, I pulled out the round metallic object that was hidden underneath the waist of Lapis Lazuli’s clothes. Once I did so, Lapis Lazuli let out an “ah” sound while opening her mouth. It was a look of surprise.
It was silver-colored metal object.
At first glance it appeared to be a pocket watch. But if it was a real watch, then the key used to coil around the clockwork was supposed to be connected to the watch. This object didn’t have a watch chain.
“This is why I evaluate you highly.”
I playfully waved the metallic object in front of her eyes.
Lapis Lazuli bit her lips.
“…… Did your highness perhaps know from the start?”
“Well, it was a simple guess.”
Memory Play, a magic artifact.
It was a type of recording device that recorded audio and saved it. If the quality was good, then it could even record videos like a video camera.
This was an item that sold for a tremendous price in Dungeon Attack. It was most likely the same in this world as well.
Lapis Lazuli most likely wanted to prove her innocence to the firm executives. The problem was that she didn’t have any proof. Thus, Lapis Lazuli was going to make new evidence……
What evidence could prove her innocence. The most effective way would obviously be to get the confession from the actual culprit. There was no doubt that she would mobilize the use of the Memory Play artifact.
“It is sad. Mm, it has become quite unfortunate. If you did well, there was still the chance to become a proud branch manager in the Keuncuska Firm, but. Oh goodness. Would you look at that—.”
I dropped the silver object to the floor.
And then, raising my right foot, I stomped down using the heel of my boot.
With a ‘crack’, you could hear the precise sound of mechanical parts breaking. I repeated the action 5 times. I then picked up the already wrecked device and tossed it as hard as I could at a wall.
I shrugged.
“It seems your last possibility has broken.”
“……”
“Lala. You have two choices in front of you. These are choices that you can not refuse. First choice. Like this, abide to your summons from the firm and return with no evidence. Earnestly plea your innocence there. Then, hm. Then…… if you’re lucky then you might be able to keep your life.”
I softly tapped her shoulder.
“…… What is the second choice?”
Lapis Lazuli spoke. It was splendid. Despite being checkmated her voice was still cold. No matter what desperate situation this girl was in, even if her life was on the line, it was clear as day that she would maintain calmness. Like I did three months ago. While surrounded by adventurers.
“Come under my wing. Lapis Lazuli. Oh, half-breed low one. If you devote to me your talent, then I will provide you status. If you devote to me your loyalty, then I shall give you power. I will make true the hopes and desires that you contain in your chest on this land, and you shall protect me from the hopes and desires of other people.”
In brief, give and take.
Was this not the most loveable logic.
“What will your highness do if this one was to betray your highness.”
“Ah, don’t be mistaken. I am not asking for absolute loyalty from you. If you wish to betray me, then do so. If you think someone other than myself will be able to give you more benefits, then of course you should.”
I did not believe in friendship.
I did not believe in love more.
Similarly, I did not have any trust in loyalty.
“But I will promise you this, you will enjoy to the fullest the highest power of authority.”
What I did believe in was equivalent exchange.
The act of reasonable people exchanging items of the same value.
“……”
“……”
Lapis Lazuli stared at me. I did not avoid her eyes. Silence was only awkward when there was no meaning in each others’ eyes. We still had much to figure out from each other’s gaze.
I had something inside of myself.
And she as well, had something hidden inside of her.
We had no reason to fear silence.
At last.
“I understand, your highness.”
Lapis Lazuli got down onto one knee.
She looked to the floor and vowed.
“I, Lapis Lazuli, born from a Humbaba succubus and raised in the back alleys of towns and cities, a person to have worked as a third degree merchant for the Keuncuska Firm for 10 years, shall forget her past and live solely for the purpose of being Demon Lord Dantalian’s subordinate. This heart. This head. This soul, shall forever be in the possession of your highness.”
As soon as her oath of fealty was over several notices appeared.
Lapis Lazuli has been recruited as a subordinate.
The degree of loyalty will appear in Lapis Lazuli’s status.
Unstable loyalty. The other party purely regards you as a lord contractually. The other party can betray you at any time.
I smiled.
I especially took fancy to the line of being betrayed at any moment. Be it sticky friendship or eternal affection, instead of high-flown lines like those, that line was more trustworthy.
The undying love that my father had vowed with my mothers, in the end, met with failure. Humans didn’t have the strength to revere that kind of love. To dump emotions that you both can’t handle onto one another will only bend your knees.
Dry from the start.
Instead of being bothered by such useless things, I’d rather be lazy.
Instead of being crudely serious, I’d rather be seriously crude.
This was my creed, my ironclad rules.
All of a sudden, from my memories, my father’s thick lips moved clearly.
‘Son. Be prepared.’
‘No matter what you choose—’
‘You will live a life more harsh than I.’
Sorry, father.
I do not plan to repeat the life you had.
You had succeeded as a member of society. However, you had horribly failed as a husband. I had been displeased by that since long ago. Why would you be obsessed with something when you know you would fail?
If you weren’t certain to succeed then don’t dive in. That was my answer. It meant that people wouldn’t have to be in despair because of me. You were the one remorse in my life, father. I do not want to be the remorse of another person……
“Good. Lapis Lazuli.”
I got on my knee as well to match her eye level.
We were not simply lord and vassal. Contractor and contractee. We were partners made on a promise of equal rights. I wanted to express that to her with my body.
“I, Dantalian, shall never return thy advice with silence and shall never return thy suggestions with scorn. If thou sweat and bleed for my behalf, then I shall repay every drop of sweat and blood.”
I held her hand tightly.
I had felt it before, but her hand really was soft.
Lapis Lazuli, after looking at me for a long time, slightly, ever so slightly nodded her head.
“…… My service to you, your highness.”
Three months since having fallen into this world.
I had appointed my first vassal.
▯Keuncuska Executive, Miser Goblin, Torukel Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 7, Day 20 Keuncuska Firm Headquarters
The firm headquarters was more unsettled than usual.
Goblins were looking deeply into crystal balls and deciphering codes. And with the deciphered codes, they’d write it down on a piece of parchment in one stroke, then passed it on to a fairy.
Fairies the size of a palm groaned as they moved the parchment. From the operating department to the countermeasure department, distribution department, and the high-officer department. The headquarters was a rather large building, and yet the fairies were moving around so much that traffic congestion could be seen near the ceiling.
“Reports of a patient being discovered in Cologne!”
“We’re certain that the plague is following the Rhine River and spreading north.”
“That made the closure of the Sardinia Kingdom completely useless.”
“The lady of the House of Sforza has fallen due to illness……”
Reports from all over the continent were arriving en masse. Headaches were wrapping around the employees. Among them, there was a goblin that had presumably skipped sleep for the past few days because his eyes were bloodshot and swelling. Keruruk, how pitiful.
Going through the headquarters, I made my way straight to Ivar Lodbrok’s personal office. For a second, I had thought that I had entered the wrong room. There were so many piles of papers stacked up, that you couldn’t even see the form of Ivar Lodbrok. If I hadn’t heard his gloomy voice over the heaps of papers, then I would most definitely have left the room.
“Is that Torukel.”
“Quite horrible. Keruk.”
“Oho, is this horrible. But it’s going to be more horrible later. Sit.”
“…… to sit, where?”
Of course the desk was out of the question, but there were piles of parchments all over the floor as well.
“Anywhere is fine. I have already put all the information over there in my head, anyway.”
“A freakish memorizing ability as ever…… So, is the plague showing any signs of dying down?”
“Not at all.”
Ivar Lodbrok replied instantly.
“The disease is spreading at a terrifying speed. Kalmar Union and the kingdom of Moscow, excluding Venetia, are all eroding to the plague. The remaining countries will also face the disease very soon. Our firm analysts are already predicting a 30% casualty rate.”
“30% of the entire continent is going to die? Are you joking?”
“If I had ever told a joke in my entire life, do tell.”
I unintentionally murmured to myself. 30%. It was unimaginable. It meant that millions of demons and humans will die. I couldn’t even speculate how bad the damage was going to be.
“Every lord has temporarily ceased all trade with our firm.”
Ivar Lodbrok spoke in a tone as if he was enjoying something.
Was he going to keep up with his jovial attitude even in this situation? He really wasn’t sane. Wait, more important than that, did he just say that every lord had ceased trades with us?
“Isn’t that a big deal!?”
“Aah, it is a big deal. They are afraid that we will deliver not only the product but the disease as well. Due to that, the items we had prepared for a long time now are waiting in the cargos and storages only to rot.”
“Don’t tell me the other firms too……”
“They are the same. All commerce has stopped.”
It was an unprecedented crisis.
This plague wasn’t bringing harm to solely mankind. The economy itself on the continent was breaking down. That’s why it didn’t matter if you caught the disease or not, this was no different from everyone rushing straight to hell.
Once my face turned blue, Ivar Lodbrok changed his tone to be serious.
“Us demons at least have better circumstances. Since, different from humans, we have studied black magic for hundreds and thousands of years. We have an understanding on how to handle diseases and keep the damage to a minimum. However, humans are different. They had banned black magic on a national degree. Thus, they are overwhelmingly lacking in experience and information. For them, not 30% but 40%. It could even possibly go up to 50%.”
“Oh, Lord. Goddesses……”
“The problem was how Lapis Lazuli had predicted this epidemic.”
Ivar Lodbrok took a pipe out from underneath his clothes.
He started to mutter while pressing tobacco into the chamber of his pipe.
“To know what the cure of the disease was and claim a monopoly on it. This was not a coincidence. There’s no doubt that this plague was made artificially.”
“Are you saying…… that someone had spread this disease on purpose?”
Ivar Lodbrok nodded.
But was that possible? Lapis Lazuli was merely a half-breed succubus. She did not have the ability to make this kind of disease on her own. No, there was no one on the entire continent that was capable of doing this.
As if he had read my mind, Ivar Lodbrok spoke.
“If you thought with common-sense, then it’s an impossible tale. However, if it was Demon Lord Barbatos, then it is possible.”
“Demon Lord Barbatos……”
Rank 8th Demon Lord.
She was known as the greatest necromancer on the continent and was also referred to as the Immortal Monarch.
The army that Demon Lord Barbatos led consisted entirely of 5,000 undeads. They were corpses that had died long ago. If it was Barbatos, the maestro of black magic and diseases, then she could have created a plague like this. Was what Ivar Lodbrok had concluded……
That meant that Lapis Lazuli was Barbatos’ pawn.
Dantalian was just the fake bait displayed at the front. Was the true perpetrator Barbatos? Was that it. Was this the truth……
“This is not a baseless assumption. Demon Lord Barbatos has always despised humans. If there were to be an outbreak, then the damage on the human side will heavily outweigh the damage on the demons. This was obvious.”
Ivar Lodbrok continued to speak in a composed manner.
“Therefore, it wouldn’t be weird if Demon Lord Barbatos was aiming to exterminate the human race with an epidemic. It would be more appropriate to compliment that rational assumption.”
“……That is horrible.”
I now understood why Ivar Lodbrok had told me that it was going to be more horrible later.
To spread an epidemic just to simply get rid of a single race. Escaping all rationality, this was an unforgivable crime. The thought, ‘Could people actually become this villainous’ floated through my mind and gave me the urge to vomit.
“Demon Lords, in the end, are that kind of character. In order to make their dreams a reality, they do not care whether means are fair or foul. It has been like this for thousands of years.”
“……Should we be standing here without a word? While millions of people cry out in agony, Barbatos, Dantalian, and Lapis Lazuli are in cahoots. Retaliation is required.”
“I share that opinion. Torukel. Look at this.”
Ivar Lodbrok flicked his finger.
A certain scroll on his desk lifted up in mid-air and flew towards me. Receiving the scroll, I spread it out left and right.
On the parchment, it was written that in one months time all the Demon Lords were to gather together to hold a meeting. It was called Walpurgis Night.
The location, Niflheim— as it so happens, it was the city our Keuncuska Firm headquarter was located in. It was okay to look at this as a golden opportunity.
“Keruk. It’s the big meeting that only happens every several years.”
“It is most likely to create a countermeasure for the plague. Demon Lord Dantalian will also be attending. Ten to one, that little succubus will come along with him. We will end those two there.”
But.
Under the assumption that Demon Lord Barbatos was the true culprit, we still had no proof. However, if we threatened either Dantalian or Lapis Lazuli and then tortured them, then we’d be able to gain whatever evidence we required.
“Tell me what I should do, Lodbrok.”
Especially Lapis Lazuli. This girl, I could not forgive.
Despite the fact that we had summoned her, Lapis Lazuli had not responded. Contact itself was cut off. There was no other choice but to see this as a clear betrayal to the firm.
For her to forget about the grace we had provided for her by taking her in.
A punishment must be ordered at once.
“For now, I will get in contact with Dantalian. Torukel. You go to her highness Paimon and make a request.”
“……To her highness Paimon?”
“The culprit is Barbatos. Only her highness Paimon could face against her.”
I nodded my head.
It was renowned that Barbatos and her highness Paimon were on bad terms. If it meant to get a free hit on Barbatos, then her highness Paimon would not refuse.
Oh, great Keuncuska.
You shall repay blood with blood.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_03_04.txt
|
Chapter 3: Faceless Disease
Translator's Notes
[↑] Ricefish.
[↑] 5 silver = 1 gold, A gold coin is referred to as a Libra. Silver is just silver.
[↑] Keruk is just a sound he makes, it has no meaning.
[↑] An expression used to describe a needlessly self-destructive over-reaction to a problem.
[↑] Quack = Fake doctor.
[↑] This pose.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_04.txt
|
Chapter 4: Romantic Deceptive Tactics
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 8, Day 15 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle
To leave one’s home only leads to trouble.
I declare that that sentence was the truth.
Traditionally, people gained life lessons from biographies of great people.
The one truth I was able to discover from swimming through the history of mankind from time immemorial, was that every incident to ever happen was outside one’s home.
The reason Buddha went through such hardship was because he had run away from home. The reason Caesar was assassinated was because he had uselessly wandered around outside.
The most memorable death was that of philosopher René Descartes. This man originally spent his time taking naps, however, his superior had suddenly ordered him to ‘come to work by 5am’, and thus resulted in René Descartes dying of overwork. After learning of such historical tragedy, I had come to a conclusion at a young age: Never go outside. Then your safety will be certain.
History scholars would probably gladly give a standing ovation to such a brilliant solution. My name would be forever remembered as the advocate of theory in the history books.
But, I couldn’t be happy.
The world was overflowing with people who begrudged geniuses. It may be possible to impress the history scholars, but to receive the admiration of the public was incredibly difficult. Recently, I had been experiencing my mornings gloomily, like a genius being tragically eaten alive by the jealously and envy of the people……
“Your highness Dantalian.”
The culprit to create this tragedy was Lapis Lazuli.
Ironically, she was my first vassal.
“It is already 11am. Please wake up.”
“Mm, mmm…… is 11am not still the crack of dawn……?”
“This one does not know where to raise an argument first. If this one had to point out one thing then it is that 11am absolutely is not dawn.”
Lapis Lazuli spoke calmly.
This inflexible succubus, representing the people, did her utmost to interfere with my shut-in life. I think she had mistaken that doing so was her duty by fate.
I groaned as if I was a politician being assaulted by the nasty media.
“Who, with what right, said that 11am is not dawn……?”
“Sound common sense decided so.”
I pulled my blanket over my head.
To want to take me away from this comfortable feeling. If this wasn’t an unimaginable violence, then I didn’t know what it was. Not only was that succubus’ period getting worse, but there was a loose screw in her head, I was certain.
“Most people have a mental sickness. Common sense is nothing more than rules that those mentally ill people had arranged on their own. Therefore, rules for a mental hospital. As a unique sane individual, such as myself, I shall not fall to the pressure of those psychopaths……”
“Haa. Your highness has been sleeping for 22 hours now.”
Show some moderation and get up.
Was the small warning I could hear from her voice.
I hugged my pillow even tighter, displaying my will to resist desperately.
“Stop thinking so firmly. The world won’t come to an end. And since it isn’t, then it’s better off getting in 10 more minutes of sleep.”
“…… Did your highness mention the end of the world just for 10 more minutes of sleep? This one cannot help but be amazed by your highness’ extraordinary leap in logic.”
Lapis Lazuli spoke as if she was dumbfounded.
“It is a conceptual shift. I live life to the fullest everyday as if it was my last. In short, I do my very best to be lazy.”
“This one had never imagined that the word lazy and the word best had such a close relation to one another. No matter how much this one looked, your highness’ use of words is always marvelous.”
Tack
The sound of a finger snapping could be heard over my blanket.
The moment after, my blanket started to move restlessly and then rose up by itself. It was magic. I hurriedly reached up and tried to at least grab the edge of my blanket, but it was in vain.
“Ah, aah! Wait!”
“Please sleep moderately. There is no need to sleep excessively in one’s life. Even if one were to die, then wouldn’t they be able to sleep for all of eternity in their grave?”
The blanket was sent flying across the entire room.
I glared fiercely at Lapis Lazuli.
“Magic is cheating!”
“This one had thought that your highness loved cheating.”
“The only one allowed to cheat in this world is me. It’s only appropriate for everyone else to live life being fair and square. That way I’ll be able to gain profit whenever I want, is that not right!?”
“By the looks of it, it seems that this one might have chosen the wrong lord to serve……”
Lapis Lazuli let out a small sigh.
“Your highness. The Walpurgis Night will be held on the day after tomorrow. If we do not depart now, then we may end up not being able to attend the meeting.”
“Not attend. That’s good. Not attend. Truthfully, that has a beautiful ring to it.”
“You cannot. If your highness Dantalian is absent from the plague countermeasure meeting, while being in possession of a mass amount of the cure, then your highness will receive heavy criticism and be berated. If it means to protect your highness’ honor, then this one is prepared to use drastic measures.”
“Hou. You’re coming on rather strong.”
I snorted.
“Sorry, but I don’t have parents or a family, nor do I even have a childhood friend that was separated from me at a young age. In other words, I’m the absolute strongest! How you plan to bring down I, Demon Lord Dantalian, when he doesn’t have a single weakness, is something I wish to see. Go ahead, use that drastic measure that you seem to be so proud of.”
“Yes. Then as this one is ordered to.”
Taack
Lapis Lazuli snapped her finger again.
The pillow that was held tightly between my arms had smoothly slipped out of my grasp.
“Nooooooooo!?”
“Then. This one has done as your highness has commanded.”
“Why are you slyly lifting your chin up proudly!? Return my pillow immediately! That is not a simple pillow! That is my soul. That is a part of my soul!”
“My apologies.”
It was then, with a ‘poof’, the pillow exploded.
White feathers rained down.
“My pretty soul—!?”[1]
I screamed.
Like a hero who had just lost his childhood friend (engaged • 2 months pregnant) that was a mage to the Demon Lord, my body shook violently.
“The soul has died.”
“You Devil!”
“It is fine to call this one a Devil. With Devil like ways, this one shall make your highness get up. Even if your highness was to punish this one, this one shall remain loyal till the very end.”
“Why is your side the one being conceited!? Have our positions not switched!?”
“Apologies. Since this one is, in reality, quite the distinguished subject to your lord.”
“It sounds like you’re repenting but it actually sounds annoying……!?”
“It has been one month since this one has been appointed to your highness Dantalian. During that short period of time, this one had met with no more than 72 firms and sold the cure to the disease. In order to purposely sell the black herb at a high price, this one had released the supply slowly, thus allowing this one to sell the herb for an extraordinary price of 10 gold a piece. Due to this, there is a total of 500,000 Libra in your highness’ vault. There are still over 25,000 herbs that we have yet to sell. This trade, with no doubt, will go down in history.”
“You really are distinguished……!?”
“That is so. One could say that this one was on a different dimension to your highness, who had spent the past month philandering with a pillow.”
I thought it was more impressive in another meaning that Lapis Lazuli could speak from start to finish with a completely stoic face. Really.
If I recalled correctly, in <Dungeon Attack>, the annual income of the Imperials in the Habsburg Empire was 500,000 gold. Lapis Lazuli was able to earn an amount similar to that in only a month.
Honestly, I admitted that she had an enormous ability.
If she had not interfered with my sleep, then I would have even patted her head.
However, she had not only plundered me of my blanket, but she had destroyed my pillow as well— Lapis Lazuli had done something irreparable and had crossed the Rubicon River.
Compromise was impossible.
I, as a proud member of the Roman Res Republica elder council, sincerely despised the tyrant that didn’t know his place and was trying to become a dictator. It’d be a good idea to celebrate your victory now, Julius Caesar. In the end, you will be stabbed in the back by the child you thought was kind and gentle……
“…… What should I do. Just because I had destroyed a pillow, the man whom I had sworn to serve as my lord is glaring at me as if I was a sworn enemy. Before being troubled, I feel more shocked.”
“Lala.”
I warned her seriously.
“It is fine to use my name in order to gain authority. It is also fine to fill your back pockets as you earn money. There is one thing. Regardless of all that…… it is absolutely unforgivable to treat my pillow with contempt! Do you understand? This is a strict order!”
Lapis Lazuli looked at me.
She had the eyes of a person looking at unrecyclable industrial waste.
▯Mixed Blood, Lapis Lazuli Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 8, Day 15 Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle
I was able to drag his highness outside.
According to his highness Dantalian, it has been four months since he had last gone out. Ever since Riff’s adventurer group had invaded, he had shut himself in the cave.
By any chance, was his highness Dantalian not a Demon Lord but a vampire? I could believe this kind of nonsense right now. One could only be astonished by his highness’ laziness.
“T-The sun, it’s too strong……!”
As soon as we had left the cave, his highness screamed.
Covering his face with his arms, he sunk to the floor. …… Are you a ghoul? Are you the type of undead whose flesh melted when under the sun?
What was worse was that it wasn’t even the afternoon. It was the evening. The beautiful glow of the setting sun was floating in the sky. Even ghouls with rotten innards would move around energetically during this time of the day. As soon as I had pointed that fact out to his highness, his highness gave me a serious look.
“How ignorant. Originally, people as weary of life as I am find even the setting sun to be blinding and overwhelming.”
“That speech may be nice, but the actions done by your highness are the worst.”
I still can’t believe it that well.
Was this lazy man truly ‘the’ Dantalian that had vastly toyed with the Keuncuska Firm? It wasn’t some mistake, right?
A sigh drifted out of my mouth. That was the 21st sigh today. I should be cautious to not let this become a habit.
“……Originally, using teleportation magic would be the fastest method of transportation. However, because of the plague outbreak, all cities have placed a ban on teleportation. We will be using a different method.”
“How splendid. To be quickly trying to put countermeasures for the disease, that shows how competent the city management are. I give them my respect. And in that sense, I shall wait patiently for the ban to be lifted.”
His highness turned his back and tried to move towards the cave entrance.
However, without being able to take two steps, he stopped. I had grabbed hold of his highness’ cloak beforehand.
“This one will never let your highness go.”
“Damned forever-on-her-period succubus.”
“It does not matter if your highness swears at this one. Does your highness know how many hours it took to drag your highness all the way here?”
“Uuuuh……”
“It does not matter if your highness makes a pitiable face as well. In the first place, a pitiful expression does not fit your highness. Please restrain yourself from ever doing so again since there is the danger that it will cause the on-looking party to vomit.”
“You really are excessively honest!?”
I pulled out a pocket watch and checked the time.
Since teleportation magic wasn’t possible, I had called witches.
The Berbere sisters. They were one of the 5 talented groups in the demon world. Although, in this day and age, broom travel had become an antique due to teleportation magic, there was no other choice. You had to make do with what you could get……
“They should be arriving soon.”
The pocket watch pointed towards 11 hours and 55 minutes.
This clock interlocked with the other party’s pocket watch. It displayed when the other party would arrive. This was an essential magical tool for busy merchants.
The starting point was 12 o’clock on the dot. The further they were from your location, the time would change accordingly. If it was 11:55 then it meant that they were 5 minutes away. The witches were going to arrive within 5 minutes.
And sure enough.
The sound of a song could be heard. It felt like it came from the sky, but it also felt like it was coming from across the forest that was spread out in front of the cave.
“A dream world, we drift into the magical sky.Spin, all and everything will spin.The planets will spin, the shooting stars will spin, everything will spin.Hand in hand, us witches will also spin.You thrice, I thrice, once more we spin thrice.Get along and add it together and we’d have spun three hundred thirty-three times.”
The chorus grew closer.
At first, it appeared like winter geese were flying across the sky. Except, they were too large to be called geese. In truth, the wings were a cape, and the beak was a broom.
Taak
12 witches landed gracefully.
All of the witches, in perfect sync, knelt down.
“Sacred and inviolable representative that symbolizes absolute dignity, one of the 72 lords that commands an army of demons.”
Amongst them, the witch that seemed to be the leader spoke.
It was a girl with short trimmed pale blonde hair.
“It is more than an honor to be allowed in your highness’ presence.”
“May the Goddess Hecate’s blessing be upon you all. Raise your heads.”
His highness Dantalian responded as per courtesy.
“We will be in your care for the time being. Do take care of us as much as you can.”
His face was serious. You couldn’t even see a trace of the person who was childishly screaming about how the sun was blinding him earlier. No matter who saw, you could only see a solemn and noble Demon Lord, that was it. ……I consider that cheating.
“Yes, great lord. Us Berbere sisters will do our utmost to provide your lordship a comfortable and relaxing trip!
The witch in charge responded energetically.
She probably had not noticed his highness Dantalian’s true form to even the slightest amount. Her face was glowing with the self-pride that she was able to serve a Demon Lord. That pureness was enviable……
While drawing magic circles on the ground, the witches prepared for the travel busily. Their brimmed cone hats were so big that it covered more than 2/3 of their heads. It was cute.
His highness Dantalian suddenly whispered in my ear.
“Lala. Are the witches not excessively young?”
“…… Too close. Your highness, please move away.”
“Ah. Sorry about that.”
It was troubling that his highness would get so close to me at times.
Has he forgotten that I was an outcast?
Luckily, the witches did not know of my status. Regardless, just the fact that I had whispered with his highness alone was good grounds for a large problem to occur. Demon Lords were sacred and inviolable representatives that symbolized absolute dignity. For me, who used to be a mere peasant, the very action of even conversing with his highness should be impossible. What could he be possibly thinking……
I sighed and— Oh dear, that was the 22nd sigh—
I straightened my posture.
“Do not judge witches by their outer appearance. Once witches make a life contract with a Demon Lord, all of their bodily growth stops for eternity. If they appear young, then it meant that they were that talented of an individual and were scouted at a young age.”
“Ho.”
It was so.
In the world of witches, the young did not respect the elderly. It was the complete opposite. The old worshiped the youth. It’d be better to say ‘respect the young’, instead of ‘respect the elderly’.
All members of the Berbere sisters had the face of young girls. It meant that they were all immensely talented individuals. In addition to that, on their chest was a three-leaf badge. A triphyllous badge. Thus meaning that they had participated in the Viet war 3 times. Due to the racial division method, the witches would have been on the front lines of the air battles, which was known to have the highest casualty rate. They were the elite of elites.
I wonder if the preparations had all finished. The leader girl was hopping her way over to us. She was most likely at least 200 years older than I was, and yet, I wonder why she appeared to be so cute…… It was an incomprehensible mystery.
“Great lord! Great lord! Please sign here!”
The lead witch courteously held out a parchment.
“Us Berbere sisters transparently disclose our travel fees to all of our customers. No matter what happens, we do not ask for additional payments later on!”
The witch, as if she was very proud, broadened her shoulders.
“……”
On the other hand, the complexion of his highness Dantalian, as he was looking down at the parchment, was boundlessly dark. What could possibly be written on it that would make him like that. I took a glance over his shoulder.
Berbere Witch Sisters
We shall always treat out customers honestly and kindly
*Wind protection magic: Only 2 gold
*Temperture control magic: Only 1 gold
*Sound control magic: Small sum of 4 silver
*Beautiful singing and fantastical scenery magic: Only 1 gold
*Hot honey wine that can melt your insides: Small sum of 2 silver
*Each escort: Only 3 gold x 12 people = 36 gold
Hm.
It felt a bit expensive, but it was still within the permissible range. We were hiring 12 witches who all had a triphyllous badge. Even if we were paying a somewhat large amount, it was okay.
“Hehe. We calculated the price after thoroughly checking the current market.”
The lead witch must be confident too. She was smiling cheerfully.
“In total it is 41 gold and 1 silver. In the honor and glory of being able to attend your great lordship, we ‘ll just shave that 1 silver off. 41 gold coins. Aha, if it’s this then it’s almost nothing!”
“…………”
Huh?
The edge of his highness’ mouth had become stiff.
It was barely enough that only I had noticed it. I couldn’t figure out why he was like this.
Surely, the person who had made more than 50,000 gold from selling the cure to the disease wouldn’t be stingy about this amount of money. A few days ago he had even wasted 1,600 gold on buying a useless ring……
“Could you wait a moment. I have something I must discuss with my vassal.”
His highness Dantalian put the witches behind him. Then, as if he was going to whisper into my ear again, he lowered his head. At this point, I don’t feel like warning him anymore.
“What is it, your highness.”
“Why does it cost 41 gold just to get a lift on a broom once? This is a rip-off. This is a rip-off for sure!”
For a moment, I was speechless.
To have really been stingy about the money.
“…… Excuse this one, but that is a fitting, and thus appropriate, employment fee. Please consider the fact that this is not only a transportation fee, but an escort fee as well. 12 of the most elite witches. Even if we were to be assaulted by injustice during the flight, they will easily be able to repel the threat.”
“Damn, shit. My blood like money……”
With shaking hands, his highness Dantalian opened his money pouch.
It was strange.
Due to my curiosity I couldn’t help but ask him.
“Your highness. Why is your highness grinding your teeth over some gold coins? There’s 50,000 Libra stored in the vault. And there’s still 25,000 herbs left to be sold. Also, did your highness not readily spend 1,600 gold coins on something recently.”
“Do you really not understand?”
His highness Dantalian glared at me.
His voice was immensely serious. It was the tone he used when he was not being a lazy bum but a cruel level-headed schemer.
I automatically became nervous. Was there perhaps something that I had missed?
His highness opened his lips.
“Does the decrease of my money not mean the less time I’d be able to play at my leisure and not work?”
“……eh?”
I’m sorry.
I couldn’t hear him correctly.
“If I were to go into the cave and swing a pickax all day, then I’d earn 1 silver. If I were to try to earn 41 gold, then that meant I’d have to mine for 205 days. 205 days of playing all gone due to one trip!”
“……”
“Now. Do you understand why I’m being a miser? The ring assisted in providing a comfortable life for myself, so I had held back tears and bought it. How could some trip compare to that!”
“……”
It was for a single moment, but.
His highness Dantalian looked like a larva that was infesting rotten food.
Was it truly a good idea to serve his highness as a vassal?
I started to lose confidence in my own decision.
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 8, Day 16 Niflheim, Hermes’ Plaza
The flight took 8 hours.
Honestly, it was no different to torture. Once again, I missed the scientific advancements of my original world.
To sit behind a witch on a broom. In words it sounded simple, but this hurt my buttocks tremendously. After arriving in Niflheim I couldn’t stand properly for fair amount of time. For this kind of trip to be 41 gold. I wanted to demand a refund immediately.
“Well done everyone. I was considering buying you all a beer for delivering us here safely, would that be okay?”
To keep a good face on even in this situation, was the bastard so-called social life. Was it not horrible? Was it not even more horrible that the witches had cheered “Thank you very much!” at my offer?
We know a good place, the witches said and guided us there.
The place was a plaza. At the edge of the large plaza, many pubs and bars were lined up together. Even at a slight glance, you could see over 200 customers seated outside and drinking beer. It seemed like all of the bars shared the seats outside.
“This is the Temple of Hermes Plaza. It is Niflheim’s main tourist attraction. It is also the only place you can drink beer without having to worry about one’s race and social status.”
The witch chatted pleasantly.
“This place has taken the name of the Temple of Hermes that was in ruins here. Can your lord see the wreckage over there? That is a vestige of the temple.”
“It seems to have been preserved because of some historical value.”
“Ahaha, my apologies but that is not so. 12 years ago a group fight erupted. A bunch of dumb trolls and minotaurs got drunk and started a big fight. Because of that everything became completely devastated. The very next day, the governor of Niflheim created a law that stated, murder that occurs in a table with more than 7 people gathered, while being drunk, will be declared as innocent. Well, in other words, it was basically telling people, ‘next time you get drunk and decide to start a ruckus, we’re not even going to find the culprit for you, so take care of yourself’.”
“…… That is a surprisingly novel law.”
“Our governor is a bit passionate.”
The witch nodded.
“In a serious sense, you could say the governor is a person who can display ingenuity. The ruins being left here like so is meant to be a warning.”
“Don’t mess around?”
“Something like that—”
We went to whatever seat was nearby and sat down.
A palm sized fairy flew over to take our orders. It felt like the fairy was terrified of the witches as they weren’t able to lift their head as smoothly as they did earlier. Witches may have been treated as slaves with their souls taken by Demon Lords, but they also had an incredible power so they couldn’t be treated lightly.
Shortly after, fairies in a line formation air lifted our beers to us. We each took a glass and lifted it up.
“You all did a good job today. Despite being attacked by sirens mid-flight, you were able to repel them swiftly. I shall praise that. We were able to arrive here safely all thanks to you sisters. I’d like to make a toast to the Berbere sisters.”
“”The Berbere sisters!””
Clang
The beer glasses made a satisfying clanging sound as they hit one another.
The drinking party progressed merrily.
After finding out that Shakespeare was never born in this world, I immediately went into an impromptu one-man play of <Macbeth> and <Romeo and Juliet>.
Reciting the lines from start to finish like I did in elementary school was probably difficult to do at this point. But it was easy to put in a decent amount of dramatic effect as I told the story. The witches became entranced as I performed with a face full of sorrow.
……
“……Finally, Juliet took Romeo’s hand in her own. A cold hand. There was warmth, but the heat was slowly draining away. Juliet, wanting to feel even the smallest amount of that warmth, placed the back of her lover’s hand against her cheek……”
“”……””
All 12 witches were with bated breaths.
Lapis Lazuli appeared to be composed while holding her beer glass, however, that glass had been empty for quite a while now. Even Lapis Lazuli had been captivated by my improvised play.
“However, the back of that hand had soon become cold as well. Juliet shed a tear. Aah, where has my lover gone? Why is his body so cold? Desperately, to feel even the smallest amount of warmth, Juliet searched through Romeo’s body.…… but alas, she could no longer find the warmth of her beloved which she had longed for. Aah, Romeo, oh sweet Romeo. I can no longer feel your warmth……”
“Uh, aah.”
Tears were starting to brim in the witches’ eyes.
If you looked around, it wasn’t only our table that was quiet, but the other seats around us were strangely silent as well. I could sense that other people had turned their ears to me.
I was certain. I was grabbing hold of the hearts of approximately 30 people.
Modern people already knew full well of the story of <Romeo and Juliet>, thus they weren’t able to get into the story with a fresh feeling. However, these people were different. It was the first time for these people of the demon world to ever hear such an intense love story. Of course, the immersion level would be different if you compared the two.
Forbidden romance was always a popular theme.
I drew out a mournful voice.
“Oh, but what was this? Reaching the end of final moments, Juliet was able to discover a place of warmth from her lover. The lips. There was still a faint feeling of warmth drifting from his mouth. Shedding tears, Juliet pressed her lips against her lover’s. There was nothing more warm…… more tender…… more soft. But, Juliet knew. That the tenderness of her lover’s lips too, will fade away like a midsummer night’s dream.”
I paused.
A terrified stillness reigned over the drinking party.
At the highest zenith.
After looking at the tears falling from the witches, while pleasantly on the inside, but with a tragic tone on the outside, I continued.
“Juliet muttered. If this was so, then take action before the warmth has faded. Before witnessing the death of my lover, cover a death with another…… Juliet held up Romeo’s dagger.”
“Aah, aaah!”
The witches covered their mouths with their hands.
They had finally realized the ending of the story.
Their eyes were filled with shock.
“Juliet shouted. Oh dagger, it is nice to see you. My heart shall be your sheath! ……and Juliet stabbed the dagger deep into her own chest.”
“Ah, aah!”
The witches had eventually embraced each other.
Mm.
I was incredibly pleased.
To be able to control people’s emotions with my acting ability. To make them feel sad, happy, hope, and despair, this was what truly gave me a reason to live. The stress that had piled up during our flight here melted like an ice under the sun.
My second half little sister had heavily criticised me about this before, saying that this was a perverted preference.
I couldn’t really understand her.
I was only gifting people with pleasure for free.
Look carefully. The witches were not able to handle the tragedy and were shuddering, Lapis Lazuli may have still been expressionless, but she was holding onto her glass tightly, and even the drinkers around us were letting out groans. Was this not a beautiful and harmonious scene?
That was why, I shall make them happier.
While grinning on the inside, I spoke.
“Blood flowed from Juliet’s chest. She could feel her own blood. Juliet’s vision started to fade……”
“N-No.”
Someone had faintly emitted a moan.
How could they react so purely.
Truthfully, it felt worthwhile teasing, no, I mean, being of service to them.
“……Finally. Juliet pressed her face against Romeo’s body. Her lover’s body was immensely warm. In truth, it was because of the blood flowing from Juliet. However, Juliet, who had already lost all her senses, could only feel it as the tenderness coming from her lover’s body…… A blessing as it was a tragedy. A tragedy as it was a blessing…… Juliet smiled faintly. At last, submerged in her own blood. With her face lied on top of her beloved’s body. Slowly, ever so slowly…… her soft eyes closed.”
Close curtain.
END.
……
A moment of silence.
“”Juliet is so pitiful—!””
The witches shouted together.
The ending without any hopes or dreams had impacted heavily onto their consciousness. The twelve of them immediately started to voice their complaints.
“It can’t be! That can’t happen!”
“Waaah, waaah……”
“Lord, great lord! The two become happy in the end, right? Some amazing warlock appears with a ‘tadah!’ and revives Romeo and Juliet, right!?”
I felt gleeful by their fervent cries.
Thank you for responding so fervidly, audience.
But the one thing I loved most in the world was showing people, who were chanting for a happy ending, the cruel truth of the hopeless reality.
“Sadly……that kind of luck never befell those two.”
“S-Surely?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
The witches had miserable expressions on their faces, as if they were just told the news by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, that sea otters were on the brink of extinction.
I smiled.
“Romeo and Juliet, without being able to be revived, died forever.”
“Huaaaaaaang!”
The witches lamented at the top of their lungs.
Right now, a scar that would last forever had appeared on their hearts.
I believed that scars made people grow. In short, by providing them with this single scar, I was also presenting them a stepping stone to grow as an individual. In the distant future, these witches will probably look into the past and thank me. That thanks to his highness Dantalian’s deep consideration, they were able to mature further as a person……
The results of my education took effect rather quickly.
Your devilish performance has captivated the people!
Witch Humbaba’s affection went up by 11.
Witch Stheno’s affection went up by 12.
Witch Euryale’s affection went up by 9.
A large amount of notice windows came pouring down.
Excluding one witch, the affection rate went up for all of them by an incredible amount. There was no doubt. The witches had been deeply moved by my romance stories. As evidence, they kept shedding warm tears.
“Lady Macbeth, Juliet they……”
“There’re only dirty travesties in the world……”
“I’m not going to believe in something like religion now……”
Was this not amazing?
This gloomy color of despair was a color that befitted people.
Like a religious sect leader for a new religion, I was looking down at the young lambs with satisfaction. That was it. Throw away your hopes for the outside world and shut yourself inside. That way everything will be alright.
Lapis Lazuli, who was seated beside me, let out a sigh.
“This one must admit, your highness is the same as ever.”
“I know. Consistently being this refreshing is my charm.”
“This one thinks that your highness consistently being rotten to the core is a fault.”
“Hoo, that’s why the jealousy of a dull-witted mind is quite vulgar.”
I raised the corners of my mouth.
Lapis Lazuli was looking at me with dead eyes.
It was fine. Her expression may have been like that, but inside, she as well had been moved by my eloquence. It probably wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that she was captivated. It was just that she was embarrassed to display her inner feelings……
Lapis Lazuli’s affection went down by 1.
I was wrong.
Lapis Lazuli was much further from being two-faced.
Be it shyness or embarrassment, these kinds of squishy emotions never existed in this impervious succubus in the first place.
“Hm hm. This time a bit more brighter story……”
“Ooi! The reception is completely terrible!”
It was at the moment I had cleared my throat to change the topic.
On the other side of the plaza came a crashing sound, followed by a noisy racket. Our group, as if we had promised to do so previously, turned our gaze together towards that location.
“The alcohol tastes terrible, and the seats are hard! You don’t even have any common courtesy towards your customers! To want to receive payment with this, are you actually trying to do business!?”
“My apologies. My sincere apologies, your highness.”
A young’un was shouting at an old dwarf.
The dwarf’s face was covered in wrinkles. His clothes were rather decent. He was most likely the owner of one of the bars. The dwarf was on the ground and bowing his head over and over again.
“Because our lowly employees were unable to recognize your highness……”
“Ha. That’s why every old bastard should just die.”
Smack
The young man had kicked the flank of the old dwarf.
The old man let out a shout and fell over.
“To try to do business when there’s mold in your brain!”
Kick.
“Look at your entertainment, it’s pathetic!”
Another kick.
Irrational violence was taking place in public.
The atmosphere in the plaza became cold. However, there was not even a single person that tried to stop it. As if everyone had made a silent agreement to stay out of the violence that was happening before them.
The taste of alcohol quickly vanished. The tipsy state I was in for drinking beer had steadily cooled off. It wasn’t a good type of cool feeling, but an unpleasant coolness.
“Who is that laughable man?”
“Rank 72nd Demon Lord, Andromalius.”
Lapis Lazuli whispered.
“Demon Lord?”
I narrowed my brows.
Now that I looked carefully, I could see a small horn on that man’s forehead.
The horn on the back of my head was small enough to be nearly covered by my hair, but that man’s horn was even less than that. If I did not know he was a Demon Lord, I would have mistaken it for some large pimple.
“Yes. Andromalius spends most of his time in the Niflheim casino throughout the entire year. He is famous for using his title as a Demon Lord to torment the people.”
“So he’s like the neighborhood bully.”
I sneered.
Demon Lord Andromalius appeared in the game so I knew well about him.
If Dantalian was the practice boss, then he was the tutorial boss. He was a small-fry that pitifully gets killed by the level 1 hero.
Misery loved company.
Whether it was Andromalius or Dantalian, we were both on the level of being treated like a rice fish, so it would be a good idea if we were to support each other, but—— There was a severe difference between me and this wastrel.
Demon Lord Andromalius ‘awakens’ the hero.
In the prologue, the protagonist is assaulted by demons.
Except the protagonist, the townspeople and his entire family end up dying. If you chose to play as a male character, then your little sister. If you chose to play as a female character, then your big brother is sacrificed.
No matter what side, the protagonist loses someone important to him. Thus, burning with the desire for revenge, he vows ‘I will kill every last single Demon Lord on this continent.’……
“Hmm.”
The culprit that gives birth to the monster known as the hero.
That was the future that lied ahead for that man across the plaza who was abusing that old man.
The current year was 1505 on the Empire calendar. The year that the hero’s village gets attacked was 1506 on the Empire calendar.
It would by all means only be appropriate to do something before this year has passed. If not, then it meant that some kid in a mountain valley will suddenly awaken as a hero. Getting rid of a variable like the hero early on would be a sensible decision if I wanted to continue living the remainder of my life peacefully and lazily.
It was then.
With a ‘tirring’, an alarm rang and windows rose up.
The choices were as if they were bringing out my inner thoughts.
[1. Become friendly with Andromalius.]
[2. Murder Andromalius.]
I placed a hand on my chin.
…… Yes. The first choice was favorable.
After becoming friendly with Andromalius, I would induce him to more thoroughly attack the hero’s village. Eliminate the source of the problem. The tactic of getting rid of the dangerous sprout in advance was always valid.
On the other hand, the second choice was radical.
To kill Andromalius and thus ridding the cause of the problem entirely, the direction of that plan itself was not wrong. The problem was the ripple effect.
‘ A Demon Lord has murdered another Demon Lord.’
Due to such an incident, people would gather their attention onto me. People’s gazes would uselessly be focused on myself. As a solution, this caused too much commotion.
I preferred dealing with problems a bit more quietly. Such as assassination. That side was more to my preference. However, I didn’t even know where to hire an assassin…… Did I have to select number 1?
Looking at the cold atmosphere enveloping the plaza, I could tell that Andromalius had no popularity. The demon races here seemed to despise that lecher. It was a problem. If I were to get on friendly terms with Andromalius here, then my own image would fall as well. Reputation was like the life line of politicians. If possible, I wanted to keep that as clean as possible.
But, was any choice besides 1 attainable? To murder Andromalius and also avoid receiving attention. Could I make such an ideal result happen……? It was impossible to completely avoid the attention. But if I was able to shift the gaze to somewhere else……
“Your highness?”
Lapis Lazuli’s voice brought me out from my thoughts.
I swiftly turned my head.
“Lala. Do you still have the ring on you right now?”
“Yes?…… this one does have it on for now.”
“Let me confirm it real quick.”
Without any warning, I grabbed Lapis Lazuli’s left hand. I could feel a small bump over her white glove.
There was a ring on her annular finger.
Publicly, Lapis Lazuli was known as my concubine.
Demon Lord Dantalian had fallen for his half-breed lover so much, that he didn’t turn to political affairs. That kind of rumor. Of course, it was nothing more than a wild rumor that we had made on purpose.
The ring was bought in order to further flesh out that distorted rumor. A few days ago, I had spent 1,600 gold to purchase two luxurious rings.
They were a pair of couple rings with a 5 carat azure colored diamond embedded into each of them. There were writings on the back written in Frankish. ‘I do not desire anyone but you(AUTRE NE VUEIL).’
In other words, a typical engagement vow.
In the public eye, Demon Lord Dantalian was the world’s biggest fool. A simpleton who had bought a ring for his lover as soon as he had gained some money. But look at this now. It was good that I had prepared this beforehand. A use for the ring has already appeared. No matter when, an ounce of prevention was worth a pound of cure……
“Don’t think you’ll ever be able to do business in this neighborhood ever again, you old fart! You piece of moldy trash.”
Andromalius was still abusing that old man.
There was an evil smile on that guy’s face. It seemed he quite enjoyed beating people up. That naive complexion was enviable.
Regardless, playing by yourself will quickly get boring, Andromalius. Please do let me partake in your fun activities.
Do not worry. I have a knack for making drinking parties delightful. A mere moment ago, with my ornate eloquence, I was able to petrify the witches. You too, will soon be flailing on the floor convulsing with laughter. I shall make you into an amazing supporting character to a romance story.
Finally, I confirmed with Lapis Lazuli.
“Lazuli. Does Andromalius have a group that is protecting him?”
“As far as this one knows, there are none.”
“Is there another Demon Lord he is peculiarly friendly with?”
“There are none. Even amongst Demon Lords, Andromalius is treated as a disgraceful failure.”
“Splendid.”
In other words, I had nothing to worry about.
I raised my beer glass.
One. Two. Three.
After counting down in my mind, I dropped the glass—
▯Mixed Blood, Lapis Lazuli Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 8, Day 16 Niflheim, Hermes’ Plaza
Crash
The glass shattered.
For a moment, everyone’s gaze focused onto here.
There were over 200 people in this plaza, but no one had spoken a word. Due to the silence, the sound of a glass shattering echoed loudly…… It was a mere single glass, but it was so loud that it could reach the furthest corners of the plaza.
“Aaang?”
Andromalius looked over here.
His slanted eyes resembled that of a fox and were detestable to look at. You could see his vulgar personality and foul temper just from his gaze.
“What are you supposed to be? You aren’t going to lower your eyes?”
Andromalius spoke towards his highness Dantalian.
His highness Dantalian was unresponsive. What was he thinking? I turned to carefully check his highness’ complexion and—my spine became cold.
It was that face.
The expression he made when he had discovered prey and was waiting for it with ease.
It wasn’t the deadbeat face that he normally had. A faint smile was drifting around the edges of his highness’ lips. It was the face he made when an ominous scheme, a wicked plot had formed in his head.
It seemed that the other party did not recognize his highness Dantalian. It was not weird. His highness’ horn was buried under his hair so it was barely visible.
Andromalius spit on the floor.—
“Wow, look at that. He’s not lowering his eyes at all.”
After kicking the old dwarf one more time, he made his way towards us. The way he swayed looked as if he was some wild cat that had found a new toy to play with.
The demon races who were sitting nearby cautiously backed away as he passed. They probably didn’t want to get caught up in the trouble.
On the other hand, the Berbere witches silently stayed in their seats. They had been hired by his highness Dantalian. Their pride wouldn’t allow them to do something like leaving his highness behind and running away.
“To see some peasants with no ethics.”
It seemed that he was displeased that the witches had not greeted him despite having seen him. Andromalius narrowed his brows.
“If you meet a Demon Lord then you should at least greet them with a bow, but what is this? Why are you being conceited with your chins held up?”
Andromalius strongly grabbed one of the witches by the hair. The witch let out a pained moan.
“Uuh……”
The witch’s name was Beatrice. I had heard that it had been a long time since she had participated in an escort trip, as she had concealed herself for several decades. Witches had itchy feet so it was common for them to go wandering for more than a hundred years; for her to end up getting involved with Andromalius subsequently to taking a request after a long period of time, that witch had terrible luck.
“Oii, slaves. A Demon Lord is here. It’s one of the honorable Demon Lords that gave you life and feeds you. You should be greeting me politely, and yet you’re not even budging from your seat.”
“Uh, uuh……”
You could hear the sound of some hair ripping.
Despite that, the witch kept her mouth shut.
It was a problem of etiquette. If the witches were to greet Andromalius here, then they would be admitting that Andromalius was a higher class than that of his highness Dantalian. It was vital for these witches to maintain their respect to his highness.
“Hoh. Look at this.”
Andromalius smiled sadistically.
“The entire group of slaves have become mute. If your tongues are retarded then you should at least move your heads. Wow, all your necks are so stiff. Should this great one straighten them for you? Don’t refuse and……”
“What a garbage like man.”
It was then that his highness Dantalian had opened his mouth.
Andromalius flinched.
“What?”
“I said you were a garbage-like man. I had thought it was only your brain that was rotten, but it seems your ears have festered as well.”
You could sense the shock of the people in the plaza through the air.
Even I had thought for a second that I had misheard. Garbage? It was a word that was not allowed to be said to a Demon Lord in a public place. Andromalius’ face quickly distorted.
“How dare you say such thoughtless words to this great one……”
“This is why delinquents with overinflated egos are pathetic. If you don’t have the money to pay for your drink, then apologize and leave. To find some fault and then proceed to beat up the elderly. It wasn’t enough that you had shamelessly advertised about your denseness in a loud voice, but you even went and picked on witches as well.”
His highness Dantalian laughed.
“And yet you still go around loudly calling yourself ‘great one’. This is quite the masterpiece. Andromalius. You are not a Demon Lord. You are nothing more than a rookie that was somehow born with a horn on their head.”
“Y-You bastard……?”
“The Gods truly are cruel. They made garbage-like you into a Demon Lord in this world. Even saintesses would resent the Gods if they were to see your dirty mug. As days go by, it couldn’t be helped if the amount of devout believers were to go down……”
Andromalius’s complexion turned alternately pale and red.
If you looked carefully, then you could see that his shoulders were shaking. It was obvious. He had probably never received such severe insults in his entire life as a Demon Lord.
Andromalius shouted at the people around us.
“What are you all doing!? Why aren’t you taking this shameless man away immediately!?”
His highness Dantalian, as if he sincerely thought it was funny, snorted.
“See, is he not a masterpiece? He can’t even recognize a person of the same race right in front of him. Not only his ears, but his eyes must have had festered as well, to the point that it wouldn’t be enough to treat him like a corpse.”
“Same race……?”
His highness shrugged.
“I am Rank 71st, Demon Lord Dantalian. Referentially, the witches that you had mistreated are the escorts I have hired for the day.”
“Rank 71st……”
“Do apologize for having mistreated my precious bodyguards as you pleased.”
His highness lowered his beer glass.
“Do you understand? Sincerely apologize and leave. This may be difficult for the mentally challenged, but these are basic manners in society. Use this opportunity to learn.”
“Hah. And I was wondering what kind of incredible aristocrat you were supposed to be.”
Andromalius mocked triumphantly.
Despite the other person being his highness Dantalian, he was only higher by one rank. He was a small fry who didn’t have any remarkable talent and no reliable group behind his back. That was most likely what Andromalius was thinking.
That was foolish. There was nothing more idiotic than being careless while in front of his highness Dantalian.
His highness may normally be a severe deadbeat, but that was nothing more than a deceptive mask. His highness’ true self was actually a devilish fiend. He purposely leads the other party into being careless, and then consumed them in a single moment.
Andromalius most likely did not know any of this. There was still a mean smile on the edge of his lips. He was like a warthog charging straight towards the edge of a cliff.
“Is that so. Is it Dantalian. Iyaaah, I heard you were on a roll these days. There was a rumor spreading that some fool had made an outcast into his mistress. Yes. If you’re Dantalian…… then this must be that famous crossbreed.”
Andromalius now turned to look at me.
Did the target change from his highness to myself?
“The peasant that had fearlessly enticed a Demon Lord with their body! Sure enough. That hair of yours even resembles that vulgar bloodline of yours.”
Tap tap
Andromalius hit my cheek with his palm.
His hand stung fairly. He may had been tapping me playfully, but I could feel his real intentions.
“I really can’t understand your preference. Why would you want to score this kind of girl? Her appearance is decent, but the actually important bloodline is just foul.”
The act of changing his target to me was an okay decision.
Demon lords may have been sacred and inviolable, but they were not sacred to other Demon Lords. In other words, they were equal. If a Demon Lord were to hit another Demon Lord then troublesome common laws would intervene. On the other hand, it was okay to freely strike an outcast.
The reason why Andromalius had started to aim at me lay within here too. He had judged that it would be difficult to dominate with his rank alone, so he had quickly found another weak target.
“Or is it perhaps that? Your bottom mouth is just that impressive so you were able to captivate that Dantalian?”
Andromalius started snickering.
“I say. This great one is considering to give you my royal grace, but what do you think? For a person born as a peasant to be able to lay 2 Demon Lords. There is no honor greater than this!”
“……”
“Kuha! On one side is the rank 71st imbecile. And on the other side is the bitch born by some broad being raped by a lowly human. Is this not the masterpiece? Huh?”
Abruptly.
Andromalius slapped my cheek.
There was no playfulness in it this time. It purely contained the intent to be violent. My head ended up turning because of the excessively strong hit.
—That hurt quite a lot.
However, it was trivial.
Since a young age, I had been exposed to violence so many times that I had become dulled to it. There was a time I had stones tossed at me by the village people on a daily basis. Compared to that, Andromalius’ hit was like that of a child.
People may not be able to get accustomed to pain, but people can get accustomed to bearing the pain. That is what people are. And I am one of those people.
“……”
I returned my gaze forward.
As soon as I did so, the laughter in Andromalius’ voice stopped.
“Aaang? The hell are you looking at?”
Andromalius slapped me once more. It felt like he had put all of his weight into his hand that time. Unfortunately, at this point, it was proven that Andromalius did not spend his time exercising. His hit wasn’t heavy at all.
I looked forward again.
“……Both master and servant are annoying!”
Andromalius bellowed out.
He swung his arm over and over again. And each time my head was moved by the force. But it was useless. Since it’d return back to its original position.
“Gr, grrrr……!”
Seeing that, Andromalius’ face slowly started to collapse into rage. To not be able to contain his childish rage, how low. It was at the point where I couldn’t bear to watch him.
I wonder if his highness Dantalian had thought the same thing, he had been chuckling besides me.
“What a sight this is, Andromalius. To be an honorable Demon Lord and yet be unable to make a single outcast submit to you. This is unheard of. Are you sure it wasn’t a mistake by the Gods that you had become a Demon Lord? Originally, were you not supposed to be born as a peasant?”
Andromalius’ face became red hot.
“T-This great one…… this great one……!”
“It’s okay. You do not have to make excuses. Even Gods have times where they doze off while working.”
His highness Dantalian smiled.
“However, this shall be the last time that I warn you. Do not lay your hand on my beloved again. And sincerely apologize for beating my escorts and my lover.”
“Don’t make me laugh!”
Smack
Andromalius, with his fist, hit me with all his strength. I fell back from my chair and rolled onto the floor. The witches let out a scream.
“……”
My mouth was tingling from the impact. With my tongue, I could taste something like iron in my mouth. I took out a napkin and wiped the corners of my mouth. The napkin became crimson with blood.
I raised my body slowly.
“The death penalty for you!”
Andromalius was waving his finger at me.
There was hatred in his eyes. Was it not surprising? How someone could despise another person so much after having only just met them. They were setting their emotions at an unimaginably low price.
Unfortunately, as a merchant, I could not respect the half-wit who was trying to sell their product for dirt cheap.
“The death penalty! You’ll receive capital punishment! Something like an outcast, we can give you a summary conviction without even having a trial……! Even if you were to die by this great one’s hands, you can’t resist! Do you know that!? Apologize for acting so impudently before this great one!”
Death sentence, death sentence. He was noisy.
To only be able to spout the same word over and over again. That showed the man’s level of intelligence. A 5-year-old goblin would probably display a more diverse vocabulary. I, with the same expressionless face, stared back at Andromalius.
“This bitch, till the very end!”
Andromalius made his way towards me.
“Fine! I’ll tear your mouth right now, bitch! Go to hell and repent on—iiii, guaaaaaak!?”
However, he was not able to even take 5 steps.
All the people in the plaza let out a scream at once. Andromalius had fallen to the floor. From his neck, dark red blood poured out.
“Uh, uuah? Aaaaack!?”
Andromalius instinctively moved his hands to block the wound.
The blood volume was serious. It wasn’t some cute scratch that you could just cover with the palm of your hand and stop it. Andromalius, looking at the amount of blood on his hand, let out a cry.
It was a single blow aimed at a vital point.
In order to give certain death in one strike.
Seeing that, I thought that it really—.
Really befitted his highness Dantalian’s hunting method.
“How regrettable.”
His highness Dantalian wiped the blood off of his dagger.
“To treat my warning as a trifling matter.”
His highness Dantalian’s carefreeness was boundless. Out of the hundreds of people in the entire plaza, his highness was the only one who was relaxed. As if he was far away from the buzzing atmosphere around us.
‘Did this person really just stab Andromalius?’
To the point that people would inadvertently doubt themselves and think that.
Regardless, his highness was holding a blade in his hand which was dripping with blood. The dripping blood adamantly rid people of any doubt.
I wonder if it was because the person who had caused the incident was so relaxed. The plaza that was buzzing with noise a second ago, had started to quiet down. A suffocating silence fell over the plaza. In that silent air, his highness Dantalian’s voice echoed lowly.
“Lapis Lazuli.”
“Yes, your highness.”
I immediately bowed my head.
“Recite the occasion a Demon Lord is allowed to attack another Demon Lord.”
“As this one is ordered to. For a Demon Lord to do harm to another Demon lord, one must first respectfully warn the other party twice. When the other party clearly ignores the warning, and proceeds to severely damage the honor of the first Demon Lord, then that Demon Lord may attack the other.”
A common law.
Because Demon Lords were sacred, they were free from earthly laws. However, if conflict were to occur between Demon Lords, then they had to be confined to the common laws. The common law that I had just recited was known as the 「Coctyus Warning」.
According to legends, if a person were to die then they had to cross over 5 rivers. Acheron, Coctyus, Phlegethon, Lethe, and Styx…… Coctyus was the second river. If a deceased were to cross over the Coctyus river, they would eventually reach Phlegethon, where instead of water it was a river of lava. Here people would fall into the river and have their souls lit aflame. That was why, when giving the Coctyus Warning, it meant that you were telling the other party to back off before they got burned.
Andromalius groaned.
“C-Coctyus Warning……? Keuhk! You bastard, do you even know what nonsense you’re saying!?”
That kind of response was natural.
Normally, Coctyus Warning was only used in the events of a war. If a Demon Lord wanted to attack another Demon Lord’s base, then they had to send a declaration of war twice. The warning was used in this kind of situation.
Its original purpose was to prevent war. By declaring that sudden attacks without having sent a declaration of war beforehand was illegal, in conclusion, had the effect of restraining conflict. His highness Dantalian was cleverly abusing this common law.
Andromalius howled.
“Keuk, it’s the end for you bastard! Dantalian! The end…… The other Demon Lords won’t let this slide easily…… keub! It’s too late to cry and beg for forgiveness! This great one will never forgive you!”
“The one at their end is you.”
His highness Dantalian stepped on the back of Andromalius’ hand. The sound of bones breaking echoed. Andromalius cried out even more sorrowfully and flailed on the floor.
“Rank 72nd Demon Lord. The crimes you have committed are as followed. First, you had mocked and beat the escorts I had hired without any reason. Second, you had irrationally assaulted my lover.”
His highness Dantalian looked around and spoke in a loud voice.
“I had respectfully requested for Andromalius to stop, but he had ignored me. He had not only threatened my safety, but he had harmed my honor as well. Everyone here is a witness!”
The people in the plaza started to mumble amongst one another.
Andromalius was most likely no longer in his highness’ thought anymore. His highness Dantalian was aiming to drag these people here in as witnesses.
“Look here!”
Taking off his gloves and throwing them aside, he grabbed my left hand as well, followed by taking off the glove that was on that hand. And as if to show the world, his highness raised my left hand high.
The ring on my annular finger.
A blue diamond shone brightly and sparkled.
A similar ring was on his highness’ annular finger as well.
“I am a Demon Lord. This youngster is a peasant. Us two are not permitted to be wedded. However, swearing to the Goddess Aphrodite, I, Dantalian, the rank 71st Demon Lord, declare my love for this girl! This ring is proof of that! Even if society were to forbid our marriage, our hearts are already connected!”
The people let out a gasp.
A Demon Lord had confessed his love for a peasant. In a public plaza and in front an audience of hundreds of people, at that.
From tomorrow on, the high societies were going to be flipped over. The gossip of the passionate love between a Demon Lord and an outcast will be talked about everywhere. It was a natural phenomenon. Regardless of the generation, people were bound to get excited by the topic of ‘forbidden love’.
That was where his highness’ deception laid.
In this grand love story, the character known as Andromalius fell into being a mere supporting role.
A crafty trick.
If his highness Dantalian were to simply murder Andromalius, what would have happened? Inevitably, it would become nothing more than a murder case.
But if he were to commit murder for ‘the peasant he loved’, then the story was different. The monotonous murder play would change into a forbidden love performance.
His highness and myself were Romeo and Juliet.
Andromalius was the supporting character, Tybalt, who gets murdered by Romeo.
The truth was easily distorted.
“T-To fall in love with an outcast. What madness. Insane…… A disgrace of a Demon Lord!”
Andromalius let out a pained groan.
That poor man had no idea. He was going to face his end without knowing what kind of scheme he was being swept up in. I felt a touch of sympathy for him.
“You bastard. You don’t deserve the right to be called the same race as this great one. Hierarchy is a sacred order. For you to dare go against the order of nature……!”
“I wonder. Order of nature is it?”
His highness lowered his gaze towards Andromalius.
A quiet, but horrifying whisper flowed from his highness’ lips.
“Let me tell you what the true order of nature is. Rookie. It’s the law of the jungle. If a cat were to go against a tiger, then the only result would be death. The truth of the world is quite the simple and boring thing. Don’t you think?”
It was then that Andromalius’ complexion turned pale.
He had probably now barely realized that his highness Dantalian was truly going to kill him.
But it was too late.
“That is why I personally prefer lies over truth. Like how a bare face would require make-up, it is essential for life to have some spice.”
“S-Spare……”
“Wrong choice.”
Without inquiring into the right or wrong, his highness swung his dagger.
The blade stabbed into Andromalius’ throat just like that.
Blood flooding into Andromalius’ windpipe forced him to vomit blood.
“Gua, guuhaaak……”
“Spare me? That is a terribly boring line. In our already boring lives, that only further tortures us in agony. I see boredom as the sin of humanity, and find it similar to that of a harmful insect that deserves to be exterminated.”
His highness whispered.
It was in such a low volume that only I, who was sitting right besides him, could hear it.
“Next time, come back after practicing better dying words, you third-rate actor.”
“……”
Andromalius shuddered.
Like a doll who had its strings cut, his head fell limp.
Was the last emotion that flashed in his eyes fear, or was it hatred for his highness Dantalian. I thought both options were very much possible.
His highness straightened his back and glanced around the plaza. No one tried to make eye contact with his highness. They were all instinctively trying to avoid his highness’ eyes. Everyone had been consumed by his highness Dantalian’s composed atmosphere.
It was amazing. His highness Dantalian was single-handedly overwhelming this large plaza.
Until now, I had thought that a king’s grandeur was nothing more than an abstract concept. However, after looking at his highness, I understood. His highness had something that could overwhelm the audience.
He was not dominating the citizens with fear. He was not attracting people with prestige. Something much different was lurking……
Why he didn’t show off this ability in the past. How he was enlightened with a tremendous amount of talent after overcoming a life or death situation with the adventurers. The current me could not answer any of this.
However.
“You held on well, Lala.”
“Pardon?”
“My vassal should never thoughtlessly submit to another individual. When you refused to turn your gaze till the very end, despite being hit by Andromalius, I was quite impressed. You are a brilliant woman.”
His highness laughed slyly.
Hearing that light laughter, I thought.
In the end, it was not the wrong choice to serve under his highness.
For the first time today, I was certain.
▯Keuncuska Executive, Miser Goblin, Torukel Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 8, Day 16 Keuncuska Firm Headquarters, Highest floor
The highest floor of the headquarters.
It was a place where only a small handful of executives had access to.
No one else was here in this large room. Only a bunch of coffins were spread out across the room…… At glance, the amount was over thirty.
“Keruk.”
No matter how many times I saw this, it gave me a guilty conscience[2] Vampires nowadays claimed that coffins were too old-school and did not use them anymore. They all properly slept on beds. Yet again, I realized that Ivar Lodbrok was an old chap who had fallen behind on the times.
It was at the time I had turned my head to read a book.
“—Mr. Torukel.”
“Oh God!”
I jumped in surprise and turned around.
A short witch was smiling back wickedly.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“If you’re here then say so!”
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t help but want to tease you the moment I saw you, Mr. Torukel.”
“Keruruk, I felt like my heart would drop…… but what’s with that weird way of speech?”
The witch walked in strides towards a black coffin.
If I recalled correctly her name was Beatrice. She was originally a witch that was part of the Berbere Sisters. Several decades ago, after conflicting with Ivar Lodbrok, she was captured by this side. Yesterday, they went out saying that they were going to dig up information on Lapis Lazuli. In other words, act as a spy.
“My way of speech?”
The witch sat on top of the coffin. Her voice may have been coy but her face was all smiles. That pervert. They were most definitely enjoying this situation.
“What about my speech, Mr. Torukel the Miser?”
“It’s disturbing enough that I feel like my stomach is twisting…… jeez. There’s no point in nagging since you won’t listen anyway. Whatever. Tell me about Lapis Lazuli’s movements. You’re back since you were able to gain new information, are you not?”
“Please do not be in such a rush, Mr. Torukel. Men who push women are not popular. Since you’re always like that, that’s why you haven’t had a wife for over a hundred years.”
“I am voluntarily single!”
The witch burst out in laughter.
Even her laugh was witch-like. This was making me go mad.
“I wonder. There is one important thing I found out. Demon Lord Dantalian had fallen deeper in love with the succubus than we had originally thought. He even brazenly confessed his love for the girl in the middle of Hermes’ Plaza.”
“What?”
“Should I recite what he said word by word? ‘I am a Demon Lord. This youngster is a peasant. Us two are not permitted to be wedded. However, swearing to the Goddess Aphrodite, I, Dantalian, the rank 71st Demon Lord, declare my love for this girl.'”
I creased my brows.
To say those kind of lines in a public space, that didn’t make any sense. There was a limit to how foolish a person could be. Even if Dantalian was a dullard who didn’t know shame, would he really do such a thing?
“It’s true. He even killed Andromalius claiming it was for the succubus.”
“Andromalius? Don’t tell me you’re talking about the rank 72nd Demon Lord.”
The witch made a bitter smile.
The fellow told me everything. About how Andromalius was causing a ruckus. How he had insulted the witches and assaulted Lapis Lazuli. And how Dantalian murdered Andromalius……
“Dear god.”
As I listened to the story, my mouth opened wider and wider.
The witch, as if she had understood my feelings, nodded.
“The streets of Niflheim are full of clamor. No matter where you go, people are talking about the love story between Demon Lord Dantalian and the peasant Lapis Lazuli. People are just falling at the feet of forbidden love.”
“This doesn’t make sense. Even if Andromalius was the worst Demon Lord, he was still a Demon Lord by name. It’s not possible to just kill him like that!”
“Regrettably, the public of Niflheim are favoring Dantalian.”
The witch spoke flatly.
“Andromalius spent his time passing through the casinos behaving like a vandal, you already know this. If you excluded his standing, then there was nothing good about him. Obviously, his reputation was the worst. The majority of the citizens are saying that they’re delighted and are even toasting over it.”
“……”
It wasn’t hard to imagine.
Complaints about Andromalius’ despicable antics would come regularly. Even if he’s a Demon Lord isn’t this too severe, does he not need to be restrained; this kind of talk would go over the city council from time to time. To sum it up, he was a headache for everyone.
There was also a fair amount of people who had died from being irrationally beaten by Andromalius. The family of the deceased were most likely praising Dantalian.
“……The timing is too good.
“Yup—”
The witch nodded her chin.
Soon a large meeting for Demon Lords was going to be held. We were planning to attack Dantalian politically there. During the little remaining period of time before the conference, which was now, Dantalian was abruptly able to gain popularity with the people.
“Is this truly a coincidence?”
It was difficult to erase the doubt in my head. We couldn’t be certain that getting rid of Andromalius wasn’t planned. I gave a doubt filled gaze towards the witch.
“I wasn’t able to research that far in. However……”
“However, the chances are high. Is what you’re saying.”
“Yup.”
The witch’s face became serious.
“Dantalian, as soon as Andromalius attacked his lover, used the Cocytus Warning as a pretext. As if he was waiting for it. This is an idea that’s difficult to think of on the spot.”
“Kuuuh.”
Then this wasn’t a murder by chance.
Everyone knew that Andromalius wandered here and there in Niflheim. The places he went to were also limited. The casino, the red-light district, and the bar. These were it. The chances of coming across Andromalius was fairly high. Planning to murder him was not that hard either……
“Don’t you think it’s funny?”
“Keruk? What?”
“For the past several years, no one had tried to stop Andromalius from making a disturbance. Only because he was a Demon Lord. Despite that, Dantalian had killed that troublemaker within 30 minutes of meeting him……”
The witch smiled wryly.
“Andromalius grabbed my hair and pulled it as he pleased. It made me feel like I was some livestock instead of a person. Like a pig you could beat and play around with as you pleased.”
“……”
“It was incredibly insulting.”
The witch’s pupil shined peculiarly.
This fellow clearly harbored hostility against the existence known as Demon Lords.
“He only had a higher status. When that incompetent man with no talent whatsoever pulled at my hair, it felt so unpleasant that I wanted to rip his throat out and……”
“Hey. I’m not disagreeing with your opinion at all, but.”
I spoke carefully.
“Speaking in a logical point of view, Demon Lords aren’t completely talentless. For starters, they’ve mastered the language of Babylon. And are they not able to understand and use every demon language since birth? Furthermore, their political symbolism……”
“I have command over 36 languages of different races.”
“…… I am knowledgeable of this. Anyway, Demon Lords have a religious mystique. To the majority, Demon Lords are the agents of Gods and they are also the greatest of priests.”
“So if someone were to order for a Demon Lord to die, then the one to have ordered the task would die instead?”
The witch laughed mockingly.
“Oh please. Mr. Torukel. Do not think while in the perspective of the people.”
The witch’s tone became solemn and a profound smile formed on her lips.
“The public are nothing more than a group of idiotic and unimaginative people.”
“I’m sorry, but I have to object against that. A group is superior to an individual. Even a hero can’t conquer the continent on their own.”
“So are you saying that we should follow the logic of the majority and use that to determine what’s right and wrong? Torukel. Our aristocrat miser goblin. That is not a very good tactic in our current situation.”
Taack.
The fellow had snapped their finger.
And immediately after, the sound of a coffin opening up somewhere in the room echoed. With a dreary atmosphere, someone raised their upper body from the black coffin.
It was a girl wearing a servant outfit.
She slowly opened her eyes and looked this way.
The girl smiled coldly and moved her lips.
“Because we are larger in number.”
“……An individual’s opinion can be respected even in a society where majority logic is in common use. It is possible as long as one has even the smallest of refinement and consideration.”
“Oh, do you really think so?”
The servant lightly tapped the back of her hand. Promptly, another black coffin opened up and a figure rose.
This time it was a man with the head of a wolf. It was a werewolf. The man growled deeply.
“That is possible when the minority has a decent amount of strength. However, in the demon world which we live in, there are at least over 470 orc tribes while there are only 2 remaining werewolf tribes. If disharmony were to happen between the two races, do you think that the millions of orcs would show consideration to the merely hundreds of werewolves? One could only plead for the orcs to have a decent amount of refinement and consideration.”
“……”
The werewolf whistled.
As soon as he did so, all the remaining coffins opened up at the same time.
Each coffin had one person. A total of 33 personage raised their bodies.
Among them, an old gentlemen approached this way.
“The minority requires strength, Torukel. Especially someone like me, who is in a race with only two other vampires remaining, I have to be more cautious of my surroundings.”
“…… Ivar Lodbrok.”
A sigh came from my mouth.
That was his power as a true vampire and a puppeteer.
The ability to move his conscious to his slaves whenever he pleased.
Ivar Lodbrok had 32 slave dolls. Hence, it was possible for him to do 32 different tasks whenever he wanted. It was a closely guarded secret that only I, among the executives, knew of.
The demon world was currently controlled by the Demon Lords. No matter how rich you were, there was always the danger of being purged by the true people in power. That was why a person would have to set up safety precautions. That was what Ivar Lodbrok’s 32 slave dolls were.
Even if a Demon Lord were to threaten us, Ivar Lodbrok could move his conscious around his slaves and stay alive till the very end. That was why Ivar Lodbrok hid these dolls in absolute secrecy. A secret that Demon Lords must not know.
……Although, seeing the way he behaved, it felt like half the reason he did it was because it was a hobby.
“Hm. Everything seems to be fine.”
Ivar, with a satisfied air around him, patted the dust off his body.
“I was worried that a problem might occur because it had been a long time since I had moved my conscious around. I couldn’t be more refreshed.”
“That is a relief. After I was forced to witness an old man act like a young girl, my eye sockets and earholes ended up rotting. I mean, why are you so adept at copying how a little girl talks?”
Ivar Lodbrok raised his shoulders.
“What am I supposed to do when the consciousness is affected by the body?”
Ivar shrugged.
“I request for you to understand, Torukel. In order to deceive the Berbere Sisters, acting is essential. They still do not know that Beatrice was taken by me.”
“Okay, that’s fine for the witches. But why did you have to behave like a girl and add honorifics while in front of me?”
“Of course, to enjoy watching your facial expression rot whenever I used honorifics.”
“Then it was your hobby!”
Ivar let out a laugh.
After laughing for a period of time, he became serious.
“…… Torukel. Think carefully. Even if they were to kill Andromalius, Demon Lord Dantalian gets no profit.”
“What?”
“For a short, short period of time he will receive popularity from the citizens. But if you looked at it long-term, then the loss is going to be tremendous. The fact that he had taken an outcast as a lover will remain as a smudge and continue to dirty his reputation. In conclusion, his political life will be shortened. He will be choking his own neck.”
I creased my brows.
“Then why did Dantalian kill Andromalius?”
Ivar shook his head side to side.
“Think bigger, Torukel.”
“Bigger?”
“In this incident, there is one person who would get an absolute gain. It is not Andromalius. It is not Dantalian either.”
“……?”
It was a puzzle like statement.
Andromalius and Dantalian had clashed. Both sides did not gain any profit. Who here could…… aah. Was that it, was that what it was!
“Lapis Lazuli!”
My voice became louder on its own.
“Thanks to this affair, this was no different from Lapis Lazuli being officially accepted as the lover of a Demon Lord!”
“That is so. That succubus girl is the only one to take any gains.”
Ivar nodded.
“That girl had probably instructed Dantalian beforehand, that if Andromalius was to try and start a quarrel with them, then to use the Coctyus Warning as a pretext then murder him. Since Dantalian had fallen so deeply for that succubus, he would have more than gladly complied. And as they had planned, they encountered Andromalius……”
I couldn’t believe it.
“Then, Lapis Lazuli did all that purely to only increase her own status……?”
“Indeed. She had played with two Demon Lords. Dantalian, of course, and Andromalius had probably unknowingly got swept away in her plot.”
“What a ludicrous woman……”
I could feel my own voice trembling.
In contrast, Ivar muttered as if he was having fun.
“Is it not magnificent? A short time ago, that succubus was nothing more than a merchant. However, she was able to obtain a large loan from our firm by fooling us, she was able to put Dantalian on her side, and now she was able to get rid of Andromalius……”
“……”
“I am genuinely touched. This succubus is like the embodiment of lust for power. For such a girl to have been born, this world is truly worth living.”
Ivar looked straight at me.
“Torukel. Our opponent is formidable. That succubus girl is competent enough to overcome her own wall of social status. She is cold-hearted and merciless.”
“……”
“But she has yet to pass being anything more than a frail schemer. Lapis Lazuli’s position comes from Dantalian. If we purge Dantalian, then she would no longer be the lover of a Demon Lord or anything else. She would only be an arrogant outcast.”
That was an accurate call.
If you wanted to go for a general, then shoot the horse first.
Lapis Lazuli was currently on the horse known as Dantalian and was rushing forward with spirit. If you tied down Dantalian’s feet, then naturally her spirit will be cut as well.
“With no mistake. You have to tear them apart…… can you do this?”
“It’s okay to have my vow. Her highness Paimon has also completely agreed with our plan. If a one to ten thousand situation was to occur, then I will take all the responsibility.”
I stared back at Ivar Lodbrok seriously.
Once I did so, Ivar Lodbrok nodded.
Without asking who was going to start first, we recited the vow pledge.
“Oh great Keuncuska—”
“You shall repay blood with blood.”
This was a saying of our firm that boasted 400 years of history. In other words, we were shouldering 400 years of pride on this large meeting. Losing was unpardonable.
Lapis Lazuli. You may be an impressive heroine, but you are still a young sprout. We shall step on you thoroughly.
Translator's Notes
[↑] He says this in English.
[↑] 께름칙하다 not sure how to translate this.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_05_01.txt
|
Chapter 5: The Most Extravagant Circus
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 8, Day 20 Niflheim, Governor’s Palace
The outside was bustling with noise.
In front of the main gate of a large palace, many carriages were lined up. Without pause, refined ladies and gentlemen got off their carriages. Their appearances and outfits all varied in style but there was one thing that they all had in common; they all had horns.
I was seated in a carriage and vacantly staring out the window.
“It doesn’t seem like a lot of Demon Lords are coming.”
“The attendance of the Walpurgis Night is not enforced. Demon Lords with the tendency of being single-minded will most likely not participate. Rank 1st Demon Lord Baal and rank 2nd Demon Lord Agares will not attend.”
“Then why do I have to attend? So troublesome.”
“This meeting is being held in order to discuss the countermeasures for the plague. It would be difficult for your highness, who has a monopoly over the cure, to not participate.”
“So it’s a problem of people being too distinguished.”
A moment later, Lapis Lazuli muttered furtively in a low voice.
“…… Your highness. As expected, this one shouldn’t go in together with your highness.”
“Are you still saying that?”
I grumbled.
“You are publicly my fiancée. If not my fiancée, then what other woman am I supposed to take to this ball?”
In this gathering, before going fully into the meeting, a type of entertainment was scheduled for the guests to enjoy. The scheduled entertainment was this ball.
I had chosen Lapis Lazuli as my partner for the ball. It was an obvious choice. However, it seemed that our Miss Lala was feeling very burdened by the ball.
“Walpurgis Night is a social party strictly reserved for Demon Lords. Only lords of the highest standings would be allowed to attend. It is not a place where a mixed blood, like this one, should be present.”
“Nevertheless, there are no rules that the companion has to be a Demon Lord as well. It is fine to bring anyone I please.”
“There may be no rule, but it is customary that……”
“Aah, I can’t hear you—I can’t hear you—.”
Lapis Lazuli shut her mouth.
Even if you glared at me with those eyes of dissatisfaction, it couldn’t be helped.
Dantalian was currently receiving the spotlight as the main character in a romance story. A man blinded by love. That was my image to the people. It was impossible to leave Lapis Lazuli and wander on my own at this point.
Furthermore, I had taken a liking to this concept. A fool who had indulged in his passion and had lost all of his rationality. Was this not appropriate? No one would be cautious around a fool like that.
Smart people would only scorn a dullard like me and do nothing more. Followed by coming to a misunderstanding that the true culprit was Lapis Lazuli. All suspicion would focus on Lapis Lazuli, while I was rejoicing my days of freedom……
Am I, perhaps, a genius?
It was truly the perfect plan.
Thanks to the Black Death I had made an incredible amount of money, and now, the only thing I had left to do was to shut myself in my castle and live the rest of my life as a shut-in. The gate to Heaven was already right in front of me.
“…… Your highness is making the same face your highness makes when thinking of something perverted.”
Be quiet.
After 20 minutes had passed, the main gate became more vacant. It was then that we had departed from our carriage and entered the ballroom. We had waited until now because we did not want to deal with being harassed by other people.
The gatekeeper, noticing our approach, announced in a loud voice.
“Rank 71st, Demon Lord Dantalian, entering!”
All at once, the people in the inner-venue turned to look this way.
Not being bothered by their gazes, I made my way to a corner of the ballroom and took my place there. The sound of people whispering around us could be heard. I was not able to hear what they were saying exactly, but I knew it was not a favorable mood. It was close to the feeling of them being aghast by the fact that I had arrived at the ball actually accompanied by an outcast as a partner.
I muttered.
“It feels like I’ve become a celebrity.”
“This one thinks that we do not have to go as far as to link arms.”
“Is it not fine since we adequately appear like fools?”
Referentially, we were affectionately standing arm in arm.
I smiled.
“Don’t loathe something like just linking arms. I am also planning to kiss your lips in a bit, after all.”
“Your highness Dantalian’s tongue will be cut off then.”
“I especially like the unfriendly way you respond.”
“Of course, your highness.”
“Oh, Lazuli. Do not live so selfishly. We are currently the couple throwing around the hottest scandal on the continent. The people are demanding a spectacle from us. Can you not touch lips with the meaning of being a service to the people? Demonstrate some sacrifice mentality for once.”
“In the continent which this one knows of, for the most selfish person to give this one such advice. It is incredibly shocking……”
“I am curious so I must ask. Do you know that each and every time you speak coldly, your lips shine temptingly that much as well? If by chance, with that intention, you were trying to charm me then……”
Step
Lapis Lazuli was stepping on my toes.
“What an adorable response. I’m starting to like you more.”
“What a coincidence. This one is starting to detest your highness more.”
“One day we will discover a common ground.”
“Please keep in mind that that common ground will never be on top of a bed.”
“What a deplorable front.”
I decided to back off for now. There really wasn’t anything more enjoyable in the world than teasing a competent woman.
Fairies, holding trays filled with alcoholic beverages, came fluttering towards us. I lightly picked up a glass of white wine. Lapis Lazuli and I, on good terms(I admit that I am using words that are debatable), enjoyed our wine and waited for the ball to begin.
Other than the fairies, no one else had tried to approach us. People only examined us from afar out of the corner of their eyes. It felt like I had become a hippo in a zoo for sightseeing purposes.
Despite that, I was able to spend my time amusingly. It was quite interesting to be able to actually see how the Demon Lords looked like in real life, when originally, I had only seen them as illustrations in <Dungeon Attack>. Rank 9th Paimon, rank 8th Barbatos, rank 5th Marbas…… Was this the level of the highest Demon Lords? They were powerful enemies that had given Game Overs to my game protagonist multiple times.
“I would like to raise a greeting to all of the lords who were able to gather here for today’s Walpurgis Night. My name is Ivar Lodbrok and I am from the Keuncuska Firm. Excessively, I have been bestowed the honor to host today’s meeting.”
An incredibly old gentlemen walked to the center of the ballroom. Minor applause came from the Demon Lords. It felt as if only about 6 people had clapped their hands. The rest of the Demon Lords merely gazed at the old man apathetically.
On the other hand, I narrowed my brows.
“That’s Ivar Lodbrok?”
“Yes. That man is the wealthiest person in the demon world, the owner of Keuncuska Firm, and a true vampire, Ivar Lodbrok. The person that this one had betrayed thanks to your highness.”
“Hmm.”
A male, huh.
Ivar Lodbrok was a character that appeared in the game as well. Except, the Ivar Lodbrok that I knew of was a bit different from the one in front of me. I waited to see what would happen in the ballroom with an interested gaze.
“Before anything else, I would like to explain the agenda for today’s meeting. First, the archduke of Hell has passed away last month. Because there are no official heirs, the next archduke must be selected a day sooner, if possible. I would like to gather the opinions of the Demon Lords present here and……”
“Wait. Wait a second, old man.”
A girl’s sharp voice rang.
Everyone turned to look at the source of the voice.
There was no proper lighting in the ballroom, so it was dark. There were candles as large as people’s heads floating around. Those were the only sources of light. The deep yellow candles were drifting slowly through the air, occasionally reflecting this person, and occasionally reflecting that person. However, it was only for a short moment of time. People were soon enveloped back into the darkness.
“Because of that damn plague, all of the teleportation management offices are down. We got here riding on brooms, which none of us are cut out for, for dozens of hours. Do you know what that means? This is indeed the best time to clamor about boring and antique politics.”
The candle light reflected the girl’s face.
The girl had hair as white as snow.
Her eyes may have been glowing a bright golden color, but it was certain that she was looking down on everyone here except herself. No matter how you looked at her, she appeared to be no more than 14 years old, but she too was a Demon Lord. A Demon Lord who had lived for over 500 years, at that—rank 8th, Barbatos.
For reference, I wasn’t sure if she was trying to achieve a match with her white hair, but her figure was as flat as the great plains of Siberia. She, for sure, looked like a child.
“Your highness Barbatos. We understand, but the topic is urgent……”
“Sure. An epidemic is spreading across the continent, there are 7 successors in the region of Hell that are causing a civil war, and due to the result of the civil war in the kingdom of Sardinia the nobles that were unable to win are starting to revolt. What else are we in but a shitty era? Regardless, the world has been similarly crap since one hundred years ago, two hundred years ago, and even five hundred years ago.”
Barbatos raised her glass with her right hand.
“Even if the conference were to be delayed by 3 hours, nothing will change, you old vampire. Drink alcohol without saying a word. Allow us to have a moment of rest.”
“Mm……”
The old gentleman, Ivar Lodbrok, opened and closed his mouth as if he was troubled. True vampires may have been nobles amongst nobles, but they were still lower than a Demon Lord. It would be difficult to straight out ignore the suggestion of having a drinking party.
Unless it was a Demon Lord of the same rank.
“Still ignorant as ever, Barbatos.”
This time a mature lady’s voice could be heard.
“You can drink alcohol whenever you please. You’re always drowning yourself in alcohol throughout the entire year anyway, so why not try restraining yourself for this one night? If the word ‘patience’ even exists in your vocabulary, that is.”
A candle light vaguely shined down onto the woman.
Completely opposite to Barbatos, the maiden had fiery red hair. Throughout the entire world, it felt like the only person that this woman held in contempt was Barbatos.
Lapis Lazuli whispered to me in a small voice.
“That is rank 9th, Paimon. She is well-known for her deep-rooted enmity with Barbatos.”
“I can tell that very well without any explanation, because the distribution is entirely unfair. If I was Barbatos, then I too would probably resent Paimon.”
“Distribution?”
I gestured towards Paimon with my chin. Lapis Lazuli, with a doubtful expression, followed my gaze and examined the female Demon Lord.
Her gaze fell exactly on top of Paimon’s chest. Different from Barbatos, Paimon boasted voluptuous breasts. It was proof that, in the end, nature was not fair.
Lapis Lazuli let out a sigh.
“…… Your highness. Please partake in the meeting seriously.”
“Whenever I see those two rising hills, I feel wonderment. It’s the same feeling as when you see a natural landscape and become entranced by it.”
“Please realize that your highness appears very, incredibly, tremendously vulgar right now.”
“Lala. I am a person who hates going outside more than death. I’m currently experiencing death in real-time. If I were to bore of teasing you, then how would I possibly resist the urge to kill myself?”
Lapis Lazuli went silent.
Instead, the pressure on my right foot increased.
Ignoring the pain transmitting from my toes, I grinned.
“This is the price for tormenting me on a day-to-day basis. Do suffer for me.”
“…… Did your highness truly hate being woken up in the morning that much?”
“Each individual person has their own biological clock. I am a person that physically should not wake up in the morning.”
“I guess sleeping an average of 16 hours every day is your highness’ biological clock. This one thinks that the problem is not physical, but your highness’ mentality.”
“In short, are you saying that my mentality is wrong and is on the same level of being rotten to the core like wastewater?”
“Today, in this location, this one has realized for the first time that your highness has an impressive summarizing ability.”
“Lala. In a single day, I have to sleep at least 15 hours.”
“No matter how much the ample amount, this one can allow no longer than 7 hours.”
“What? 7 hours?”
My voice grew louder on its own.
“7 hours?! Are you kidding me? You might as well tell me to lie down and get back up immediately. People need at least 12 hours of sleep in order to function properly as a person!”
“This one sleeps no more than 4 hours a day. Ever since the time this one had roamed the back alleys and for 30 years since then.”
“Ooh. So this is the moment where it’s finally revealed as to why you had become such an inhumane and cold-hearted person. The reason why you were always temperamental as if you were on your period all the time was also revealed.”
“Your highness. Most people only partake in around 7 hours of sleep.”
“And most people are wrong! Did you not listen to what Barbatos had said? Did she not testify that, be it the present or the past, the world has always been utter crap? That is all because of the lack of sleep. A perfectly logical conclusion.”
“That is a level of logic that would make even Aristoteles cry.”
Once again, Lapis Lazuli and I had failed at reaching a diplomatic common ground.
15 hours and 7 hours, the gap located between the two was too large. If this were to go on a war might break out. The tragedy would repeat.
It wasn’t just us two that were having our diplomatic relations deteriorate. In the ballroom, Paimon and Barbatos were heated up and conducting a psychological warfare.
Barbatos made a cynical remark.
“Paimon. Our elegant whore lady! I heard the news that you had finally had intercourse with a centaur yesterday. Your hips should be incredibly stiff, but I see you were able to crawl your way here quite well. Or perhaps, is it because you’re bottom mouth is already so loose that you can handle something like a centaur easily? Hm—?”
“People might think that you’re uneducated because your words are so crude. You should start learning how to have some decency, Barbatos. You’ve been fretful like a child for the past 500 years, so it’s about time you started to behave like an adult.”
Paimon raised the corners of her mouth. She then covered her mouth with a feathered fan a step late. She had shown her smirk on purpose before hiding it.
“With a body like that, you’ll probably never be intimate with a proper man. Since you haven’t been able to have a legitimate relationship even once in your life, there’s no choice but to forever be a little lady. Oh dear, I’m sorry. It’s wrong to make fun of someone because of their body…… This lady ended up being discourteous.”
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_05_02.txt
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01 - Dungeon Defense: Volume 1 – Chapter 5 (Part 1)
“—It’s not that I can’t get a man, but that I’m purposely not going into a relationship, Miss whore. I’m voluntarily single. Of course, a girl who tosses her body around like a rag towel wouldn’t understand something like that.”
“Aha. That is not so. This lady does very much understand.”
Paimon narrowed her eyes.
Ridicule glossed over her red pupils.
“You can’t pick the grapes anyway, so it’s more reassuring for your mental health if you were to just ignore it saying that they were sour grapes. No matter when, is it not delightful when witnessing people rationalizing with themselves, Barbatos? You could say it feels like you’re getting a peek at their lacking personality and intelligence……”
“……”
Barbatos ground her teeth.
I was deeply swayed by the conversation between the two Demon Lords. That was why, I immediately conveyed the emotions I was feeling to Lapis Lazuli.
“Lala. I may have a deep hatred for the outside world, however, if I were to be accompanied by those two, then the idea of going outside doesn’t seem that bad. Just standing here like this and listening to them is putting me in a good mood.”
“This one thinks that is because your highness is corrupted on the inside.”
“Do you think it would be possible to request to go on a date with the both of them at the same time? I’d go out with them, and then sneak to the back and simply watch the two of them fight.”
“Minor Gods will be shocked, the people will be shocked, and even the old sages will be so shocked that they’ll kick out of their graves because of your highness’ atrocious personality.”
Lapis Lazuli let out a sigh.
“For the past 300 years, Barbatos and Paimon have gone to war locally with one another 14 times. Among the Demon Lords they have the worst possible relationship. This one, on the loyalty to your highness, advise your highness to give up on that short-lived dream.”
“They go to war every 21 years?”
War was not a kid’s play. It consumed a vast amount of manpower, supplies, and time. If they truly didn’t hate each other to the bone, then they wouldn’t do something like go to war so frequently.
“What frighteningly fierce women. I am even more interested in them.”
“This one has started to severely worry about your highness Dantalian’s preference in women. This one can only hope that it is unnecessary concern……”
“Where is the third?”
Lapis Lazuli tilted her head.
“Pardon?”
“I’m talking about the third. The third character. The world is like a miniature universe, that is why it has the tendency to try to keep things balanced on its own. Look there. One person is a little lady who lives her life with curses hanging off her tongue, while on the other side is a woman pretending to be virtuous but lives her life saying whatever she wants. The balance of the universe is collapsed severely……”
I shook my head.
“Meetings without a mediator could not possibly have been maintained for hundreds of years. There must be a dignified person who is capable of suppressing these two women, who were being unruly like water buffaloes in heat. That woman would most likely match my preference.”
And sure enough.
“The two of you. Calm down.”
An incredibly somber voice fell upon the ballroom.
“Due to your quarrel, the conference has stopped. How about showing a little bit of respect to Ivar Lodbrok who has stepped forward as our host.”
The Demon Lords who were arguing shut their mouths.
A candle silently reflected the face of the new speaker.
Rank 5th, Marbas.
With an Eastern European style overcoat draped over their shoulder, they had a very robust physique and was looking over the audience slowly with a monocle…… it was a bald man.
It was so. The third character was nothing more than a man with a burly frame.
Lapis Lazuli muttered.
“This one really did have no reason to worry about your highness’ preference in women.”
“…… I retract my previous statement.”
“Marbas is considerably popular with females. Although, this one did not know that it was the same with males as well.”
Once the highest ranking Demon Lord to be attending the meeting had stepped forward, the atmosphere of the ballroom became calmer. Ivar Lodbrok, receiving the help, continued on with the conference. While I moistened the inside of my mouth with wine, I listened to all kinds of topics.
♦
Time passed long-windedly.
It would have been fun if another argument were to occur, but both Barbatos and Paimon kept their mouths shut. Thus, any type of entertainment was non-existent.
Outright boredom made my eyelids heavy. If it weren’t for Lapis Lazuli constantly pinching my side, I would have most likely fallen asleep by now.
While I was desperately having a bloody battle against drowsiness, Paimon had finally opened her mouth.
“My dear comrades, and Ivar Lodbrok. Before we get into the discussion about the plague, there is an incident that we must certainly settle first.”
“What may that be, your highness?”
“The murder incident. I believe that everyone here is aware of the disgraceful event that had occurred several days ago. Our kinsmen, Andromalius. Rank 72nd Demon Lord, Andromalius, was murdered.”
Ara?
I blinked my eyes which were clouded by sleepiness.
Paimon was bringing up a rather serious subject.
“Andromalius. He was a shameful man. He behaved in ways unbefitting for a Demon Lord. However, despite all that, he was still the same Demon Lord as us.”
With light steps, Paimon made her way to the center of the ballroom. Each step she took a bit of the drowsiness in my skull was pulled out. By the time she had come to a full stop, I was already fully awake.
“No matter how big the continent is, the amount of chosen ones to be born as a Demon Lord was 72. We were a race of only 72 people. Each individual’s value is so precious that we can not be compared to the other races. That kin of ours was murdered mercilessly.”
Paimon turned her head to glare at me.
The emotions held within those red eyes, they were unmistakably hostility.
“Everyone must know full well as to why this is such a grave incident. The culprit to murder our kin must be punished justly.”
At once, all of the Demons Lords turned to look this way.
“……”
An alarm was going off in my head.
The sleepiness had evaporated and my consciousness quickly became cold. An unpredicted attack. A situation that I had not prepared for beforehand. Judging that I was facing danger, my mind operated more fiercely.
♦
Why?
♦
It felt like the space around me had slowed down.
‘Why is she attacking me when I was just standing still?’
The information that I had intentionally blocked off had started to flood in.
The Demon Lords’ clothing.
Facial expressions.
The shape of people’s mouths as they whispered to one another.
Each piece of information was ‘gathered’ and ‘analyzed’ and then piled up as data.
For instance—Paimon.
She had glared at me only once before immediately turning her gaze away. Even now, she was delivering an impassioned speech not to me, but the other Demon Lords. What did this mean?
‘She isn’t attacking me because she has an emotional grudge towards me.’
If so, then.
‘She is attacking me for some sort of political reason. That is why, before attacking me, convincing the other Demons Lords has priority.’
I had temporarily accepted that hypothesis.
Thus, the starting point for deductions was obtained. I was provided a single foundation. Like a massive tree sprouting on a small piece of land, various kinds of hypotheses and deductions reached out like branches from my head.
‘What political benefit would you gain from attacking me?’
‘Dantalian is a ricefish. There’s nothing to gain from stabbing him.’
‘Then it’s the Black Death.’
An immediate answer had come out.
‘By using Andromalius’ murder as an excuse, they’ll take away the large amount of black herbs that are in my possession. Paimon’s goal is around there.’
‘An accomplice?’
‘If she were to try and hold a monopoly on all of the black herbs by herself, then the other Demon Lords would most likely oppose. There is an accomplice here. Who is it?’
The first stage of my deduction was complete.
I took a slight glance around me.
The amount of Demon Lords here was 32. The amount of companions that had accompanied the Demon Lords was also 32. If you included the host, Ivar Lodbrok, then there was a total of 65 people. All 65 individuals were looking back and forth between Paimon and myself.
‘There’s too much.’
I had to decrease the amount of possible suspects.
I changed my thoughts.
According to the manual engraved into my consciousness.
A more diverse number of cases.
A more natural conclusion.
Faster.
‘What if her main objective isn’t to attack me?’
In another person’s perspective, I didn’t predict the plague but I had prophesied it instead. They probably thought that it wasn’t possible when thinking with common sense.
Someone had spread the disease on purpose. It would be more natural to judge it as so. They would also think that since Demon Lord Dantalian had no talent, the true culprit was someone else.
Culprit.
A culprit who had the capability of making a disease and spreading it.
My line of sight slowly moved towards a certain Demon Lord. A girl with white hair was holding her glass and silently sipping red wine.
‘Barbatos.’
‘Only necromancers could control plagues.’
The greatest necromancer in history.
The Demon Lord to have uniquely obtain the archmage title in the field of black magic.
In a third-party perspective, there was no one as close to being the ‘true culprit’ as Barbatos.
‘Was that it.’
My heart cooled down.
‘So that’s why it’s Paimon.’
This time I turned my gaze to look at Paimon.
Paimon was grandly holding out her fan as if she was trying to announce something. Her movements were slow. Her skirt had stopped mid-flutter and was frozen in place. Her mouth moved slowly. The scenery over there wasn’t able to keep up with my thinking process.
Paimon.
Barbatos’ arch rival.
According to her, Barbatos was the real culprit to have spread the Black Death.
Dantalian was nothing more than a chess piece that was moving in Barbatos’ stead.
‘I wonder.’
I clearly understood how unpleasant my current situation was.
Unbeknownst to me, it seems I had ended up being swept up in a political fight between these two high nobles.
This was why politicians were annoying. They’d make a fuss on their own and involved completely unrelated people. If they weren’t causing great harm, then I didn’t know what they were doing.
The problem was that Barbatos and Paimon had such a bad relationship that they’d go to war locally once every 21 years. Their diplomatic relationship was brutal itself. To the point that the wordplay Lapis Lazuli and I would do couldn’t possibly compare to what they’d do.
Whenever these two Demon Lord’s diplomatic relations worsened, a war would break out. Despite that, Paimon was meddling with ‘Dantalian who was Barbatos’ pawn’. She was accusing me while being resolute of the worst outcome.
The scale of the plan was too large to be attempting while relying on some simple belief. War wasn’t something you’d do thoughtlessly. Manpower was consumed, supplies were wasted, and even your mental state would be worn out.
The decisive reason as to why Paimon was taking action.
A reason why she would peg me as the criminal while knowing full well that the worst outcome could be war.
In other words, undeniable evidence.
‘Paimon has evidence.’
Proof that the Black Death didn’t happen by chance.
‘But what kind of proof could it be that she would……aha.’
I let out an exclamation in my head.
I see.
Why didn’t I consider this sooner?
Looking past Barbatos and Paimon, I gave a side glance to the girl standing directly besides me.
Lapis Lazuli.
If you thought about it then it was simple.
6/27, Lapis Lazuli was in the very location where the first outbreak of the Black Death had happened, and had witnessed it in person on the very day the plague had started to brew. She was standing at the starting point.
Lapis Lazuli had only gone to the site because of my advice. However, to a third-party it would seem completely different.
The succubus who had by chance bought the black herb, and by chance was the first person to witness the outbreak, and finally, by chance the black death turned out to be curable by the black herb.
It would have appeared as so to a third-party.
It wasn’t possible, they would say.
And Paimon would have judged that ‘it wasn’t possible’.
If anything, the next scenario was more plausible. Barbatos had created the Black Death and Lapis Lazuli had used some kind of method to spread it in the city. Afterwards, Lapis Lazuli had escaped to Barbatos’ pawn, Dantalian……
♦
The true culprit was Barbatos.
The pawn was Dantalian.
The person to execute the plan was Lapis Lazuli.
♦
This kind of structure was established.
I would like to turn that down as nonsensical drivel, but on the contrary, Paimon would consider my claim as nonsensical drivel.
If Paimon were to ask, ‘How could you predict the outbreak of the Black Death beforehand, and why was Lapis Lazuli there?’. I could only respond with, ‘I knew about it because of the game.’ And even if I were to lie and say ‘Because I had a precognitive dream.’, I could not say anything back if they were to deem it as nonsense. Paimon would only judge it while purely thinking rationally……
‘Although, she ended up attacking me because of that rationality.’
Okay then.
Paimon’s actions were all explained.
If that was so, then there was only one more question left.
♦
Who had told Paimon about Lapis Lazuli’s whereabouts?
♦
The entire time Lapis Lazuli was at the location she had been disguised.
Only a very small amount of people knew the fact that Lapis Lazuli was at the starting city of the Black Death, Syracuse, between 6/20 and 7/16. Speaking frankly, there were only two people.
One person.
‘Myself who had ordered Lapis Lazuli to go there.’
Of course, I did not tell Paimon anything.
The other remaining person.
‘The person who had no choice but to know where Lapis Lazuli was working.’
In other words, her superior.
The person to receive her reports.
Lapis Lazuli’s old boss.
Ivar Lodbrok—
Turning my head, I looked at the old vampire. The old gentleman with a nicely grown beard was standing vacantly. As if he had no involvement with this situation whatsoever, like a praying mantis that was hiding within tall grass and lying in wait to ambush, this vampire’s camouflage was quite remarkable.
‘Yes.’
You have been controlling everything in the background.
‘It was you.’
The accomplice was revealed.
The second stage of my speculation was complete.
‘I will admit it.’
Ivar Lodbrok was a fairly decent predator.
Like a lioness, he had tried to hunt me carefully. From beginning to end he had planned and created a net around me. Greenhorns like Demon Lord Andromalius or adventurer Riff were different from birth.
He was perhaps the strongest opponent I had faced since falling into this world.
However, there was a chance that all of my assumptions were wrong.
Before going full-scale into the hunt of Ivar Lodbrok, there was a truth that I had to verify first.
I muttered in a low voice.
“Lapis Lazuli.”
As soon as I had moved my tongue.
The time that had slowed down temporarily had returned back to its normal pace. Paimon’s movements, the whispering of other people, and even the air that I could feel on my nose, everything had regained their speed.
“…… That is why, this lady requests for the immediate punishment of Dantalian. This murder is inexcusable!”
Paimon pointed at me with her fan and spoke passionately.
“It would ony be appropriate for him to pay a fine of 1,000,000 Libra as compensation for the murder of Andromalius, and Dantalian himself to be confined in the Frozen Prison for 15 years!”
I wonder if they had thought it was an excessively severe punishment. People here and there in the ballroom had begun to stir. Half the people were watching as if they were observing something interesting, and the other half were nodding seriously as if they were enjoying this situation.
In this circumstance, Lapis Lazuli responded quietly.
“Yes, your highness?”
“I want you to follow my next orders without objecting whatsoever. Take five steps away from me, and then, as if something urgent had come up, make your way to the entrance of the ballroom quickly.”
“…… Should this one walk completely outside?”
Lapis Lazuli’s voice was somewhat stiff. Well, in this situation where we were being accused by the rank 9th Demon Lord, it was inevitable.
In consideration to her, I whispered as softly as I could.
“No. There is no need for that. From now on the greatest circus performance in the world is about to happen, so you should be here to watch it till the very end. Do make sure to observe from the VIP seats.”
“The VIP seats……?”
Lapis Lazuli was slightly bewildered by my carefree attitude.
While I was whispering with her, I was carefully examining every corner of the ballroom. 65 important characters were gathered in this hall. Even if I were to be in possession of the most brilliant brain, if I was to keep an eye on all 65 people here then I had to be a bit earnest.
“I will count down from five.”
I commanded her in a subdued tone.
“Move the instant the number ‘one’ comes out of my mouth. Five. Four. Three. Two……”
One.
Lapis Lazuli moved her feet.
Following my orders, she took five steps back. Then, slowly raising her pace, she made her way towards the entrance of the ballroom.
‘If there is an accomplice other than Ivar Lodbrok.’
I concentrated my cognition to every individual that was present in this ballroom.
‘They will pay attention to not the puppet, Dantalian, but the true person to execute the plan, Lapis Lazuli.’
65 people.
Among these people, the person to watch Lapis Lazuli till the very end was the ‘enemy’.
Once Lapis Lazuli went further away, 21 out of 65 people had turned to look at her out of instinct. But it was only for a short moment. People soon lost interest in the movements of this small succubus, and turned their gaze back to either Paimon or myself. To them, they had no reason to pay attention to Lapis Lazuli.
‘Come out.’
I smiled.
I wonder if it was because my brain had worked fiercely a second ago, as a sign of the heat, a single drop of sweat had formed on my forehead.
‘Show yourselves, my prey.’
Once 3 seconds had passed the 21 suspects decreased to 15.
After the fifth second, the 15 suspects drastically decreased to 4.
Finally after 11 seconds had passed…… a single person.
Only Ivar Lodbrok.
The vampire disguised as an aged gentleman, while wrinkling his forehead, watched Lapis Lazuli till the very end.
‘Aha.’
I twisted the edges of my mouth.
‘So you’re telling me that there are no other accomplices aside from Paimon?’
Thus, the third stage of my deduction was complete.
Found the culprit’s motive — found the culprit’s accomplice — and finally confirmed the authenticity of my speculations — all three steps had been completely fulfilled.
‘Isn’t two people not enough, Ivar Lodbrok?’
In truth, it was incredibly lacking.
Oh, clever vampire.
Not only Paimon, you were supposed to also bring Barbatos and Marbas to your side. You said you were the richest person in the demon world. Wouldn’t it have been possible to bribe Barbatos and Marbas if you had used all of your fortune?
But to bring only one Demon Lord.
Oh, at most for it to be only Paimon!
In order to tear apart the single most scorned outcast in the world, I had spent my entire fortune and received a loan of 10,000 gold. I had put my entire future on the line. This was what it meant to be a lion putting their all into hunting a rabbit!
If someone were to come at you with the intent to kill, then you do not hesitate to use all that you have.
Being met with such discourtesy, the deepest part of my soul lamented.
The world truly was overflowing with people ignorant of etiquette. As a person who did their best to live life as courteously as possible, the tragedy of this world always enveloped a miserable feeling around me.
How could people be so shameless?
Why couldn’t people be a bit more lazy when it came to hunting others?
Why were people, who had endured their laziness in order to hunt another, behave so reluctantly in regards to spending a couple of more coins, when they should have been putting their all into the hunt?
My second half little sister had evaluated that I had the most fiendish brain out of every human in the world, but that was wrong. I just didn’t understand why people lived their lives being ‘casually sincere’. I was thickheaded in this area……
There was nothing I could do about it.
I will personally teach you what proper etiquette is.
I will make you regret not risking your own life when you yourself had decided on your own to disrupt another person’s comfortable life.
“This lady would like to suggest a formal hearing! I, Paimon, as the rank 9th Demon Lord, and also as the lord in charge of justice, would like to incriminate rank 71st, Demon Lord Dantalian.”
Yes.
For starters, Paimon.
You were the first problem.
You, by thinking rationally, had judged that I was Barbatos’ pawn. That I had aided and abetted the spreading of the disease and did nothing while millions of innocent lives were dying.
In <Dungeon Attack>, Paimon, unbecoming of a Demon Lord, was friendly towards humans. She had the hobby of dressing herself up as a human and hunting for men. Even in the game, the main character would end up meeting Paimon, who was disguised as a human, by chance while roaming the city.
Paimon falls for the hero at first sight. And, until the hero came across, she had insistently made passes at him. Even when she ended up being impaled by the hero’s sword in the end,
— This is an already dying body.
— Could you not bestow upon this lady a final kiss?
She confesses her love to the hero like so.
The hero, unable to deny her dying wish, kisses Paimon. Although numerous female heroines aimed for the first kiss of the hero’s, the person to steal his first kiss was Paimon, a Demon Lord who was the enemy of mankind. It was a rather weird love story.
Because of the recently spread Black Death, numerous amounts of humans were continuing to die off. In the position of Paimon, who considered humans to be intellectual beings of equal rights, the Black Death was an unforgivable calamity.
‘I can not forgive Barbatos for this tragedy.’
‘I will also punish Dantalian who is behaving as your pawn.’
Up to here, it was fine.
From a common-sense point of view, this was correct.
It was an everyday occurrence for people to mistake another for a criminal as they lived their lives. However, when thinking rationally, were a misunderstanding to occur, should you not attempt to converse with the person first?
Why would you attack right off the bat?
Are you on your period? Were you too, perhaps, also under the influence of the forever-on-your-period syndrome, and was being swept away by your uncontrollable emotional turbulence? That’s a big problem. I recommend that you go to a doctor and get your symptoms prescribed and immediately treated.
But before that, I’ll fix that head of yours.
Be a good child and learn what true etiquette is.
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 8, Day 20 Niflheim, Governor’s Palace
Amidst the uproarious atmosphere in the ballroom.
“…… The one with the highest rank amongst us, is myself. It would only be appropriate for a Demon Lord to be the judge of a conflict between two Demon Lords.”
I wonder if he had thought that he couldn’t remain as a spectator anymore, but rank 5th Demon Lord Marbas had stepped forward.
“Ivar Lodbrok. I shall be temporarily taking the role as the host. I’m sorry, but the weight of this hearing is too much for me to leave in your hands.”
“As you desire, your highness.”
The old vampire obediently backed off.
“Hm.”
Marbas stood in the center of the hall.
The way his legs were standing firmly made it feel like he was a gigantic tree. His stability was remarkable. This bald man with a burly stature was knitting his brows a fair amount, as if he didn’t really find this situation to be pleasing at all.
“I am rank 5th. As the Demon Lord in charge of nobleness, I shall formally receive Paimon’s request. The accused is rank 71st. No name, Demon Lord Dantalian.
Marbas’ announcement weighed heavily on the surrounding.
His dignified voice would not allow any objections. The Demon Lords lowered their gazes, and the faeries floated into a line and carefully bowed.
“Excluding the people directly involved, intervention from a third-party is strictly prohibited. Dantalian. The one accused on this Walpurgis Night. Come forth and face your accuser.”
It would only be appropriate to obey the host.
Taking a couple of steps forward, I stood at the exact center of the ballroom.
“……”
“……”
Paimon and myself, we stared at each other while leaving a slight gap between us.
Like how duels would start between gladiators in the Rome Colosseum.
“Once both sides has finished their refutation, we shall decide on whose opinion is right by majority vote. First, I shall present the right to question Dantalian to the accuser, Paimon.”
“Yes.”
Paimon grabbed both ends of her skirt and bowed.
It felt like time had stood still on the folds of her politely raised skirt.
“Thank you for accepting this hearing.”
Paimon slowly glared this way.
“Shall we confirm all of the facts first then? Dantalian.”
“As you wish, your highness.”
I bobbed my head in greeting.
In truth, it was the first time we were facing each other, and yet there were reserved no actions between us. Hostility was more explicit than goodwill.
“You, on the 8th month and 16th day, at the daybreak of 4 o’clock, murdered Demon Lord Andromalius in the Hermes’ Plaza of Niflheim. Is this lady correct?”
“That is correct. I admit this.”
“And, Dantalian. You, knowing full well that the other party was a Demon Lord, murdered him anyway. Is this lady wrong?”
“That is also correct. Ah, but if I were to respond more accurately.”
I raised my shoulders.
“I did not know he was a Demon Lord from the very beginning. While I was drinking beer in the plaza, some young greenhorn was beating up the elderly. I had wondered what kind of bastard it was. And it turned out it was a Demon Lord. I was a bit surprised.”
“…… In other words, you did not murder the Demon Lord on accident, but you had murdered him with the intention to do so.”
I shook my head.
“I apologize, your highness Paimon. But there is a slight misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding?”
Paimon creased her brows.
“What kind of misunderstanding could be in this clear truth?”
“I’m referring to Andromalius. Swearing to the Goddesses, your highness Paimon, I would have killed that mongrel regardless of the fact of him being a Demon Lord or not.”
People started to stir.
Paimon frowned and warned me.
“……Dantalian. Today is the Walpurgis Night, and you are currently being accused of murder. How about making your way of speech a bit more polite?”
“Ooh. Excuse me, but I can not do so. Your highness, with a delighted mind, I will continue to call Andromalius a mongrel. Believe me. It was only appropriate for that bastard to die.”
“You……”
“Honestly, it’s a bit regrettable. I should have gifted that fool with a more painful death. I had simply ended it by stabbing him in the throat with a dagger once. He really was garbage, roaming through the alleyways like a bum. It’s obvious as to how weak he was.”
The stirring grew much louder.
I was purposely exaggerating my words and making them more offensive.
Marbas had said that we would decide who was right by majority vote. As much as Paimon was the rank 9th Demon Lord, she had that many followers as well. So if a normal battle of votes were to happen just like this? As the person who doesn’t even have a single follower, my fate was certain defeat.
Thus, I had to make an ally.
The Demon Lord who hated Paimon.
The Demon Lord who preferred crude words over gentle words.
And most importantly, the high-class Demon Lord to have as much followers as Paimon.
‘Barbatos.’
That was so.
I was not responding to Paimon, but I was appealing to Barbatos instead. Now, watch me carefully. There’s a rookie here that should certainly suit your preference.
You want to get a shot in on Paimon, right? You should still have some piled up rage from losing in that argument earlier. I shall fulfill that desire in your stead. Barbatos. All you have to do is pick me during the majority vote. Albeit temporary, it will be an amazing alliance……
“Measure your words, Dantalian!”
Paimon shouted.
“Andromalius was our kin!”
“I can only agree with half of your highness’ opinion. Andromalius was not simply one of our kin. He was a disgraceful member of our kin. Ah, everyone! Please! Let us be more honest.”
I quickly turned to look around.
“Just because that mongrel did not want to pay for his alcohol, he had assaulted the bar owner. The owner was an old dwarf who was so aged that his back was crooked. But, that’s not all. I had done some research later on and found out that the amount of citizens he had killed in Niflheim alone was 54 people!”
“That is……”
“There are even 12 kids included in that list. Did you all know this? That guy had whipped these kids to death simply because they did not lower their heads to him. But if you were to add up not only the casualties but the injured as well, then the total would be 327 victims. Do keep in mind, this is only the number of publicly known victims. Everyone. If someone were to tell me that that mongrel had raped a young girl and threw her corpse away in the sewers, I wouldn’t be surprised! Oh, Goddesses! Please order the devils of Hell to punish Andromalius for all of eternity!”
“You, really……”
Paimon opened her mouth.
“On what nerve, before this lady…… Dantalian. This lady can accuse you again for contempt of court. Fix your tone immediately.”
The corners of my mouth contorted.
Let’s take a step back for now.
“…… My apologies, your highness Paimon. I would also like to apologize to all of the lords here today as well. I do not have the intentions to disgrace everyone here.”
I placed my palm on my forehead as if I was tremendously regretting the harsh statement I had just made.
Rampancy and honesty were two different things. Rampancy was the act of pushing yourself onto others and being a nuisance. On the other hand, honesty was the act of cooking yourself to look appealing and then serving yourself to others. As if you were telling them to ‘savor me’.
People liked honest and modest individuals. If I were to be well-behaved every once in a while, then the other party wouldn’t consider me as that much of an annoyance. With sad puppy dog eyes, I once again gazed around at the audience.
“Everyone. As you can see, I am nothing more than a fool who is unable to keep even a single thing precious to me by my side. Rank 71st. I am a no-named ricefish that has no commendable record or title…… That is my true essence.”
“……”
“However, despite being like that, I did not beat up an elderly man to avoid paying my bill. I did not assault 327 innocent civilians, and I did not kill 54 people among them.”
I lowered my voice by a notch.
Before I knew it, the ballroom had become silent.
“…… That was on the 8th month and 16th day. To be precise, four days ago. I had heard the sound of an old man crying out in the distance. And at that moment, I made eye contact with Andromalius. Your highness Paimon. Do you, perhaps, know what that guy had said the moment he looked at me?”
“…… To lower your gaze, is what I heard from a witness.”
“To be more accurate, it was, ‘What are you supposed to be? You aren’t going to lower your eyes?’.”
Several people around me clicked their tongues.
I made a bitter smile.
“What happened next was even more of a sight. Andromalius came over to where I was and assaulted my escorts. I had respectfully warned him to stop. And yet, Andromalius did not listen. He had then proceeded to hit my lover, who was also my vassal, and knocked her to the ground.”
I then pleaded.
“Your highness Paimon. What was I supposed to do in such a situation? Should I have dismissed my escorts and allowed myself to be under harms way? Or would it have been better to stay still and keep watch over my lover, while she was being struck and covered in dirt?”
“……”
Paimon did not answer.
The sensible and cultured Paimon could not behave boldly here. It was because she was caught in her own sense of justice that her mouth had stopped. She had checkmated herself.
Now.
The service time of showing humility and acting cute was over.
I slowly started to raise my voice.
“I will say it once again, everyone. Andromalius. He was a mongrel that did not deserve the right to even be referred to as a Demon Lord. Is it not the innocent civilians that were sacrificed that deserved to be consoled? Are they not the true victims that deserved to be compensated?”
Triggering sympathy.
“Because of parasites like Andromalius, the impression of all the Demon Lords became worse. Andromalius was not something like our kin! If it was truly for our race then, everyone! We were not supposed to follow the format of sacrificing 71 people for 1 man. We were supposed to follow the format of getting rid of 1 man for 71 people!”
Make him into the public enemy.
“Thus, I would like to ask. Your highness Paimon. Do you still consider Andromalius as our kin? Are you going to protect that larva-like Andromalius till the very end, while throwing away the rest of your race?”
A leading threat.
By making use of all kinds of rhetorical techniques.
I stared straight at Paimon.
“Your highness. Please answer.”
“This lady……”
Paimon shut her lips tightly.
A terrified stillness fell over the ballroom.
It was then.
Clap.
An applause could be heard from somewhere.
Barbatos was clapping her hands. People were looking at Barbatos with a blank expression. Seeing that, Barbatos tilted her head and smiled.
“What? His words are right.”
“……”
“I, too, honestly wanted to kill Andromalius since awhile back. But that worm-like brat did rather well staying out of my sight. Good job, rookie. Thanks for going through the trouble to exterminate that parasite in our stead.”
Barbatos continued to clap her hands.
And, following suit, one or two people at a time started to join in and applauded as well. Until eventually, the majority of the Demon Lord were giving an ovation. The amount of Demon Lords who did not clap and simply glared at me until the very end was 10 people. They were most likely Paimon’s followers.
♦
Your devilish performance has captivated the people!
Demon Lord Marbas’ affection went up by 1.
Demon Lord Barbatos’ affection went up by 2.
Demon Lord Zepar’s affection went up by 2.
♦
I’m sorry to say this, but you guys were just downgraded to the minority.
The judgement for hearings was purely done based on majority logic, and unfortunately, an institutional strategy that showed consideration to the minority did not exist. That was the limit to a primitive political system. If you think that it’s unfair then go develop democracy. Also, go start the French Revolution while you’re at it. Although it also felt like there was a high chance that a guillotine would cut off a Demon Lord’s head, oh well. There was a rule that progression was followed by the sacrifice of the minority. You could only accept your destiny.
“Be silent. I said that third-party intervention was prohibited.”
Marbas warned everyone sternly to be quiet.
“Especially you, Barbatos. That clapping just now was an act done to interfere with the hearing on purpose. Do not do it again.”
“Sorry about that, geezer. I was just purely moved. It’s been a long time since a useful guy came crawling out from the lowest ranking Demon Lords, they’re usually all trash. I didn’t have any intentions on insulting the prestige of the hearing.”
“I do not care about your intentions. I only care about the outcome of actions. Barbatos. As long as we aren’t in a relationship, do you not think that it would only be a waste of time to be considering the intentions of others?”
“Hm? Did you just indirectly confess to me, you geezer?”
“If you shut your mouth this instant, then I feel like love might spring forth.”
“What is this? I can’t miss out on my chance of getting a boyfriend for the first time in 500 years.”
Barbatos jokingly shrugged her shoulders.
I was able to get a basic grasp on what kind of relationship these two had. Barbatos was an incurable mischievous little sister, and Marbas was the older brother who had to deal with the constant stress of solving each and every immature antic of his little sister. The one to receive the most loss in this brother and sister relationship was the wholesome older brother. I knew it was so since I had experience dealing with 6 little sisters. You have my condolences, Marbas.
Marbas, as if he was shuddering, shook his head left to right.
“I shall end this hearing around here. As I told you all before, we shall decide with a majority vote on whose opinion is right. Now, with a show of hands……”
“Wait a moment.”
At that moment, Paimon spoke in a hurry.
Marbas raised a brow.
“What is it? Is there something more you’d like to say?”
“Yes, there are still some questions that this lady has yet to inquire Dantalian.”
“Paimon……”
Marbas took off his monocle and wiped it with a handkerchief.
Marbas’ voice became softer, as if he were talking to an old comrade.
“You and I have spent the past 500 years knowing one another. 500 years is quite the long period of time, don’t you think?”
“…… Indeed, it was a rather difficult period of time. Marbas.”
“As you would know about me, I as well, know about you. I will honestly confess as to why I did not hide my bitter mood throughout this entire hearing. Paimon. I know full well that there was no chance that you would sincerely want to protect Andromalius. If anything, it would be the complete opposite. It would only be appropriate for you to despise a man like Andromalius.”
Paimon became silent.
Marbas, after completely cleaning his monocle, put it on again. The golden frame of his monocle silently reflected the light of a candle.
“Tonight is the Walpurgis Night, Paimon. It’s the Walpurgis Night. At a time, this was a gathering that all Demon Lords were obligated to attend, but now it has lost its past virtue and we are barely able to have the majority of the members here. Baal, Agares, Vassago, and Gamigin…… In the now, where the entire continent is struggling with an unprecedented plague, where are the Demon Lords who were of a higher rank than myself, and what are they doing?”
Paimon lowered her head.
“Marbas. More than anyone else, you are the one to be the most committed to the demon-kind. This lady sincerely expresses her respect to you.”
“We respect one another. Therefore, the Demon Lords that did not attend this meeting— the ones that are located throughout the demon world, while being indifferent and only concerned for their own personal pleasures, let us avoid the situation where we are laughed upon by these Demon Lords.”
Marbas spoke.
“Just for the claim alone that someone had tried to protect Andromalius during the Walpurgis Night is more than enough reason for people to ridicule us. Oh dear, I can already hear the mocking laugh coming from Agares. I shall ask of you frankly. Please do not worsen this predicament any further.”
Paimon bit her lips.
“……Let this lady have one more chance.”
She had placed her right hand on her chest and bowed deeply.
“Please, allow me to have this final chance.”
Marbas stroke his beard.
The Demon Lord who belonged to the 9th rank among Demon Lords had gone as far as to lower her head even after hearing Marbas’ speech. It would probably be difficult for Marbas to enforce his thoughts any further in this state. It was a problem of keeping face and maintaining formality. Eventually, Marbas gave a single nod.
“Hm.”
Except, you will not say anything else besides that. Do what you want, but do not expect my help afterwards. It contained that kind of meaning. Paimon returned the nod and looked straight at me.
“Dantalian.”
The first round was over.
She had the look as if she was telling me that the genuine second round was about to begin.
I spoke calmly.
“Your highness Paimon. There is something that I wish to tell you beforehand.”
“Speak.”
“I have no emotion towards your highness Paimon whatsoever.”
Paimon narrowed her brows.
“What does that mean?”
“Even if your highness found fault in the incident with Andromalius, I understand your highness. In the end, I will bear no ill will.”
Despite everything, she was still a sensible and cultured individual.
Additionally, she had equipped a splendid pair of breasts on her chest. I worshipped the universe, revered the laws of nature, and praised beautiful breasts. Paimon, it was not too late to back out now.
I made a smooth smile.
“We could do a toast right this instant and reconcile.”
Step down from here.
If you didn’t want to be torn apart by fangs and bleed out, this was your final chance.
However.
“This lady has requested for a hearing in order to distinguish what is right or wrong. I did not come here to drink wine with you.”
In response to my advice, Paimon had shown a clearly displeased face. As if she was bothered by the fact that someone who was merely rank 71st would even bring up such a thing.
I nodded several times to display that I had understood.
Occasionally, I’d have the suspicion that I was speaking in an alien language. Thus meaning, that I had a language system that was completely different from everyone else. I didn’t know why, but we would be able to understand each other, but that was merely luck on an astronomical chance, and in truth we were speaking in two completely different languages. For example, when I told them a line with the meaning of ‘if you don’t want to see blood then back away now’, in their language they would hear it as ‘please punch me in the face’.
I thought this was a rather strong hypothesis.
In my entire life I had given warnings like this hundreds of time, but how would one explain as to why not even a single person had ever respected my warning? There was always a justifiable reason behind why I had become a NEET.
I was the intelligent life form to have been born as a miracle by astronomical odds and preestablished harmony.
‘Don’t talk nonsense, big brother.’
‘Big brother is nothing more than a coward of poor quality.’
Of course, there were other people who had brought forward their own hypothesis.
Like a stubborn old professor from an academy who had made use his authority to suppress an original theory, so too did I listen without a word to whatever Paimon was clamoring about.
“…… This lady has employed an executive from the Keuncuska Firm as my exclusive consultant for quite a while now. That executive, not too long ago, had told this lady some rather alarming news.”
Aha.
So there was a messenger going back and forth between Ivar Lodbrok and Paimon. How clever. Since olden times, it was only appropriate for remarkable schemers to not go anywhere personally, but to make use of a subordinate. That was why I had hired a charming and competent succubus recently. It was obvious, I was the greatest schemer after all.
“This lady believes that she doesn’t have to inform everyone of the recent calamity that is sweeping through the continent. The Black Death, this terrifying curse is taking the lives of both humans and demons indiscriminately……”
In addition, it was also filling my vault abundantly.
Hello, people of the continent. I’d like to give some words of comfort to the people who are struggling with the Black Death. Do not worry. With the simple payment of merely 10 gold coins, you could obtain the cure to the disease, the black herb. Save your life with money.
I did not think that this was an evil thing to do. If this went according to the original history in <Dungeon Attack>, the discovery of the cure was supposed to happen on 1507 on the Continental calendar, which was 2 years from now. People would die off helplessly for those two years.
Right now, people already knew about the effects of the black herb, thanks to my efforts. Except, since I had a monopoly over it, the only people capable of buying it were the minority of people; nobles, the rich, and bourgeois families. I planned to maintain this current market price for at least a year.
The majority of the poor commoners that were unable to obtain the money to buy the cure would die off. In this globally severe calamity, only the nobles and the wealthy will survive.
Of course, people would scorn me.
Like how Paimon was despising me right now.
It was fine to curse at me and call me a money-grubbing demon.
My plan was more profound than they could possibly imagine.
Despite how I was, I still planned to keep my civil duties as a person. Out of everyone in the world, it was a duty that only I could perform.
“…… Thankful to small mercies, there is a cure to the disease. Everyone. Do you all, perhaps, know who was the first person to discover that the black herb could treat the disease? It was Dantalian here. That was what the executive from the Keuncuska Firm had told this lady.”
People started to make a commotion.
Paimon spurred her voice.
“That’s not all. Dantalian had bought 30,000 black herbs before the plague had even occurred. This lady is unable to understand this part.”
“……”
“Dantalian. You not only knew when the Black Death was going to spread, but you had also gone further than that and knew what the cure to that disease was. The cure to a disease that had spread for the first time in history.”
Paimon raised her feather fan and pointed it towards me.
“How could one explain this? The answer is simple. Dantalian, you are the very culprit who had spread the Black Death!”
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_05_03.txt
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01 - Dungeon Defense: Volume 1 – Chapter 5 (Part 1)
Paimon’s sharp thundering voice shook the ceiling.
People made a bigger commotion. The ballroom, in a bad meaning, started to get noisy. Was what Paimon had said the truth? Did someone create the Black Death artificially……? It felt like people were looking this way as if they were reprimanding me.
“Paimon. Slandering is not allowed in this hearing.”
Marbas spoke in a stern voice.
“The accusation that Dantalian is the culprit to have spread the plague. Are you making that claim while in possession of undeniable proof?”
“Dantalian, similar to this lady, had an exclusive consultant from the Keuncuska Firm. The procedure of buying the herbs was done through that consultant. The details on how Dantalian bought the cure, everything can most certainly be confirmed here!”
The clamour in the ballroom became more intense because of Paimon’s definite answer.
Marbas made a wry face and turned his gaze, and on that spot was the representative of the Keuncuska Firm. The vampire Ivar Lodbrok stood with a cane in his hand.
“Vampire. Is Paimon’s alleged statement the truth?”
“Ooh, honorable Marbas.”
The old vampire bowed his head.
“This one, because of a fearful mind, can not help but hesitate to judge whether something is the truth or not. However, if your highness so orders for it, this one can bring the evidence needed for this discussion whenever it is desired.”
“Are you saying that you can present the evidence right this instant?”
“Please give this one the order, and this one shall present it promptly.”
The rumbling from the people grew even louder.
‘Was all that true then?’, was the suspicion that had started to spread.
The people here were probably thinking along these lines. Paimon and Ivar were both individuals with an immense amount of authority. Surely, these two wouldn’t stubbornly insist that the plague was spread artificially for no reason. They had some type of evidence…… And thus, the people turned to glare at me as a result. Their gaze were filled with doubt.
It was at that moment, laughter could be heard.
At first, I couldn’t tell who was laughing. It was peculiar. I was still splitting up my concentration to focus on all 65 members in this ballroom. I couldn’t see even a single person who was laughing, and yet the laughing grew louder, and for some reason the eyes that were looking at me were becoming wider.
It was then that I had realized that the laughter was coming out from my own mouth. I could guarantee it, but this was not an act. I could not stop laughing. I spoke with a voice still filled with laughter.
“At most, I had endured my laziness and did my best. I could have not cared for something like a plague and have left it alone. That’s why I’m tired. It is determined that the reward for good will is always spite. Seriously, be it that world or this world, the worldly ways are always the same……”
“……What are you talking about, Dantalian?”
“I apologize, your highness Paimon. And to also my dear kinsmen. I had witnessed a part of the universe, so I was deeply moved for a moment. No matter where, people do not change. My decision to shut myself in a cave was quite the correct choice.”
Plato was wrong.
People were capable of digging further into a cave.
It meant that it wasn’t a one-way street to avoid people.[1]
Putting a smile on my lips, I turned to Marbas.
“Oh, honorable Marbas. I, of course, would like to declare my innocence. That is why, could you not allow me to have a short private conversation with the chief of the Keuncuska Firm for a moment?”
“A private conversation?”
“There is no need to be concerned. I may have said a private conversation, but it will be nothing more than exchanging a couple of lines. Why the chief executive of the Keuncuska Firm would be suspecting me, I have a general assumption as to what it might be. I simply want to see if I could solve this misunderstanding. It will not take that much time.”
Marbas nodded.
“If it is just that, then there is no problem. I will allow it.”
“I thank you sincerely.”
I gestured for Ivar Lodbrok to approach me.
Ivar Lodbrok, with his head lowered, made hurried steps towards my direction. The vampire with a remarkable acting ability and splendid disguise immediately apologized as soon as he was near.
“My apologies, your highness. It is our firm’s rule to clearly make certain types of information public, if one of our clients were to request it. No matter what conclusion comes from this Walpurgis Night, this one swears that the Keuncuska Firm will assist your highness Dantalian till the very end.”
“Those are indeed reassuring words.”
I chuckled.
On the other hand, Ivar Lodbrok’s expression was incredibly stern. Laugh a little. A Demon Lord like myself was laughing. If you shared your enjoyment then it would double. It would be polite to go along with this side’s antics.
Well, from the beginning, was it already a vampire that had lost all concept of what manners were? That was fine. I don’t particularly dislike teaching others. I shall patiently and earnestly tutor you personally.
“It is a shame that our first meeting is in this kind of situation.”
“This one thinks the same, your highness. If it means to regain your highness’ honor, then this one, Ivar Lodbrok, shall drag this old body and do whatever it takes to aid your highness.”
“Old body. Hm, old body, is it?”
I grinned.
“I’m sorry, chief. But I do not consider you to be old.”
“Pardon?”
“You still appear like you’re full of youth to me.”
“That……this one appreciates your highness’ kind words.”
Ivar Lodbrok made a confused expression. As if wondering why I was suddenly complimenting them in this sort of situation. It seemed our true vampire here was a bit slow-witted. To the very least, it was a type of student that tutors did not like to teach. A type of student who took 1 hour just to understand one math equation. If it were me I’d receive no less than 100,000 won an hour to teach this kind of student. But for this occasion, I think I’ll make it free of charge.
“No, no. I mean that I am truly jealous of your youth.”
“……?”
Does he still not understand?
I was a teacher with a lot of patience. If I were to calmly explain each and every part, then I was certain that I would be able to make even a failed student obtain a great moral discovery and become proficient in a single subject. I did not easily throw away my hopes for people.
Thus, I leaned down.
I moved my mouth near Ivar Lodbrok’s ear.
Filling each and every one of my words with the goodwill from my heart—
I whispered softly.
♦
“I’m curious as to how well your true body is doing.”
“…………”
♦
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_05_04.txt
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01 - Dungeon Defense: Volume 1 – Chapter 5 (Part 1)
Silence.
Mute shock.
It was vividly transmitted that the other person had fallen into a speechless distress.
I very much enjoyed this sort of stillness. Finally, my poor student had grasped the laws of nature thanks to me. As the teacher who did his best to teach his student, I could only be proud.
Even the name of this law was straightforward.
The law of the jungle.
Realizing who was the hunter and who was the prey.
To make them regret how irresponsible they were for having plucked the mane of a lion.
Whenever I made fools, those who believed that they were the people in power, realize that they were nothing more than pork tripe on top of a grill, it felt like I was contributing to the nature of all things within this speck of dust in the universe and thus made me feel pleased. It would be fine to say that this was one of the very few pleasures in my life.
“How, that……”
Ivar Lodbrok’s voice shook.
“How, do you know……?”
“Your blonde hair is quite beautiful.”
Another loveable silence fell before us.
Ivar Lodbrok.
There was no way that I wouldn’t know about this old gentlemen’s identity.
<Dungeon Attack> was a game played in the perspective of the human hero. That was why the hero was not able to have a close relationship with the demons. You went around slaying all kinds of demons anyways, so who would want such a thing?
Regardless, there was a unique vampire heroine who would surrender to the hero. She would overcome the racial gap between each other and fall in love with the hero. There was even a special route made specifically for her in the game.
The heroine’s name, Ivar Lodbrok.
That was so.
The true identity of this old gentleman with a wicked appearance was a heroine whose growth had forever stopped, leaving her with the appearance of a young girl.
That was why I was surprised when I first saw this old man, since their appearance from head to toe was completely different with their in-game character.
—That’s Ivar Lodbrok?”
—Yes. That man is the wealthiest person in the demon world, the owner of Keuncuska Firm, and a true vampire, Ivar Lodbrok.
I was able to mostly grasp what the hidden circumstances were.
According to the scenarios revealed in <Dungeon Attack>, Ivar Lodbrok’s story was like so: In the past she was incredibly loyal to a certain Demon Lord, but she was abruptly betrayed by the very Demon Lord she was serving and faced a near death situation. Afterwards, Ivar Lodbrok swore that she will never be used by a Demon Lord again and in order to fulfil that goal, she had begun to live her life while moving her conscience around her dolls, while cursing and scorning every Demon Lord.
Ivar Lodbrok betrayed the Demon Lord Allied Forces at a decisive moment, and was one of the main reasons as to why the hero’s forces were able to obtain victory. It was an exemplary case showing that it wasn’t too late for a noble person to achieve revenge even if it took 100 years.
As a person who had played through all of Ivar Lodbrok’s scenarios and her specific route— I, of course, knew of her real appearance, and also knew very well the fact that her real body was hidden under the snowy fields of the kingdom of Moscow.
It was a secret that Ivar had whispered to only the hero.
Since the hero wasn’t to appear until the year 1515 on the Continental calendar, in this current time, it was a tragedy that no one was supposed to know of.
Except for me.
“I am not concerned about something like your old body. I’m merely worried for the girl whose body is buried underneath a cold snowy field that is being ravaged by blizzards……”
“……”
“Aah, I truly am worried. I fear that wolves may appear abruptly and tear off her pitiful limbs. And who knows when villanous mountain thieves would appear and violate her body as they please. That’s so. For example, if I were to give a small signal.”
I snapped my fingers.
“There’s a possibility that a certain magic signal would be sent and a calamity would fall upon that girl’s frail body. Like a small cry would cause a massive avalanche. Chief, do not worry so much. It is fine to not look at me with such fearful eyes! I am simply pointing out the possibilities.”
Ivar Lodbrok’s body was trembling immensely.
It should be fine to stop treating him with this unamusing half-respect.
I changed my sarcastic tone to a clearly threatening tone.
“Oh pitiful vampire. Did you rage at the thought that Lapis Lazuli had betrayed you? ‘Let’s trample over this child who had dared to show her fangs to me’. Did you make that sort of decision? Aah, Lodbrok. You poor friend.”
I laughed.
“You had firmly guessed wrong. You were mistaken. Lapis Lazuli did not hunt me. Of course, she is a very admirable child, but is she capable of planning this kind of magnificent comedy……?”
I hunted her.
I kindly whispered in Ivar Lodbrok’s ear.
“From the beginning to the end, it was all your foolish misunderstanding. Lapis Lazuli had sworn her loyalty to you. But since she is a clever child, she knew full well that if she were to return to the firm, then under false accusation she would be purged. If the true miserable person was not that girl, then I didn’t know who was. Because of a single bastard bat, who lived their life thinking that they were a genius, she has fallen to being an exile.”
Ivar Lodbrok’s trembling became more violent.
I softly placed my hand on the other party’s shoulder.
“Thanks to you for making the wrong assumption, I was able to go through less trouble. Lapis Lazuli is a splendid child. I give you my thanks.”
“What does…… what does your highness want from this one……?”
“Oh. I simply want a slight bit of kindness.”
I gripped Ivar Lodbrok’s shoulder tightly.
“I truly did not release something like this Black Death. All you have to do is testify the truth. That is all.”
Do not present proof that would help make Paimon’s statement more persuasive.
It was a threat containing that meaning.
“Well……of course, you will also move around occasionally as my puppet. A price follows defeat, after all. Chief. I am an honest person. I will not place hypocritical words between us, like telling you nice things such as reassuring you that there will be no more misfortune from now on, and that it was fine to relax. Do you not think that hypocrisy is a discourtesy to others?”
“……”
“Many things will change.”
From the inside of your bones.
“I will give you many proposals that you cannot refuse, and you, in reality, will not be able to turn any of them down. You may occasionally have a sense of shame that you didn’t feel like a person, but like a beast trapped in a pig pen.”
Climbing up your spine.
“Occasionally you will display a rebellious spirit and resist against me. Shall I tell you how I will respond beforehand? Ah, I will not kill you. Really. I won’t even hit you. You can have my word. What I will do……”
To your skull.
“Is pluck the hair from your real body.”
Everything will be subjected to me.
“I will not take a lot. Every time you resist, I will only pluck a single strand of hair. Pluck, like that. Just playfully. That is all. How is that? Were you able to feel how generous of a person I was?”
“……”
“While appreciating your beautiful face. Pluck, pluck, pluck, pluck…… pluck.”
With a ‘hoo’ I blew into his ear.
Ivar Lodbrok shuddered like an aspen leaf.
This was why I couldn’t stop my enjoyment of threatening others.
“Hmm. I’m already looking forward to the day that you rebel against me. I can’t wait. But, I will endure it. I will gladly endure it. I have great patience, after all. You can feel relieved in that regard.”
Ivar Lodbrok clenched his teeth.
“This one…… will swear loyalty to no one.”
“Even better.”
I patted Ivar Lodbrok’s shoulder lightly.
“Use this opportunity to learn.”
“……”
“People have to keep learning even if they’re old, you know. If one becomes lazy with their education then before they know it they’d have turned into a failure. A person must care and treasure their own body. Don’t you think so as well?”
Ivar Lodbrok could not respond.
If it was this much, then I believed that my sincerity was able to overcome the language barrier placed between us. Communication was this difficult. For me to have to resort to threats in order to make other people respect me, was that not tragic? When Oedipus had stabbed his own eyes, he was probably not as sad as I was now.
I straightened my back.
Then, I turned to look at the judge, Marbas.
“Oh, honorable Marbas. Our conversation is over. There will be no objections from myself if you are to continue the procedures of the hearing.”
“Good. Paimon, you can now prove the authenticity of your accusation.”
The hearing resumed.
Paimon, with a confident voice, called for Ivar Lodbrok.
“I understand. Lodbrok, please show the evidence.”
“……”
“Lodbrok?”
A frightening silence continued.
Ivar Lodbrok had not lifted his head since awhile back. Paimon had called his name several times, but he remained unresponsive. Because of the unexpected silence, a panicked complexion had appeared on Paimon’s face. As the silence continued, her perplexed state had slowly spread to the people around her, until eventually, the entire ballroom was enshrouded by a peculiar silence.
At last, Ivar Lodbrok opened his mouth.
“…… her highness Paimon’s statement, is a lie.”
It was quiet.
It was incredibly quiet.
The hall was not calm because everyone had understood Ivar Lodbrok’s comment. It was the complete opposite. It was because not a single person had understood what Ivar Lodbrok had said, so there was no response.
“What did you say—”
Therefore, the first words to come out were not of understanding but was a question instead.
“Just now, what did you say?”
“This one.[2] Had said that this one cannot submit the evidence that her highness Paimon had requested.”
“What are you trying to say…… have you gone mad, Lodbrok!”
Paimon let out a roar.
The silence that had fallen on top of the ballroom quickly shattered. Like a rising tide suddenly turning into a tsunami on a calm beach, Paimon’s limitless rage came pouring out. The pride she had on her face had already long ago been washed away by the tides.
“You had told this lady! That Dantalian was the culprit to abet the plague, and that that girl named Lapis Lazuli was the one to have spread the Black Death! Are you trying to ridicule this lady with that petty tongue!?”
“……My apologies. This one is unable to understand what your highness Paimon is talking about. Has it not been 10 years since we had last met each other in person like this?”
How beautiful.
With a smooth smile, I watched their quarrel.
There was something about witnessing people continuously shift the responsibility to one another that moved me deeply. Ah, I really shouldn’t live with other people. Ah, shutting myself away and spending the rest of my days in the corner of my room was truly the right way to live. It reminded me of these sort of life lessons.
You’re watching this too, are you not, Lapis Lazuli. I had promised you that I would show you the greatest circus performance in the world. On one side was the rank 9 high noble Demon Lord, and on the other side was the richest person in the demon world. And yet, the point that these two had reached was childishly tossing the responsibility to one another.
For you, who lived your life being treated unfairly because you were an outcast, I considered this to be the greatest stage performance just for you. Enjoy it at your leisure. Since I had specially directed and managed this performance for free. Despite how I looked, if I splurged for my subordinates, then I was a superior that did so extravagantly. It was fine to be moved.
“That is obvious since you had made contact with me using your subordinate!”
“This one is incapable of knowing what Torukel had told your highness Paimon. Regardless, there is one thing that this one does know. Evidence that his highness Dantalian had any personal involvement with the spreading of the disease is currently not in this one’s possession.”
“This, inferior and cowardly bat……!”
Paimon’s pretty face had contorted. As much as she was a beauty that appeared as if she was a piece of art, her enraged image was more terrifying.
“So be it then. You shall repay blood with blood! That is your Keuncuska Firm’s maxim, is it not! This lady shall very much keep that vow……!”
A blood-like aura began to seep out from Paimon’s body.
The concentration of magical energy was so thick that it was possible to see the shape and color of her aura. The fluctuation of the energy looked as if dozens of red tongues were waving intensely.
Paimon was not simply a Demon Lord, she was someone who had also gained the title of archmage.
Among the Demon Lords that consisted of 71 people, it was a feat that was only achieved by 4 individuals, and she was part of that 4.
“I shall act on behalf of vengeance!”
Paimon had shouted her dictum.
A dictum, in this world, was something that was passed down throughout history in each area of influential power. These were sacred vows that dictated that one would utilize everything, even one’s own life, in order to keep one’s pledge. Paimon was seriously intending to kill Ivar Lodbrok.
It was then that Marbas had stomped his right foot down.
Thud
The entire ballroom had shaken.
People stumbled as if they had been caught up in a small earthquake.
Marbas, with a menacingly cold air around him, glared at Paimon.
“—Cease your offensive actions immediately.”
Paimon made a pained expression.
“But, Marbas!”
“I said to stop this instant. You should be vigilant of forcing me to recite my dictum as well, Paimon. You are the person who requested for a last chance. Just to make myself clear, to me, one’s last chance means their ultimatum.”
“Euh……!”
Paimon clenched her teeth strongly.
Her magical energy did not die down, but it had started to rise more intensively.
“Just now, the chief executive from Keuncuska had toyed with this lady! Despite the fact that that chief had ordered his subordinate, Torukel, to show evidence to this lady, he was now trying to back down! This lady shall immediately execute that betrayer!”
“No matter who it is!”
Marbas roared out.
“Even if Baal were to come here, you cannot shed blood during the Walpurgis Night! You will preserve absolute neutrality while you are here! Unless you wish to turn myself and all the Demon Lords of the neutral faction, including 30,000 elite troops, into your enemy, then go ahead and try shedding blood here, Paimon! I will vow that on that day, the mountain faction, which you lead will be annihilated, and the land of the Demon Lords who are part of your faction will be cursed for 300 years, preventing even a single blade of grass from growing!”
An angry voice like a thunderstorm swept over the ballroom.
The candles which were floating in mid-air shook violently. Light and darkness fell upon people while being mixed up chaotically, the pillars of the building let off dust as it trembled.
People shrunk back. They were being overwhelmed by Marbas’ force.
Among the over 30 Demon Lords present here, the amount of people who were able to keep their backs straight were very few. At best, Barbatos was the only one to be nonchalantly sipping wine.
“Geezer—. If needed, us plains faction will provide you assistance whenever you want as well. Honestly, don’t you feel a bit apprehensive to go to war with only the neutral faction on your side? You and I could make a nice alliance.”
“Shut your mouth, Barbatos. I am not in the mood to jest.”
“I was just expressing my goodwill.”
Barbatos snickered.
Different to her, Paimon’s expression could only be explained as nothing but horrendous. From her lips, heated breaths were coming out like a cocktail of rage and self-control.
“Torukel……!”
Paimon chewed on her own words.
“He’s the messenger that passed on the orders from Ivar Lodbrok! He is standing by outside the venue right now. I shall summon him this instant and prove that Ivar Lodbrok has ridiculed this lady!”
A brief moment of chilling silence drifted through the venue.
Marbas took off his monocle and stared hard at Paimon.
“Are you certain?”
“This lady is only making accusation following truth.”
“…… You are taking my final faith.”
Marbas raised his chin up.
“Send in the witness known as Torukel!”
The faeries, having received the order, busily made their way out of the ballroom.
Aah.
I was submerged in sadness.
Think more calmly, Paimon. Whoever this Torukel was, he was still nothing more than a messenger. You can’t hope to get a proper testimony from that kind of person.
I understand that you respect every race including humans. To you, this Black Death would be a nightmare among nightmares. You most likely partook in this gathering while being resolute in finding the culprit to have cause such a tragedy. But the person that you thought to be your comrade, Ivar Lodbrok, had unexpectedly betrayed you. That’s why it was reasonable for you to be up to your head with anger. Despite that, you had to look ahead. Rage was always a shortcut to ruin.
Shortly after, an aged goblin entered the ballroom.
Paimon pointed at the goblin.
“Yes. That person is Torukel!”
She started her questioning with a voice still carrying anger.
“Torukel. You’ll be our witness. You, under the orders of Ivar Lodbrok, had acted the role of messenger. Is that correct?”
“……”
Torukel slowly looked around the room.
The goblin was supporting his body with a cane. There may have been many wrinkles on his forehead, but his eyes shone with intellect. I got the strong impression that he was not old, but he had simply lived for a long period of time.
The goblin looked at Ivar Lodbrok for a short moment and nodded. No words were exchanged between them.
Torukel carefully opened his lips.
“……It is an honor to be allowed in the presence of all these lords of demons. Keruk. This one, without a doubt, is an executive from the Keuncuska Firm, and am also of close relations with Ivar Lodbrok.”
As soon as Torukel readily revealed his own identity, Paimon’s face shone with delight. She most likely thought that she had seized victory. Like a machine gun, she started her questioning quickly.
“This lady shall get straight to the point, Torukel. You had told this lady that Dantalian had aided the spreading of the plague and that using some unknown means, he had a hand in the creation of the Black Death. Is this lady correct?”
“Yes. Of course, your highness.”
The audience started to stir once more.
Ivar Lodbrok shut his eyes tightly as if he was distressed. On the other hand, Paimon, with a triumphant air, smiled widely. It was the figure of an individual who had overcome ridicule and painstakingly materialized justice.
However.
“What her highness has said is correct. I had most certainly claimed that Dantalian was the criminal behind the Black Death. However, that was a downright lie. It was slander without any evidence.”
“What……?”
It didn’t even take 10 seconds for the shock to solidify Paimon’s smile.
Torukel spoke flatly.
“This one had desired for the black herbs that were in the possession of his highness Dantalian. Of course, it would be impossible for this one, alone, to extort the personal effects of his highness Dantalian. However, this one was in the possession of two great sponsors. Her highness Paimon and the chief of executives, Ivar Lodbrok. Perhaps if this one were to use these two individual’s names, then it would be possible to get through the impasse. That was what I had thought.”
“Torukel…… just, what are you saying……”
Paimon opened her mouth.
It was a face of utter disbelief.
Torukel, using his cane to support himself, bowed deeply.
“My apologies. This one knew full well of your highness’ care for all the people on the continent. This one had used your highness’ merciful heart in order to incite hatred towards his highness Dantalian. His highness Dantalian was merely rank 71st anyway. This one had judged that once the hearing was open that it would end on the majority vote.”
“……”
“As it so had happened, his highness Dantalian had murdered his highness Andromalius and this one had seen that as a golden opportunity. To threaten his highness Dantalian with the atrocious crime of murdering a Demon Lord. Using that chance, this one had planned to snatch away all of the black herbs. But his highness Dantalian had surpassed this one’s expectations and was able to prove his innocence. How vexing……”
Torukel glanced at me slightly.
I gazed back at him with absolutely no emotions on my face.
Unintentionally, with a ‘tsk’, I ended up clicking my tongue. I could grasp what that aged merchant was basically trying to do. He was intending to foil this great circus performance.
The judge, Marbas, sharply inquired Torukel.
“Small goblin. You have admitted yourself that you had ridiculed Paimon in order to fulfill your own selfish desires. Do you understand your crimes?”
“Yes, your highness. This one knows when to admit defeat. This one had tried to gain great profit by using her highness Paimon and the chief executive of the Keuncuska Firm. And I had failed. That is all.”
The goblin shook his head.
“If there was something wrong that her highness Paimon had done, then it was having trusted this wicked and old goblin. Thus, since all faults completely lies on this one— although from a humble birth.”
Quickly.
Before anyone could do anything.
Torukel took a small blade out from his clothes—
“This one shall apologize with this insignificant life.”
—and stabbed his own throat.
▯Keuncuska Executive, Miser Goblin, Torukel Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 8, Day 20 Niflheim, Governor’s Palace
We had failed.
I knew this as soon as I had entered the ballroom.
Even if I didn’t want to, when her highness Paimon, who was supposed to be expressing kindness towards me, was staring at me with a terribly contorted face, I had no choice but to come to terms with it.
…… I was prepared.
Merchants must always respect equal exchange.
Even if Demon Lord Dantalian was merely rank 71st, and even if Lapis Lazuli was merely an outcast half-breed, they too were lives that did whatever it took to stay alive.
A life for a life.
You had to put your own life on the line if you were to go after another.
Keruk.
It was a simple equation.
…… I dreamed for a world that was not controlled by hierarchy.
For merely being born as a Demon Lord you stood at the pinnacle of society. For being born between a demon and a human, you were treated like trash. That was the current state of the demon world. I wanted to change this……
Although some minute details were different, Ivar Lodbrok carried the same desire as myself. In this shabby world, Ivar and I were tied by camaraderie.
If one wished to change the world, then one needed money. That was why we had raised the Keuncuska Firm this far. Over the past hundreds of years, we had overcome an uncountable amount of hardship and adversity, and had barely reached the position of the greatest firm in the demon world……
Aaah.
I really did want to see it.
A bit more equal society.
I simply wanted to live in a place with less prejudice.
……I wanted to see a more beautiful world.
“Kuruk!”
I could feel the cold metal piercing my throat.
As one would expect, I could vividly feel the warm blood that was dripping down the blade.
Strength left my knees quickly. My body fell over slowly, and little by little it approached death. I could feel all this clearly.
Ivar. Take care of the rest.
I was unable to see the world change, but if it’s you, then you should be able to live till the very end. You are frighteningly cunning and intelligent after all.
Except, I worry that there may be no one who could understand your madness. Do not stay in solitude. One day you will find someone who will stay by your side once again……
And finally, I turned to look at Dantalian.
There was no special reason to this. My line of sight had simply moved to Dantalian coincidentally when I had fallen down. However, after looking at the face of the rank 71st Demon Lord, I opened my eyes wide.
“……!”
He was expressionless.
There was no bounds to how expressionless he was.
Despite having obtained a surprising victory tonight, there was not a single sign of Dantalian being delighted or overjoyed. It didn’t even seem like he was surprised by my suicide. As if it was obvious—he was staring down at me with eyes that appeared as if they understood completely why I had chosen to kill myself.
Was that it…… was that what it was……!
Seeing that expression, I immediately understood. Demon Lord Dantalian was not plain prey. Lapis Lazuli betraying our firm, and the murder of Andromalius, they were all schemes plotted by that man. It was not possible to know exactly what the plots were, but those eyes. Those eyes of a killer, surpassing logic, were more than enough to convince me. Dantalian was the puppeteer!
Aah, Ivar Lodbrok.
From beginning to end we were mistaken.
We had dived on top of a chessboard with no idea who our opponent was. Because of this, it was no wonder that we had lost so gruesomely. Have you realized, Ivar? Were you aware of the fact that that man was the true danger……
I wanted to open my mouth and warn Ivar. To please be careful of Dantalian.
But to my dismay, I did not have even a margin of energy left to move my lips. Rapidly. Life from my body dispersed silently. The vision in front of me faded to black.
I may have dreamed a beautiful dream, but I was unable to live a beautiful life. I have committed a fair amount of evil deeds. No doubt the Gods will drop me to Hell……
Ooh, merciful Proserpina.
Please show pity for this poor soul.
And then, I was enshrouded by eternal silence……
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 8, Day 20 Niflheim, Governor’s Palace
The dagger easily pierced the neck of the old goblin.
The blade had impaled through his thin neck and stuck out from the other side.
The goblin’s small body collapsed to the floor with a thud.
A stillness fell over the room.
Red blood was flowing in the ballroom.
“Ah……?”
Paimon was.
“Ah……aah……?”
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_05_05.txt
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01 - Dungeon Defense: Volume 1 – Chapter 5 (Part 1)
Paimon was merely staring down at the goblin’s corpse.
That goblin was a merchant that Paimon had trusted without an ounce of doubt. It was clear that for a long time, a very long time, these two had known each other.
I wonder if her knees had given out, but Paimon had sunk to the floor. The blood flowing out from the goblin’s neck formed a puddle and the end of Paimon’s skirt became drenched with that blood.
“Aah……ah, aaah……”
Like a broken record, she let out short moans repetitively.
It was a conclusion that she couldn’t have possibly predicted to have happened 30 minutes ago. Paimon may have only been moaning, but I distinctively understood the emotions that were grasping onto her heart.
That was why I had warned her.
To not cross the Rubicon River and reconcile with a glass of wine instead. But, without being able to realize anything, Paimon had raised a poisoned chalice. This was probably what a tragedy was.
I muttered in a voice that only I could hear.
“Spoiled the mood……”
You have really caused quite the chaos, you goblin bastard.
Originally, I was planning to direct a comedy. Ivar Lodbrok and Paimon were to blame each other. They would behave disgracefully and keep tossing the responsibility to the other person until the conference was over.
In the end, one side would eventually have their honor damaged and fall. That was the scenario I had written. People would have sent unreserved applause to the circus performance of a lion and a tiger fighting each other. However, this old goblin was a variable that I could not have possibly expected……
Torukel had bore all the mistakes of Ivar Lodbrok and Paimon on his own, and had brought them down with him. Paimon’s misunderstanding was because of Torukel’s trickery, and Ivar Lodbrok’s excuse was because of Torukel’s cajolement.
The two as victims. The one as the assailant. Except, no words could come from a corpse. The day that the truth was finally revealed will never come to be.
I sincerely give you my respect for that resolution of yours, goblin.
Ivar Lodbrok and Paimon had gone against me with a clumsy mindset. They did not risk their lives. But you were different. You came at me with all you had. Unlike those two, you did not forget about proper etiquette.
That was splendid.
I must admit. People like you were more than qualified to interfere with my comfortable life.
“—We shall proceed with the show of hands for the hearing.”
Marbas spoke.
The only witness had killed himself and Paimon had lost her will. He must have judged that there was no point in continuing the hearing any further.
“The first issue is the murder case. The case where rank 72nd, Nameless Demon Lord Andromalius was murdered by rank 71st, Nameless Demon Lord Dantalian. The accuser has demanded 100,000 libra as compensation for the murder of Andromalius from Dantalian, and for Dantalian himself to be locked away in the Frozen Prison for 15 years.”
Marbas looked around the venue.
“Those who think Dantalian is guilty raise your right hand, the people who think he is innocent raise your left hand, and the people who are abstaining do not move your hands. The two people who are directly involved, and myself who has taken the role as the mediator, will not have the rights to vote.”
People promptly moved their arms after Marbas had finished explaining.
Among the 29 Demon Lords, the ones to have voted guilty were 9 people.
The people to have voted innocent was 19.
Marbas nodded.
“I declare that Dantalian is innocent in regards to the first matter.”
Excluding Paimon’s followers, nearly every Demon Lord had voted innocent. In truth, it was an overwhelming victory. And yet, the aftertaste was still bitter. It was because of that old goblin’s noble sacrifice. I didn’t feel as excited as I was before……
“The second issue is about the Black Death. The accuser had claimed that Dantalian was the true culprit to have spread the plague. Those of you who think this is true, raise your left hand, those who think it is false, your right hand.”
The people to have voted guilty were the same 9 individuals.
The people to have voted innocent was 15 individuals.
“Since it has surpassed the majority, I declare that Dantalian is innocent in regards to the second matter. Thus, on the name of rank 5th, the Demon Lord in charge of nobleness, I, Marbas, guarantee that you, Dantalian, are free from all charges. Those of you who have any objections to this verdict must keep in mind that you’ll be challenging my honor.”
Applause erupted from one of the Demon Lords. It was Barbatos this time as well. She was even whistling as she celebrated the verdict.
“Hahaha! Serves you right, whore! Ever since you started raising your nose thinking you were all high and mighty, I was looking forward to seeing that nose of yours get crushed! Seeing as it has come to this, why not spend some ‘time’[3] with that goblin! You two will probably be a perfect match in bed!”
……Although the direction of the celebration was horrendously vulgar.
Right now Paimon, with unfocused eyes, was staring down vacantly at Torukel’s corpse. To be able to openly laugh at a woman in that state, those weren’t normal nerves, but was immense brutality instead. It was impressive in another meaning. I gained the certainty that if I wanted to maintain a peaceful life, then it would be a good idea to not get involved with Barbatos.
Her chest was also flat.
Her chest was as flat as the Siberian fields—
It was important so I emphasized it twice.
If you were a logical person with refinement then it was obvious to prefer matureness over immatureness, abundance over lacking. Lolita complex is a mental illness, everyone. I hope you are able to go to your nearest mental hospital and get a suicide check-up.
“Now, we shall discuss Paimon’s punishment. Dantalian. Despite your innocence, Paimon had tried to accuse you. One must pay the price for failure. Suggest what you think would be the most fitting level of punishment.”
“A penalty, huh……”
I looked down at the floor.
In the past, court controversy had a meaning similar to that of a duel. Putting their honor on the line, both sides fought over what was guilty and innocent. If the accuser were to lose, then they would receive the very sentencing that they had declared for the other party. It meant that if you wanted to curse another, then you had to dig your own grave first. It was a tough legacy from the medieval period.
In this situation, Paimon would have to pay the 100,000 gold fine and be confined for 15 years in prison. Once again, I understood what kind of harsh resolve Paimon was carrying while stepping forward in the hearing. Was that so. It may not have been as much as the goblin, but Paimon had as well, in her own way, prepared to take responsibility……
Then, all of a sudden a choice box appeared before me.
[1. Forgive Paimon.]
[2. Reprimand Paimon.]
Seeing this choice box appear, it meant that this was a crucial decision.
Similar to having chosen to murder Andromalius, this was something that would greatly change the direction of the world.
Marbas pressed me with a low voice.
“Dantalian.”
“……”
I glanced at the goblin’s corpse.
Torukel. You did not leave a will. But what you wanted to say was conveyed clearly. No matter what, to not let Ivar Lodbrok or Paimon be troubled. Those were most likely the dying words that you could not spill out from your own mouth. The part of life that was so-called sorrow.
As a means to express my condolence to you, those dying words of yours, I shall respect it.
“It is fine.”
“Excuse me?”
“I said it is fine, honorable Marbas.”
I raised my head and faced Marbas.
I had a weak smile on my lips. It was in order to display a tired expression. Well, it had also been a long time since I had last used my brain this much, so I was actually a bit tired.
“Even if I was under false accusation and slandered, her highness Paimon was also in the sorry position of having been swept up in a plot, was she not? As it has already been proven to everyone here, the true culprit behind all these incidents was that goblin on the floor over there. He was a peerless villain. However, since he is dead, there is no reason to make someone else take responsibility.”
“In other words…… are you saying that you will not demand any punishment?”
“Yes, your honor. As the person directly involved in the hearing, and as the person to have survived the court of law by obtaining victory, with my just rights I shall request of this. Rank 71st, Nameless Demon Lord Dantalian hereby requests, for her highness Paimon to not be punished in any way because of this incident.”
I grinned.
“In the first place, this is the sacred Walpurgis Night. This is not a location for such vulgar words like punishment or penalty to be tossed around.”
The people around me made a commotion. They probably didn’t imagine that the very person to be accused would come out so pleasantly. They all had the same expression of surprise. On the contrary, once I had watched the goblin kill himself, I couldn’t have been more calm.
I did not want to become a person who went around talking about ‘acknowledgement’ and ‘respect’ all the time. I had thought to acknowledge Torukel the goblin. I had decided to respect his will. Then I must show it by actions.
To forgive Paimon here was, with no doubt, a politically dangerous decision. In the political world, just by the mere fact that you were enemies one could continue to take hostile actions. Today, disregarding the truth, the relationship between Paimon and I had clearly become ‘enemies’. To change this relationship into a different form will probably take a considerable amount of tiresome work. It may even be impossible.
That was what respect was.
To protect the other party’s words even if it meant that you’d have to endure harm.
I was confident that I would not feel anguish even if I were to go through hardship for respecting another.
If I used my second half little sister’s judgement as a basis, then I was in the possession of a devilish brain.
If I used my own judgement as a basis, then I was model student who knew etiquette.
“Honorable Marbas. The only thing that this one wants tonight is a single warm glass of honey wine.”
[1. Forgive Paimon.]
[2. Reprimand Paimon.]
As soon as I had finished talking, the choice box melted away.
Soon, the choice box was replaced by new lines.
Each individual letter was dismantled and put together to form new words. It gave the subtle pleasure like watching lego bricks being assembled on their own.
A kind and merciful decision!
The continent is impressed by your magnanimity.
Fame increased substantially.
The sentences glowed brightly in mid-air.
The words broke apart into sparkling particles. Then shortly after, after drifting through the air like a bunch of petals, they silently vanished off to somewhere.
“……”
Marbas was staring at me. His blue eyes would make one think of a serene ocean. I did not avoid Marbas and calmly met his gaze.
“To think of duty over resentment. In words, it sounds easy, but words have the tendency of becoming harder to adhere if they are shorter, and becoming easier to keep if they are longer. It is not something that anyone can do. Additionally, the amount of people to turn down the opportunity to lawfully vent one’s spite is a precious few.”
Marbas patted my shoulder. His trust was transmitted through his hand.
“You are remarkable, Dantalian. As the host of this Walpurgis Night, I’d like to give you my thanks. I look forward to the day that you are able to be rid of your Nameless Demon Lord status and become a monarch possessing a grand title.”
Demon Lord Marbas’ affection went up by 9.
Instead of responding with words, I lowered my head.
Marbas had said that he did not trust long talks earlier. So to go beyond short words and respond with silence was appropriate to go along with Marbas’ beliefs. Marbas seemed to have understood my intent. He nodded and patted my shoulder once more.
“……However, even if there is to be no official punishment, it would be irrational to not have even one word of apology. Paimon.”
Marbas turned around to look at Paimon. She was still sitting in a daze at the side of the goblin’s body. She was like a doll that had all her strings cut. Marbas spoke to her with a pained face.
“Apologize to Dantalian here.”
Paimon flinched.
“……Apol, igize……?”
“Yes. That is the responsibility that you must carry.”
“Lied…… Torukel…… lie, d”
Paimon moved her body to get up, but failed. There was no strength in her knees, so she had simply slipped back down. Paimon lifted her head barely to look at me.
“Did Torukel…… betray, this lady?”
I nodded.
“That is so. Your highness.”
“Innocent……?”
“Yes. I did not create the Black Death. I did not purposely spread it either. That was all a hoax created by that merchant, Torukel.”
Paimon slowly lowered her head. There was a moment of silence. I had no methods to know what she was thinking. Shortly after, with trembling shoulders, she muttered in a very small voice.
“……I……ry……”
At first, we couldn’t understand what she had said. Like a broken radio, her words would come out then stop and then rewind to start again. This repeated. The sound of crying was mixed in like static. However, Paimon repeated the same words over and over again, until eventually we could hear her loud and clear.
“I’m…… so, rry……”
They were words of apology.
A pool of blood had formed on the ground which Paimon had fallen to. Something was falling there. They were Paimon’s tears. Each time a tear collided against the crimson puddle, like a pebble falling into a lake, gentle waves in the shape of rings would spread out.
“I’m sorry……”
“……”
“I’m sorry…… I’m sorry……”
A peculiar silence swept over the ballroom.
Paimon’s voice was most certainly small, but it felt like her words could be heard by everyone here.
It must have been hard to keep watching. A female Demon Lord, who I assumed was one of Paimon’s followers, rushed out and started to support the frail woman. Paimon was weakly dragged outside by the female Demon Lord. A group of around 15 people followed that female Demon Lord out of the ballroom. No one tried to stop them.
“There were many complications, but.”
Wanting to change the topic, Marbas spoke.
“It does not change the fact that today is still the Walpurgis Night. Although there are still some agendas remaining, we can push that to tomorrow. I shall be taking up Barbatos’ suggestion and offer a place to drink to everyone here.”
With a ‘clap‘, Marbas brought his hands together.
At once, faeries came in and began to serve all kinds of food and beverages. Elves wearing maid uniforms and tailcoats entered the room carrying chairs and tables. The ballroom had instantly changed into a banquet hall. I also had the honor of being poured a glass of honey wine from Marbas directly.
People of power were rare. People of power with common sense were even more rare, to the point that they should be announced as a near extinct species and rated EX on the charts. I, with the desire to preserve nature’s rare species, accepted the glass politely.
For the rest of the day, there was no occasion of Paimon showing her face again.
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 8, Day 21 Niflheim, Governor’s Palace
The banquet did not end even past midnight.
I had never imagined that Demon Lords would be such heavy drinkers. Barbatos was especially amazing. She picked up an entire jug of alcohol and chugged it down in one go.
People cheered and applauded. It was insane. Also, Barbatos seemed to have taken a liking to me cause she kept forcing me to drink. If I tried to refuse slightly then she’d say, “Aaang? Are you trying to resist drinking the alcohol that I’m bestowing to you?” and got heated up. Was this not a barbaric person, or what?
Not being able to socialize with her any longer, I secretly withdrew to the hallway. Truthfully, I wanted to escape out the front gate, but there was the chance that I’d get caught by Barbatos.
Her outer appearance was that of a little girl but where was that tremendous amount of alcohol being consumed to? I couldn’t understand. In my opinion, I thought that scientist needed to go through her stomach as soon as possible. I was certain that a miniature black hole was in there…… The problem was that the science in this world was not advanced. As a result, it was impossible to find out. It was an unsolvable mystery……
My mind felt blank. I must have gotten drunk. I was walking through an empty hallway, and yet, everything in front of me felt like it was pulsating. Damn it. It was because that kid, born on the plains of Siberia, said “I’ll show you my hidden treasure.” and forced me to drink a concoction of 6 different alcohols. What did she mean by “Think of this as an honor. Not just anyone can taste this.”? Go drink yourself to death……
I could hear quiet footsteps behind me. Turning around, I saw that Lapis Lazuli was standing there. I courteously opened my arms.
“Ooh, Lala! My Lala! Your eyes are like azure and your voice is like a hymn sung in harmony!”
Ehem.
In actuality, I had spread my arms out in a bit of an exaggerated manner.
What? I’m drunk. It was beyond my control.
“…… Your highness moved too rashly.”
“What? I’m so great that you’ve fallen for me?”
“This one said that your highness has moved too rashly.”
“To the point that you want to smooch me? That’s great! If you knew how hard I worked to gain your affection, then you’d feel so sorry for me that you’d willingly offer me your lips.”
“Your highness.”
I shut my mouth.
Lapis Lazuli’s gaze pierced right through me.
“Your highness is reckless, irresponsible, and rash.”
“…… Are you not deeply moved by my victory?”
“Yes.”
“That’s a bit of a shock.”
It was as shocking as the time I had received a confession from a boy in the same class as me during elementary school.
“Paimon is not only the rank 9th Demon Lord, but she is also the leader of the mountain faction that is known as the greatest faction in the Demon Lord Allied Forces. She is in command of many loyal followers and has a close relationship to people in power on the human side. In simpler terms, your highness has turned one of the most important figures of the Demon World into an enemy.”
“Wait. Wait a second, Lala.”
I waved my hands fiercely.
“……I am not reckless, I am not irresponsible, and I am not rash. These are words I’m hearing for the first time in my life. That’s incredibly insulting.”
“Is that so? What kind of plan is it that your highness had to turn the richest man and the leader of the greatest faction in the demon world, into enemies?”
“That…… that is……”
It was no use.
My mind was still intoxicated by alcohol so I couldn’t think straight. It wasn’t an unsophisticated scenario where I could simply talk about it while being drunk. This was like the most elaborate machinery in the world.
“That is, it’s tremendously……”
“Tremendously?”
“Amazing…… and frighteningly great…… that kind of plan!”
“Your highness possesses quite the impressive persuasive ability. This one was so moved that this one had become at a loss for words.”
“My eyes and ears could be failing me at the same time, but your tongue sure is moving a lot for being at a loss for words.”
“It is a relief that your highness has enough rationality to notice that.”
“Ooh!”
Like a dreadful actor, I shouted up at the ceiling.
“I’m sorry, Lala! That’s right! I have gone completely mad! After being accused by Paimon and seeing that old bat laughing at me from the side, all my self-control ended up exploding! That’s why I showed them a lesson! I can not even begin to grasp how I could possibly repent for my tremendous mistake to our succubus lady!”
I turned my body around and bowed. It was the location completely opposite of where Lapis Lazuli was. Of course, there was no one there. Thanks to the moonlight coming in from the window, I could just barely make out the shape of the floor.
No, since I could see a bit there wasn’t absolutely no one there. A gray cat was perched on the window sill and licking its paw. I bowed deeper to the cat.
“I apologize, Paimon! I apologize, followers of Paimon and to the supporters of Ivar Lodbrok! I have refuted and crushed these people who you all so love very much! They accused me for a crime that I did not commit, they raised their nose high just because they had an authority as big as a finger nail in this large universe of ours, and they were individuals that didn’t know how to respect others, but everyone must have loved these two dearly anyway. Ooh, the Goddesses will rain their rage down upon me! Oh, Erbus, oh, Nemesis, the most terrifying Goddesses! If, perhaps, you are all up there in the sky—if you are doing nothing and looking down at me from your seats—”
I looked upwards like a prophet who was receiving commandments directly from God. My body moved seriously and my voice rang splendidly. I looked as if I was receiving the award for the best leading actor of the year.
“I may be too educated and overflowing with refinement to properly believe in Goddesses, so I can not say with certainty that you all do exist up in the sky, but, if by some astronomical chance, you all are really up there—Goddesses! Do not forgive this piece of trash Dantalian who has ridiculed the leader of the greatest faction and the richest person in the demon world and smite me!”
“……”
“However, if I were to speak subjectively—albeit, I do think that this subjective opinion of mine is objectively the truth and have no doubt about it, in any case, as much as I need to be a bit modest while in front of the Goddesses, I shall speak subjectively out of pure courtesy— If you agree with my personal opinion that Paimon and Ivar Lodbrok are both terribly unlucky and are both rotten pork tripe that are on the boundary of becoming unrecyclable— then you damned Goddesses! Please do nothing, do absolutely nothing, and allow me to live my life as I please! Since I am 1000 times more competent than some Goddesses that sit around and piss all day!”
……
Silence.
The gray cat was surprised and looking this way with wide opened eyes. The cat must have forgotten that it was grooming its own fur since its front paw had frozen in mid-air. It wasn’t strange. It had the honor of being a witness to my powerful and grandeur confession of faith, after all. It was like someone was resting at the backside of a mountain and then suddenly Moses came walking down from the mountain top. I could understand the feelings of a cat. That was how much understanding I was overflowing with.
“Hoo, uhoo……”
I settled my breathing.
Now the intoxication was dissipating.
I turned around and faced Lapis Lazuli. She was staring at me with her same as usual expressionless face. I lifted my index finger and pointed up towards the ceiling.
“Look at that. Nothing happened.”
“……”
“Thinking logically, we can derive three conclusions from this. First, the Goddesses has generously forgiven my reckless, irresponsible, and rash antics. Oh, Lala, you are indeed a very distinguished girl, and there is a chance that you’re more distinguished than I am— Of course, that is a topic of much debate— but clearly you are not as distinguished as the Goddesses. Thus, second, since the Goddesses have forgiven me, you must forgive me as well. That is what having a modest attitude means, after all. And finally, third, the Goddesses has admitted that Paimon and Ivar Lodbrok are similar to that of rotten pork tripe. Thus, the act of threatening them is theologically, juristically, and ethically not a problem. Now then. If you have anything to say against my absolutely perfect logic, then go ahead.”
A moment of stillness returned to the hallway.
We stared each other for a while.
Lapis Lazuli then opened her mouth.
“Is your highness done talking?”
“Mhm.”
“Does this one need to point out that your highness has used the beginning rhetorical technique of ‘using a false premise’?”
“Nope.”
“Is there a reason this one needs to remind your highness how politically dangerous it is to intensely declare in a public place of one’s militant atheism?”
“There are none.”
“How does your highness think this one should react to the lord who’s logically, politically and theologically guilty?”
“I do not think anything of it.”
“This one had thought so.”
“Lala. I truly am unable to explain it properly because I am still intoxicated, but I assure you that I have already planned out a perfect scheme that’ll put you at a lost for words. I’ll explain it to you after a short rest, and then even you will admire it. So for now, let us return to our room, lay on the bed, and discuss the rest……”
“This one knows.”
“Huh?”
“This one believes that your highness is devising a thorough plan.”
I blinked.
“That is, uh, what do I say……rather unexpected.”
“This one knows that your highness’ true nature is like that of a predator, a spider to be exact. Before taking one step, your highness looks forward 10 steps, and if there is no certainty of a perfect hunt, then your highness waits patiently. People may think your highness is a good-for-nothing deadbeat when they see your highness not move and they will laugh in ridicule for it, but in truth, your highness is simply waiting for your prey to get caught in the web for you.”
“……Thank you for the compliment?”
My head felt blank so I wasn’t very certain, but I think this was the first time Lapis Lazuli had ever praised me like this. Not knowing how to react in that moment, I creased my brows.
“Then why did you ill-treat me?”
“Since your highness’ mentality is so twisted, this one had judged that your highness required a vassal that would constantly be by your side and scold your highness.”
“Lala. I am a full grown adult. I do not have any reason whatsoever to get a new mother figure now and hear nagging……”
It was then.
Slowly.
Lapis Lazuli had casually grabbed my necktie.
In my short moment of confusion, Lapis Lazuli pulled.
I did not know exactly what kind of physical principle was hidden within this action, but the result was simple and obvious.
Lapis Lazuli had stolen my lips.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_05_06.txt
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01 - Dungeon Defense: Volume 1 – Chapter 5 (Part 1)
“……”
“……”
I could feel something soft on my lips.
I wonder if about 10 seconds had passed. We steadily drifted apart.
When two people split apart, it would feel unnatural even if they were to share hundreds of idle talk, but in this moment of silence, it felt perfectly natural to drift away. Once the kiss was over and we had regained our distance, I felt that that distance felt incredibly natural.
Lapis Lazuli whispered.
“I also do not intend to act as your highness’ mother.”
“……Lala.”
I spoke carefully.
“I admit that over the period of time I have said many salacious lines like kissing. However, that was purely to enjoy watching your embarrassed reaction, and thus had no deeper meaning. If, by chance, I had planted a misunderstanding due to that, then I shall sincerely apologize here and……”
“I know that as well. Your highness.”
Lapis Lazuli cut me off.
And once again, she pulled my necktie downwards.
“That’s why, please shut up.”
We buried ourselves under the dark hallway.
After the second kiss, who moved first, whose palm grasped the other’s body first, and who was the first to push the other into the darkest corner of the hallway, we could not tell. It had become meaningless to discuss the order.
The only thing I could remember vividly were her silently glowing blue eyes.
Meoow.
A gray cat meowed.
The cat bathed in the moonlight and stretched out tiredly.
Translator's Notes
[↑] Allegory of the Cave.
[↑] He’s pausing for a second.
[↑] ‘time’ is a play on words here. It can be read as “shi-gan” in Korean, which means the passage of time, but here it is using a Chinese word that is pronounced the same but with a different meaning. It basically means ‘necrophilia’.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Intermission_01.txt
|
Intermission
▯Keuncuska Merchant, Mixed Blood, Lapis Lazuli Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 4, Day 5 Keuncuska Firm Office
Rank 71st, Demon Lord Dantalian.
The connection between myself and this foolish Demon Lord was rather deep.
1 year ago, by bribing the people in the firm, I had obtained the position of Dantalian’s exclusive consultant.
Originally, the Keuncuska Firm did not treat Demon Lords below the rank of 60 as customers. It would lower the quality of the firm. That was the reason.
However, to me, a Demon Lord like Dantalian was essential. In order for an outcast like myself to succeed, I had to use a Demon Lord. Demon Lords of a higher rank will most likely not bother even dealing with me. In that sense, Dantalian was the most suitable candidate.
It was fine to swear at me and call me a girl who was blinded by success.
It’s true, after all.
“Hahaha. For the people of Keuncuska to come looking for the great me, you people do indeed have a good eye that befits the greatest firm in the demon world.”
At first, Dantalian welcomed me with delight. To be accepted as a customer of Keuncuska had the same meaning as being recognized as an influential Demon Lord. He must have been happy.
“What is your name?”
“This one is called Lapis Lazuli.”
“Oho. Your looks are quite outstanding.”
His highness’ gaze drifted over my body.
“……”
Should I say that he wasn’t rank 71st for no reason? He gave off the rancid stench of being a small fry. He may have been born as a Demon Lord, but he had no character or talent.
But it was fine. I came here resolute that this would happen.
……Well, if you were to ask if I was disappointed, then of course I would say I was.
“Good. What is your race?”
“I am a succubus, your highness.”
“A succubus! That makes it more charming.”
It may have only been half, but I was still a succubus. Even if my eyes were closed, I could sense the sexual desires of other people around me. Right now, Demon Lord Dantalian was lusting over me.
In my life, I had received hundreds and thousands of gazes from people desiring for my body. Yes, I had no intentions of acting clean at this point. I would more than gladly accept becoming a Demon Lord’s mistress.
A girl will sell her body for authority.
There’s nothing weird about that, right?
As a merchant, I thought that this attitude was very appropriate.
……Except, the problem was that there were no Demon Lords mad enough to buy my body.
“Raise your head. As today is the day that this great one has been recognized by the Keuncuska Firm, I am very pleased. Tonight, this great one shall open a banquet for you.”
“Your highness. This one is a mix blood between a succubus and a human.”
“……”
Silence.
The Demon Lord’s face instantly froze.
Yes. Despite having received hundreds and thousands of gazes full of carnal desire, the reason why I was still pure laid here. The reaction of every single person to hear of my birth was this. How amazing.
“The banquet is cancelled.”
The Demon Lord quickly stood up.
“Go tell the merchants of Keuncuska. That they will pay dearly for having dared to humiliate this great one!”
“As this one is ordered to.”
“This vulgar crossbreed.”
Ptiu.
The Demon Lord had spit.
The saliva landed directly on my face. I had heard that his highness Dantalian did not have any talent in martial arts, but it seems I shouldn’t have believed in those rumors. Behold. Does he not at least have an aptitude for archery?
“……”
As soon as the Demon Lord had left the reception room.
I took out a hand mirror and a handkerchief. With trained hands, I wiped the saliva from my face. If you thought that this kind of thing happened to me only once or twice, then that was a huge miscalculation.
Hundreds and thousands of times.
I said so before, right?
In short, Dantalian was a fool that was beyond saving. There were most likely no one who liked him, excluding his own mother. Although, Demon Lords aren’t born between two people, but are naturally formed by a distorted concentration of magic.
It was fine.
I had made my resolve.
If the other party was trash that was beyond being of use, then all you had to do was reform their personality anew.
I had disguised myself as a human and sold maps of the Demon Lord castle to adventurers.
The number of troops, the location of traps, and even the patrol routes. I handed over everything.
The adventurers were quite avaricious.
As soon as they had obtained the map, they went straight for the Demon Lord castle. Was it three or four times? Due to the invading adventurers the castle quickly turned into ruin.
In other words, it was shock therapy.
His highness Dantalian was most certainly a larva that was beyond remedy. But what if his castle was to be completely destroyed? What if all of his underlings were to die? There was a chance that he would regain his senses.
This kind of inverse concept was sort of my specialty.
I’ll happily accept compliments.
Since compliments don’t cost money.
Of course, I also had another aim.
Imagine what kind of position Demon Lord Dantalian would be in. The defenses of his castle had collapsed. His troops were obviously gone as well. Now where could he hang on to? The bed of his that was in a dump? Would the black mantle that Mr. Demon Lord went around wearing so proudly suddenly turn into a magic cape and create a miracle?
Ah.
Fortunately, there was one person remaining.
Was there not that succubus merchant who was acting as his exclusive consultant?
It was a simple modification.
If the other party didn’t seem like they were going to trust you— then get rid of every single individual that he could possibly trust, except yourself.
There may have been a path to slowly gain his trust over the course of time. But if there was one attribute that a merchant required, then it was the knowledge that ‘slowly’ was actually a synonym of ‘wasting time’.
I am a merchant of Keuncuska.
Any kind of waste was unpardonable.
♦
The adventurers had destroyed the Demon Lord castle.
However, they had failed in capturing his highness Dantalian. They came out of the cave with angry steps. They were about to go home empty-handed.
I had hired a top-class assassin to kill them.
“Please kill them all.
“All of ’em?”
“Yes. Every last one.”
The adventurers knew that I was the person to have sold them the map. In a thousand to one chance, if information about me were to spread to somewhere else then that would have been troubling. I had to get rid of the witnesses thoroughly.
The first party, the second party, and the third party, they were all killed off by the assassin. If I were to confess something here, then it was that I aimed for perfection no matter what I did.
“……The fourth party is not coming out from the cave?”
At that time, I had received an unexpected report.
The assassin nodded.
“Yeah. I think they probably died.”
“His highness Dantalian does not have any more troops in his castle. There are no requisites for the adventurers to have lost their lives. Check again.”
“I already checked.”
The assassin let out an annoyed voice.
“Was it not a party of 10 adventurers? I looked through the entire cave and found 10 bodies. Although, it was hard to tell since their heads were cut off and their limbs were torn.”
“……That is strange.”
Did his highness Dantalian have a hidden card up his sleeve?
No matter how I looked, I had watched over the Demon Lord for a year. There shouldn’t be a secret that I wasn’t able to find out……
Was there a mistake? I missed something? ……Me?
I do not overestimate or underestimate people. I, myself, was included in this. Having a level-headed discerning eye was my talent, after all. I could judge whenever a person was sickening food waste in a shallow pile of filth.
It wasn’t a talent that was given to just anyone.
“How were the adventurers murdered?”
“I don’t know.”
“There’s a chance that there was an internal conflict.”
“I said I don’t know!”
The assassin glared at me.
The emotion contained in his eyes was scorn.
“Don’t talk to me thoughtlessly. The very fact that I’m talking with a half-breed hybrid is unpleasant! Damn it. I really did decline far…… to be accepting money from some peasant!”
The assassin spit towards the general direction of my foot.
It seems he was feeling ashamed for even breathing the same air as I was. Oh, I am very sorry.
Whenever a person spewed saliva in front of me, I would always wonder where all that bodily fluids were coming from. I could only hope that they weren’t pulling it right from their brains. Their already poor intelligence would only get worse.
“Hurry up and pay up the commission fee. 4 gold per head. That’s 32 gold, to be exact. I’ll tell you this now, but don’t go trying to cut the price now. It is ‘as promised’. As long as everything goes as promised, then everything will end without a problem.”
“Assassins put an emphasis on promises too, I see.”
“Hey, peasant. I’m not in the mood to joke or hook up with someone like you. Do I have to spit on your face and not the ground for you to understand that?”
“Look at my eyes.”
“Oi. You’re going to pay the price one day acting like that……”
“Look straight into my eyes.”
The assassin creased his brows.
He wasn’t able to lay a hand on me anyway because of our contract. He glared at me temperamentally.
I received his gaze and spoke clearly.
“Quietly. Look into my eyes.”
“……”
“Count all of my eyelashes one by one. Remember the color of my eyes. The texture of my pupil. Examine the patterns slowly.”
“……Is there any historical reason for this bullshit?”
“No, there is none.”
I took a small phial out from my coat.
It was a glass bottle filled with a transparent liquid.
“Except, there is a meaning for you.”
“What is that supposed to be?”
“It is poison, for you. Honorable Mr. Assassin.”
“……”
The assassin froze.
It was always enjoyable watching people’s facial expressions change when suddenly faced with an unexpected situation. It’d be fine to call it one of the small joys of life.
“What, kind…… of bad joke……”
“The commission fee has already been sent to the assassination group in Niflheim. Your superior told me to pass on this message. Habitually, waves themselves must know when to stop. The ocean is blue so it is time to cease and engulf the boat.“
The assassin’s complexion became pale.
“Poseidon’s Call……”
“It seems to be a verse that’s in common use in assassination groups.”
“Since when, did you?”
“From the very beginning.”
From the beginning.
I may have been exceptionally skilled, but I had requested for a manpower that was ‘disposable’. The assassination group had supplied me with an individual that suited my demand perfectly.
Whether they were making use of their manpower appropriately or not determined the group’s integrity. In that regard, the assassin group in Niflheim has maintained a very wholesome level. Other organizations should learn from them.
The assassin received the vial.
“Do you have any last words you’d like to say?”
“……”
The assassin stared down at the glass bottle for a moment before taking the cap off and drinking the poison in a single gulp. He then fell to the floor and started to mutter.
“Shit.”
Over a long period of time.
“Shit……”
The assassin collapsed completely.
I took out a dagger and slit the assassin’s throat. I had heard that a competent assassin could play dead whenever they desired. Once. Twice. Thrice. And finally for the fourth time. I assuredly ended the other person’s life.
It should be appropriate to confess once again here.
No matter what I did, I aimed for perfection.
Anyway, there was a need to meet his highness Dantalian in person.
Conciliating the adventurers and hiring an assassin did not consume a small fee. It was about time to start retrieving my investments.
If, due to the crisis, his highness Dantalian’s personality had changed completely…… that would be the best possible scenario. If his character was still the same, then the only person the Demon Lord could rely on was me anyway. It was a gamble that I could not lose.
It was just to my liking.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Prologue_01.txt
|
Prologue
“Does thou believe in divination?”
“My apologies, your highness. This maiden does not believe in superstitions.”
“What a shame. Superstitions are quite grand. They give invigoration to one’s life.”
The surrounding was silent.
The crowd of five thousand silently listened to the conversation between the two people before them.
On one side stood a radiantly beautiful woman. While she was a noble who governed this city, she was also the one to have been defeated in this siege.
On the other side sat a dark man. Wrapped in a black cloak and dressed up in similarly black clothing, he could only be described as a person of darkness. Peculiarly, he was plucking the petals of a flower. Petal by petal, the rose was plucked apart and fell to the floor with an ominous feeling.
“Thou had the opportunity to surrender before.”
“I admit this.”
“Four times.”
The man spoke.
“I had dispatched an envoy presenting thee the opportunity to surrender, four times. However, each time, thou had slit the throat of the envoy and sent back the corpse. Seeing how it has already come to this, let us speak truthfully. I desire to behead thy beautiful head and display it on a spear.”
The man muttered nonchalantly. If you were listening from an outside perspective, the way he spoke that last sentence was like as if he was simply commenting about how nice the weather was.
In spite of that, if you were to look even slightly to the side you would learn how wrong that feeling was. From goblins to orcs and to finally ogres, these bulky monsters were guarding the man without leaving even a single gap. These monsters could slaughter the five thousand humans gathered here immediately if the man so ordered them to.
‘… For such a normal looking man to give off such intimidating force.’
The noble woman could only gulp. The responsibility to protect the lives of the citizens were resting on her shoulders.
‘To want to put my neck on a spear. Is he speaking the truth or is he threatening me? Or perhaps he’s simply testing me…’
Christiane Louise Von Volfusbrook.
A heroine known as the ‘Northern Pearl’ of the Empire.
She had started a rebellion in the demon lord’s army. It had been about half a year since the Empire was invaded by the demons and there were humans that had still not completely accepted being ruled by monsters. It was thought that there was a considerably high chance of succeeding this revolution.
But the man before her reacted before anyone else.
In a matter of days, contact between other cities were cut, supply routes were plundered, and fortresses were captured. Once she was able to finally collect herself, her city had already fallen in only four months.
‘So this is a Demon Lord…”
Christiane Louise bit her lips strongly.
A member in an order of 72, who rules over all demons.
The lord managing false alchemy and all rhetoric.
Actor among actors.
Praised as a Demon Lord of many faces.
Dantalian.
Demon Lord Dantalian.
That was this man’s name.
Christiane Louise shuddered in terror.
‘One wrong move and I’ll be killed…!’
In order to calm her shaking knees, Christiane Louise thought of her father’s dying words. ‘Always be dignified’. That was right. Now was the time to behave like a noble and respond resolutely.
‘I could sell my body if necessary.’
The rumor that the demon lord in front of her was a sex fiend was already wide-spread.
Although she wasn’t trying to brag, Christiane Louise was quite confident in her own appearance.
If need be, she’d become a sex slave if it meant to protect her family(‘s name).
Christiane Louise had made up her mind.
“Oh great Demon Lord-”
“Sorry, but could you not call me that?”
The man cut her off, showing clear detest.
“What do you mean by, ‘Oh great Demon Lord’. I feel so nauseous just hearing those words, that I wouldn’t be surprised if my ears were to melt off this very instant. There’s over fifty Demon Lords roaming this continent alone. I wonder if I’m the only ‘great Demon Lord’.”
“Then, what should this one call your highness by.… …?”
“Just stick with ‘your highness’.”
Christiane Louise nodded in response.
“Yes, your highness. May I humbly inform your highness that there are three reasons to spare this one’s life?”
“Is that so? Tell me only one.”
The man plucked a petal and let the single red petal descend slowly.
“I do not have that much patience.”
“…!”
A chill went down Christiane Louise’s spine. The man was not even looking at her, and yet it felt as if hundreds of invisible floating eyes were staring down at her.
‘I-I must be hallucinating.’
The inside of Christiane Louise’s mouth became dry.
‘It’s nothing more than my mind playing tricks on me.’
She muttered in her mind the wise saying passed down the generations of her household.
‘Oh ancestors. Do not respect injustice because of growth, and do not ignore justice because of youth.’
Like a traveler walking down a dark mountain path whilst relying on a poorly made torch, Christiane Louise was just barely able to muster up the courage to open her mouth by depending on the pride of her family.
“… There are six cities remaining that are still supporting the rebellion. It is obvious that it’ll take an immense amount of time and manpower to conquer them all.”
The man raised his shoulders.
“Indeed. I’ve been getting the urge to commit suicide just thinking about that.”
“Your highness. Gain control of them not with spears but with generosity. If your highness shows tolerance and forgives us here, those other cities will naturally submit on their own. However, if your highness treats us with cruelty…”
“In fear of being treated the same, they’ll rebel more violently.”
The man cuts her off.
“Is that what you mean to say?”
“Yes, your highness.”
As expected, he understood quickly.
Christiane Louise could see a small glimpse of hope.
The man in front of her wasn’t simply a tyrannical Demon Lord. He was one of the more knowledgeable type. In short, words got through to him. The chance to stay alive might not be a hope in vain after all. Christiane Louise settled her fears.
The silence continued.
After plucking a rose bare the man picked up another. Without saying a single word, he tore the entire flower off the stem. The red petals scattered like snow, falling slowly into a pile at the man’s feet.
“—Strip.”
A single word settled down over the surrounding.
It was an incredibly normal tone. Christiane Louise could not understand the situation. She could only blink in surprise.
“Pardon?”
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Prologue_03.txt
|
Prologue
“Baroness Von Volfusbrook. Thou had started a rebellion on thou own stubbornness. As a result, two thousand citizens lost their lives. Of course, they were not my people. Be it two thousand or twenty thousand, it is not of my concern. But… …”
The man raised his head slowly.
Christiane could see the man’s eyes for the first time.
It was as if pure black pupils were piercing into the deepest depths of her heart.
“…not thou. All two thousand who had perished were thy people. In all of the continent, the only one who can take responsibility for all these lives is thee.”
The man sighed.
“A few minutes ago thou appealed to me to spare thy own life. Thou was not supposed to do that. Not for thy own life, but for the lives of all the people over there. Thou was supposed to plea to spare the lives of thy people. That is how a person takes responsibility.”
“Y-Your highness. This one was……”
“Baroness Christiane Louise Von Volfusbrook. Thou are a kind and beautiful woman. To be more precise, a devilish person. I sentence thee a disgraceful death.”
The man stood from his seat.
At once all of the monsters that were surrounding the area raised their weapons. The citizens became struck by fear and broke out into screams.
Upon these people the Demon Lord’s grave verdict fell.
“Thou shall be stripped and humiliated by my soldiers. In front of all these civilians, at that. I, Dantalian, rank 71st and possessing the name of different faces, shall hereby sentence; Christiane Louise shall be deprived of her title as a noble and face death as a mere commoner.”
“Your highness……!?”
“Many lives shall come to an end here. Despair as I place the name of the one who pointlessly wasted the lives of others at the very bottom of my heart.”
The man left the stage indifferently.
The sudden movement of the man’s cloak caused a small gust on the floor, forcing the rose petals that had finally settled down to be scattered by the wind. From behind, Christiane Louise continued to shout. “Your highness!”, however, the man never turned back.
This day, the woman known as the ‘Northern Pearl’ was executed.
Once again, the continent had to repeat the name of the Demon Lord, Dantalian.
▯Demon Lord of Different Faces, Rank 71st, Dantalian
How did it become like this.
Damn it. This was not how I planned it!
Christiane Louise appeared as a heroine in the game as well. Her role was to assist the protagonist, who was the hero, in political affairs. The ending where you are able to overcome the social gap between each other and finally score in marrying Christiane was considerably loved by fans. Obviously, I was one of those fans.
If possible, I wanted to spare her.
Seeing her in real life, she was much prettier than her illustrations in the game.
My god. It was as if a goddess had descended from the Heavens.
In concern of being affected by her beauty, I had kept my head down. The only reason I continued to pluck roses was to hide my trembling emotions as well……
[1. Execute]
[2. Spare]
As per usual, whenever an important decision approached a choice box would rise up. A transparent box visible to only my eyes. Of course, I tried to select choice number 2 to spare them.
But as the conversation progressed, the mood got stranger and stranger.
Even if you’re being shameless, how can one have this little shame.
Two thousand people had died. Two thousand. Despite the fact that a strange choice box would appear and a stat window shined in front of my eyes, this was nonetheless the cruel reality. In this reality, two thousand people died because of one person’s ambition.
There wasn’t even a slightest bit of guilt in Christiane Louise’s attitude.
My mood started to get cold. The excitement I felt when I first met in person the heroine that I’ve only seen through the computer monitor until now, quickly subsided. Once I came to —I found myself ordering for the most disgraceful execution.
I did it again.
I let out a small sigh and spoke to a subordinate.
“Return to the grounds and behead the prisoners.”
“Yes? Should we not make them suffer more?”
“That’s enough. This is enough of an example for the other cities.”
The subordinate received the order and walked back to the grounds.
Shortly after.
[1. Execute]
[2. Spare]
The writings shined brightly in mid-air.
The words then broke apart into white particles and drifted. Although it felt they would disappear in any second, the particles abruptly moved together to form new words.
A cruel and merciless decision!
The continent is frightened by your ruthlessness.
Infamy increased substantially.
Then the words dispersed like petals.
The information that my infamy rose again put me further into depression.
“How did it turn out like this.”
I could only ask myself.
This wasn’t it.
Main point, I wanted to live a quiet life.
Where did things go wrong. Surely my birth itself wasn’t a mistake, right? Is that it? Life was irrational from the very start……
Aah, I wanted to rub against Christiane.
Not only Christiane, but I wanted to enjoy a fun life with the other heroines like Romei or the Emperor’s daughter, Elizabeth.
Truth be told, I don’t want to work at all.
Seriously, why did I have to end up possessing a Demon Lord’s body.
Anyone is okay. Please, someone fix my broken life……
Or at least give me a one month vacation……!
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 01/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-01-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Synopsis.txt
|
Synopsiss
Do you know how this world ends?
Become the hero and take down the 72 Demon Lords. The game that was boasted as the absolute hardest strategy game, 『Dungeon Attack』.
I used to be the ‘hero’ that had accomplished everything in this game, but after answering a suspicious survey, I found myself in the game as the weakest Demon Lord, 「Dantalian」.
With only my eloquent tongue and my memories of conquest as a hero—.
In order to survive as Dantalian. I shall tear this world apart.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_01_01.txt
|
Chapter 1: Wordless Sounds
—Let’s burn a bit more.
The words spoken in a light tone by Barbatos climbed over the mountain ranges and set villages ablaze. Since the start of autumn, we’ve spent our time burning ravines and setting the feet of mountains aflame. Although it appeared as if the flames were burning on their own, it wasn’t a coincidence that the areas we set ablaze always had a fire-fallow cultivating village located there. Many people were burnt to death.
We asked each other in a nonchalant tone.
“How many people have you killed today?”
“I wonder. I think I’ve burned around 30.”
“This kid. You’re still completely wet behind the ears, aren’t you? I’ve burned 70 people today alone.”
“Sure. Good for you.”
That was our way of greeting one another.
At first, the nobles in the humans’ society did not take any actions whether the fire-fallow villagers died or not. These village people were of the lowest class. Once autumn passed and winter approached, and the amount of slash-and-burn villages we’ve burned to the ground reached over 30, was when the human army began to move at last.
The human scouts were slow. We released the witches’ familiars and used them to observe the human forces. Surprisingly, the human troops were not moving in order to rescue the peasants. Anything that tried to avoid the inferno and escaped down the mountain, be it peasant or goblin, the human army hunted them down indiscriminately.
If we burned one side of the mountain range, then the imperial soldiers were dispatched, if we burned the other side of the mountain range, the soldiers from the kingdom were dispatched. Armies started to slowly move around more frequently. The soldiers were pushing their way through the smoke to find the culprits who had burned down the fire-fallow villages. However, the only thing remaining was the black smoke which warmly welcomed the scouts with open arms. I wonder if that desolation felt awkward, the scouts needlessly sliced the noses off the corpses of villagers and goblins before departing. Noseless corpses were scattered around on the ground.
“What’s this?”
Barbatos smirked.
“What the hell are those guys trying to pull?”
“They’re trying to set things back to as if nothing has happened.”
“Set things back? What are they trying to set back?”
“Restore something that can’t be restored. It can’t be helped since the forest fire has already happened, but if they get rid of all the witnesses to have seen the forest fire, then that’ll be the same as the fire not having happened in the first place.”
“It wasn’t even the peasants or the goblins who started the fire, but why are they shifting the responsibility to them?”
“By making them take the responsibility, the soldiers avoid the blame.”
“But what’ll happen if the peasants inform the king?”
“That’s why they’re killing them all.”
……In the humans’ society, peasants are not considered as citizens so they don’t have the right to accuse someone of a crime to the king……this was something I didn’t go out of my way to tell her. The class system among demons was similarly strict. Myself, who was in a relationship with an outcast was weird, and Barbatos who was in a relationship with that weird me, was also weird.
Barbatos groaned.
“They’re incomprehensible people. And since they’re incomprehensible, they can’t be associated with. Are all humans like that?”
“The majority are born like that.”
The cloud of smoke rising from the ashes and flames enveloped the mountain range.
One day, Barbatos ordered a witch to kill one of the scouts. The witch, after having murdered the soldier, brought back his report. Barbatos furrowed her brows. The report was not written in a cryptogram but in plain texts.
—The fire-fallow villagers are starting fires while fighting against the goblins. The villagers are setting ablaze the goblin habitats, and the goblins are doing the same to the peasant villages. There is a lot of smoke. It is difficult to breathe. The mountain range is burning.
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 12, Day 6 Niflheim, Governor’s Palace
The diligent movement of the human armies appeared suspicious in the eyes of the demons. A rumor spread in the demon world. It was a rumor mixed with doubt.
— Seems those guys intend to cross over the mountains and invade us.
— They’re claiming that us demons were the ones to have spread the Black Death, so I’m worried that they’ll use that as a reason to gather a large army.
On the streets, people could not tell the difference between suspicion and certainty.
A groundless rumor that the humans made the Black Death on purpose, with the intent to kill us, circulated. There were people who objected by saying, ‘What a bunch of bull. We’re not Gods, so how could people possibly create a plague?’ and disregarded it as a false rumor. But, although the humans may not have created the Black Death, they still firmly believed that us demons had produced it anyway. Thus, there was some truth in the saying that we had to be cautious from now on. In any case, the humans needed a subject of criticism. They could reproach their neighbors but that would be pointless. They could resent the Gods but that would be hopeless. The humans bit down on the easiest thing to criticize, the easiest to blame, and the easiest to resent; the demonkind. Since their monarch, their emperors, and their nobles wouldn’t want to be chewed out, they passed on all of their responsibilities to the demons. Regardless, no one could respond when asked what they were going to do about it.
It’s something the Demon Lords will decide, not us low-class people…… That was the majority opinion. In the vacant area with no answers, people gathered every day and repeated the same words. I sent out spies and controlled the dynamics of the rumors.
Once the groundless rumors and the false rumors mixed together, the contents of the words were no longer important, the volume was.
‘Since long ago, humans have always been a race of unsociable barbarians, so we should exterminate them before they try to mess with us’, these words resonated the loudest and above all.
The voices overflowed from the center of the plaza to the streets of the markets, and to the alleyways. Until eventually, the voices flooded into the palace of the Demon Lords.
—Kill all of the humans!
Shouts burst out in the conference room.
The Demon Lords were gathered in the governor’s palace of Niflheim and were shouting respectively. The low-ranking Demon Lords clamored loudly, while the high-ranking Demon Lords remained silent. It seemed like the higher ranking Demon Lords were waiting for the voices to naturally rise up from the bottom.
— It’s winter now, so how do you expect us to raise an army?
— It may be difficult for us in the winter, but it’ll be more difficult for those weak humans. That’s why winter is the best time for us to invade. It’s even better since the rivers will be frozen, so there’ll be nothing to block our path.
— Our soldiers will all freeze to death before they can get across the mountains.
— Our warriors are courageous, so they won’t fall to something like winter wind!
— That’s right!
— Would you look at that? It appears that amongst the Plains Faction, it’s a trend to learn how to bark like a dog before learning how to think first.
— I’m not really sure about that. But I do know how to beat an ill-mannered son of a bitch like a dog.
— Be quiet over there.
There was no logic in the voices yet. If we were to go to war, then when and where would we do it? If we were to not go to war, then for what reason would we not do so? What will we do about the provisions? What will we do about the military funds……?
The voices were obscured as if they were buried under smoke. Only after the low ranking Demon Lords argued for a long period of time, would then the voices stack up piece by piece until they eventually formed a tower, like taking the shape of a 5 w’s and 1 h[1] structure, and finally making the words coherent after doing so. The leaders of each faction seemed to wish to argue while on the peaks of those towers, where the smoke was clear.
— We gathered here to chat, did we not? Or are we gathered here to keep our mouths shut? Once they’ve run out of things to jabber about, they’ll remain quiet even if they want to keep rambling.
— Even if our soldiers are able to endure the winter cold by relying on their willpower, what are you going to do about obtaining provisions? Even if we acquire provisions by commandeering and pillaging, then how do you plan to deal with the plague? You all may be brave, but you’re merely overflowing with excessive words and stand out as reckless instead.
— What are you talking about? Say it easier so we can understand.
— If there are people who are able to understand difficult words, then there are people who are unable to comprehend even the easiest of words. This is not an issue on my side, but a dilemma with your intelligence. If I were to speak a bit more fundamentally, then your personality is a problem as well.
— Now I’m able to understand a bit.
— You two over there, please quiet down.
— You told us to ramble a second ago, but now you’re telling us to be quiet? I don’t get it. This guy is really prattling as he pleases.
— You got that right. Or perhaps, maybe he’s telling us to shut up so he can ramble on his own? What a bad person. Hey, despite how I look, I’m still rank 12. Zepar, what’s your rank? Are you higher than me?
— My mistake. Your point is correct. I am not certain about the others, but there is a need for Sitri and Beleth to be silent. If both the rock head of the Mountain Faction and the rock head of the Plains Faction are to clamor at the same time, then things become hectic. At this rate, everyone will have a headache.
— Did that guy just say that I was dumb?
— It’s a relief that you were able to understand that since I didn’t mean anything else besides that.
— What are you all talking about right now?
— It’s none of your business.
The meeting continued throughout the whole night.
Since the majority opinion seldom came together, the words converged like smoke for a moment before dispersing back out. The fumes that Barbatos and I had raised since autumn had traveled past the mountains, disrupted the borders and were now gathered in this conference hall of Demon Lords. Their vision was clouded. The summit could not be seen. There were no signs of their words being able to penetrate the fog. The high-ranking Demon Lords stayed silently seated for more than 6 hours.
“That’s enough.”
The leader of the Mountain Faction, Demon Lord Paimon, opened her mouth.
“Please stop. Everyone, do you not feel dizzy? This lady feels light-headed. Since no one is turning their ears to the words of others, conversations are unable to be shared, since conversations are unable to be shared, they do not gather, and since they do not gather they are unable to flow, and thus becomes blocked. Where is this place? It is suffocating.”
The meeting room became still.
The Demon Lords, who were exchanging curses up till now, shut their mouths before the rank 9th Paimon. Instead of having no words to say, it seems they were just apprehensive to give a response.
Previously, Paimon had tried to accuse me of a crime in this location and was met with a disastrous defeat. Although Paimon’s reputation may have fallen due to that incident, she was still in command of the highest amount of Demon Lords. People referred to Paimon and her remnants as the Mountain Faction.
The Demon Lords that belonged to the Mountain Faction had built their castles in the deepest part of the mountains to prevent humans from approaching them with ease. This resulted in their name, ‘Mountain Faction’. A location that was difficult to be approached by the human forces, was also an area that was difficult to leave for the demon armies. It was peaceful. Naturally, since it was problematic to go both in and out, there were few struggles. The Demon Lords from the Mountain Faction were reluctant to go to war against the human armies. To them, cowardice was their deliberation, thus a massive war was forthwith a vice. According to Paimon and her remnants, they were protecting the peace of demonkind.
However, in consonance with Socrates’ hypothesis, the name Mountain Faction originated from something completely different. It was called Mountain Faction because Paimon’s chest was as lofty as the mountains. Paimon, along with her massive mountains, protected the Demon Lords, and the Demon Lords submitted to her maternal instinct. Socrates referred to Paimon and her remnants as the Big Breast Faction.
Bonjour—.
Paimon spoke.
“What proof is there that the human army is going to invade our land?”
—……
“I see. There is no evidence. If there is no proof that their side is going to attack our side, then for what reason do we have to assault them from our side first?”
—……
“Everyone. Our people are fatigued by the plague. Instead of searching for justifications that do not exist, we should supply our profits which are lacking and solidify our domestic affairs.”
“Wow—. Hey, hey, would you look at the way that thoughtless bitch is talking?”
The leader of the Plains Faction, Barbatos, spoke.
Barbatos and the group of her followers resided in Demon Lord Castles built on extensive plains. The humans and demons fought endlessly for the fertile land. Before people could grow tired of the everlasting battle, a new generation was born and inherited the battle anew. War repeated. Different to people who are able to pass the battle on to their descendants, a new generation for the land to pass on the raging battle did not exist. The land remained in place and continued to receive the constant traces of battle. For hundreds of years, the ground repeated the process of receiving scars and healing itself. After 300 years, the land no longer had the fertility to bear even a single grain of wheat or an ear of barley. The ground had met its fate, and yet the war continued. Barbatos and her gang, who persisted this utterly unfounded battle, were referred to as the Plains Faction.
The Demon Lords in the Plains Faction were trying to find something in a land that had nothing left. Like how beggars would embellish poverty as honesty and priests would claim weakness was kindness, the Demon Lords changed ‘having no reason to fight’, to ‘not needing a reason to fight in the first place’. To them, war itself was sacred. Since we don’t have anything, we need to have something, was their logic. Were they not a bunch of people with loose screws in their heads?
However, according to Karl Marx’s theory, the name Plains Faction emerged from something entirely unrelated. It was called Plains Faction because Barbatos’ chest was as spacious as the great plains. Like an open field, Barbatos accepted the Demon Lords, and the Demon Lords were touched by how commodious she was. Karl Marx referred to Barbatos and her gang as the Flat Chest Faction.
C’est si bon—[2]
“Oh, look at these village folks. Are you all planning to quietly watch as this bitch says shit like that? Seeing as her mug is annoying, that means there’s no thought in her words, and seeing that there’s no thought in her words, then that means there’s no brain in her head, and seeing that there’s no brain in her head, then that makes her plain shit ascend to bullshit and run wild. If you don’t stop that bitch now, then she’s the type of whore to become self-conceited about heaven and earth and go completely insane on all sides.”
“……”
Paimon let out a deep sigh.
She had an expression on her face that said she was expecting this.
Lowering her gaze that was looking up at the ceiling, Paimon spoke.
“How pitiable. If this lady’s face is annoying then that would represent the lack of intelligence in your head, and if this lady’s words are thoughtless then would that not represent how your life has no answers? Since living a life with no answer is pathetic, why not commit suicide right now? ……Oh dear. This lady apologizes. If you were to commit suicide then that would mean you’d have come to the realization that your life indeed has no answers, but there’s no intelligence in Barbatos’ head, right? This lady forgot for a moment.”
I wanted to stand up and give them a round of applause.
Indeed, they were Barbatos and Paimon.
It was worthwhile to have withstood my boredom for a good 6 hours and repetitively play porn inside of my head.
I’ve lived until now solely to witness these two argue. They knew how to swear beautifully. In accordance to Barbatos’ flat chest, her vulgar language was spread out roughly, and in consonance to Paimon’s ample bosom, her curses were curved indirectly. Neither side were normal breasts. That was so. They weren’t normal breasts……
……
Was that not right?
Was it their ability that was abnormal and not their breasts?
Or did something like that not matter?
Everything in front of me felt like it was slightly spinning. It was strange. If you exclude earlier today, where I got along with Miss Farnese while smoking together, I did nothing else throughout the day. And that was also something I enjoyed for a very brief moment of time before coming to the conference hall.
Well, there were days like this occasionally.
Adieu—.
Mademoiselle—.
“War is not negotiable.”
Paimon spoke.
“It is not a civil war where we quarrel and bite at each other, but a massive war against the entire human race. Thousands of people will lose their lives and hundreds of thousands of people will be injured. Please weigh the mass of these numbers. These are not lives that can be handled without a proper justification.”
“Heeh. So you’re saying that if we have a pretext, then war is possible?”
“That is something to decide when that time comes. This lady is saying to present proof first. If this is not taken care of beforehand, then discussing the outbreak of war now is premature.”
Barbatos smiled.
“The humans have been preparing for war since the start of autumn.”
“The evidence?”
“Regardless of the border, the humans have been wandering around the Black Mountains. If they pass the mountain range then they’ll be in our territory. The humans are planning to clear out the path before going on a full-scale invasion.”
“What do you mean by, ‘clearing the path’……?”
“There are orc and goblin villages on the mountain range. The human knights are burning down every single one of those villages. What do you think the reason is? They’re most likely getting rid of all the cumbersome obstacles that are on the mountains which they plan to advance through.”
Barbatos spoke confidently.
It was a lie.
The culprits to have set the mountain range on fire were Barbatos and I.
The human troops only trailed after us while going through the smoke clouds that we raised. They were simply clearing up the monster habitats as they chased after us. Between autumn and winter, rural villages were swept away and monster habitats were crushed. While pushing our way through the smoke, we played a game of hide and seek with the human troops. The other Demon Lords were unable to see the fumes rising from the frontier of the mountain range. With a skillful lie, Barbatos was pulling in the cloud of smoke, which the Demon Lords were unable to see, into the conference room.
— Oho, the Black Mountains are a strategic point among strategic points, after all.
— It’s quite troubling that the humans are occupying the entrance of the pathway to our land, on their side of the mountains.
— What weird fellows. What could they possibly gain from starting a fight with us?
— The humans being buffoons is nothing new. People who were fools the day before will still be fools the next day.
— But you’re foolish most of the times and occasionally clever, though? I’m conflicted on whether you’re actually dim-witted or not. And honestly, contemplating this just makes me think that you’re even more of an idiot.
— That’s proof that I’m actually smart. Like how a black dot on a white sheet of paper is still just a black dot, if someone is mostly moronic and sometimes resourceful, then that just means they’re smart. Therefore, I’m wise.
— What are you all talking about right now?
— It’s none of your business.
The Demon Lords stammered like a bunch of blind people.
“……”
Paimon glanced at Barbatos with a scrutinizing gaze. Her eyes were sharp. They had the strength to not be disoriented by the smoke-like voices and stare directly at the other party. Instead of receiving that straight gaze, Barbatos let it flow to the side.
“It’s not only the villages on the mountains that were assaulted. Dantalian here was attacked by the imperial soldiers of Habsburg and lost his Demon Lord Castle.”
“Dantalian did……?”
Paimon raised her brows.
It appeared as if she had heard an unexpected name in an unexpected passage.
Paimon turned her gaze towards me. Even the Demon Lords, who were clamoring like the blind a second ago, all turned to look at me at once. I could feel many gazes on me through the dark conference room. They were the eyes of beasts. If I were to fumble my response here, then those eyes would turn into mouths and tear me apart.
“Dantalian, are Barbatos’ words true?”
“Yes. They are the undeniable truth. The army of Margrave von Rosenberg trampled my Demon Lord Castle.”
“When was this?”
“It was from the 9th month and 16th day to the 9th month and 17th day of this year. Through the course of three battles, I lost two times and barely won once. The margrave’s army used gunpowder to bury my castle. Truthfully, since my Demon Lord Castle was destroyed, it shouldn’t be considered a win even if I did obtain victory in the end……”
I smiled bitterly.
“What were their numbers?”
“At the least, 2000. At most, 3000. They were not conscript soldiers. They were elites. After interrogating one of the prisoners, they confessed that they were hired.”
“……Are there no mistakes?”
“I had used the hired soldiers here in Niflheim to fight back against the margrave. There should be some soldiers nearby who have fought with me on that day, so you can ask them personally. The words they say and the words I have said will not differ.”
The conference room became perturbed. The human army had already been dispatched once. The Demon Lords were startled by that fact.
“I asked the prisoners why they had invaded my castle, and they disclosed everything. That according to the margrave, the demons had spread the Black Death, and that the cure to the disease was stored in large amounts in each Demon Lord Castle. That’s why, if humans like them wished to survive, they had no other choice but to attack the Demon Lords……”
“……”
“This is all the truth. At first, I thought that I was the only one to have been invaded. However, to my alarm, were the human armies not constantly wandering the vicinity of the mountains? Nervous and overwrought, I kept an eye on the human armies since the beginning of autumn. Habsburg Imperial forces, troops from the Kingdom of Teuton, soldiers from the Polish-Lithunian Kingdom…… The human forces disregarded the border and set the mountains aflame. They may have come to an agreement of some sort in secret. Going further than that, they may even be in an alliance……”
The meeting room froze. The winter wind from outside the palace seeped all the way into here. Someone, unable to endure the silence, spat on the floor. Infected by that, a couple of the Demon Lords cleared their throats. Their throats were crowded with phlegm.
— Are the humans trying to start another war?
— The last massive war was 150 years ago, so it’s about time for another one.
— If it’s the smoke rising from the Black Mountains, then I often saw that as well.
— What? Why are you telling us this now?
— Forest fires happen often during the autumn, so I didn’t think too much of it.
— Try to live while actually thinking.
— I may live without much thought, but you live without a mother. Since it’s the same that both you and I live our lives without a certain something, just look over this.
— This goat’s asshole!?
These guys died to the humans because they deserved to die, huh.
In the original timeline, all of the Demon Lords would be subjugated within the next 30 years. I wasn’t able to tell while in the position of the humans while playing the game, but after seeing these Demon Lords in person, I understood. These people wouldn’t do.
On the other side of the mountains, the humans were advancing their society through feudalism and absolute monarchy, but these fellows called Demon Lords were still doing antics similar to that of tribes. Although the rank 14th and rank 9th were rambling as if they were on a high horse, if you looked at it factually, this was a state of affairs consisting of 72 tribes each led by the rank 1st to the rank 72nd Demon Lords respectively. Demon Lords were only kings and queens by name, but they were actually closer to being tribal leaders.
30 years.
A time limit of 30 years.
The countdown has begun. Before the countdown went too far in, there was a need to crush the human influences. The lightning has already hit. It was just that people have not heard the thunder yet.
“Everyone. Of course, I am merely a rank 71st youngster. Despite that, even I am able to see with these eyes that our situation is dire…… We must prepare for war. If we do not prepare, then we must at least be alert. Is that not the right decision?”
Now then, obediently accept my appeal.
If left alone, then you will all perish. If you were all to succumb, then the demon influence will weaken and I will fall into danger as well. We are a group sharing a common destiny. Even you all will most likely dislike meeting an untimely demise by the hero’s blade. I will arrange a battlefield suitable for people with a Demon Lord status. Do not worry and do not refuse……
“People who are prepared shall triumph, and people who are alert shall not be defeated. I lost my castle because I was unprepared and inattentive. Please, I request that you all do not commit the same mistake as I have……”
▯King’s Lover, Mixed Blood, Lapis Lazuli Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 12, Day 6 Niflheim, Governor’s Palace
People who are prepared shall triumph, and people who are alert shall not be defeated, so please do not commit the same mistake as I have……
His highness’ appeal was well-arranged.
Although reasoning was set up by his words, he did not use that logic to attack others. He mentioned his past experience of failure but did not remain there. His words were fierce, and yet, his tone was gentle. Therefore, it was beautiful.
The other Demon Lords nodded their heads. The Plains Faction approved the idea of preparing for war, while the Mountain Faction agreed to the notion of being alert.
She most likely had a sense of crisis once the atmosphere flowed more towards the topic of war. The advocate of peace, Paimon, stood forward.
“Dantalian. This lady too feels great regret because your Demon Lord Castle was assaulted.”
The Demon Lords turned their ears towards the conversation between these two. His highness Dantalian and Paimon had already clashed against one another in the past. At that time, Paimon met a devastating defeat. How was it going to end up this time? Was the kind of expectation that was flowing through the room.
“However, it is difficult to resolve ourselves to go into a massive war by turning the entire human race into our enemy, solely because you alone were attacked. This lady shall assist in the reconstruction of your castle, so……”
His highness smiled.
“Thank you very much, Miss Paimon. But I shall refuse. I do not feel any particular regret by the loss of my Demon Lord Castle. In the small chance that I did feel pity due to that incident, the occasion of myself borrowing the hand of you, Miss Paimon, will never occur.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“The reason Margrave Rosenberg had attacked me is very simple. He had obtained the rumor from somewhere that an endless amount of black herbs were piled up in my Demon Lord Castle. It seems the margrave firmly believed that I was the culprit behind spreading the Black Death. ……Is it not intriguing?”
The Demon Lords stirred.
The pretext that his highness had just revealed aligned with the accusation that Paimon made towards his highness in the previous Walpurgis Night. Demon Lord Paimon and Margrave Rosenberg shared the same awareness…… this was most likely peculiar in no small measures to be considered as a simple coincidence.
Perhaps Paimon circulated the wild rumor intentionally?
This sort of suspicion was sufficiently plausible.
“I am curious. Where could the margrave have possibly acquired such information from? Ah, of course, I am not doubting you, Miss Paimon. We are all kinsmen, after all. Something like a traitor who would sell out their own kind, there are none in this conference room. Is that not so?”
“……”
“The Margrave most likely has an independent information network spread throughout the demon world. The Margrave came in contact with this groundless rumor by chance through that, that is my assumption. Do not worry. Miss Paimon, you do not have any direct responsibility. Yes, direct responsibility……”
Paimon’s face became stiff.
It was a tactful change of subject.
Even if Paimon did not spread the rumor in the human world, it was still the undeniable truth that she had circulated it in the demon world. If the Margrave did obtain the wild rumor from the demons, then the fault would go all the way back to Paimon who created the false rumor in the first place. It could then be viewed as Paimon having contributed in the destruction of his highness’ castle.
Speaking explicitly—Why should I receive help from the culprit who brought down my castle, was the cynical undertone that his highness was talking with. Paimon was at a loss for words. Towards that Paimon, his highness was gazing at her with naive snake-like eyes.
“It is alright. That incident was nothing more than something which arose completely due to the wicked greed from the humans…… To be concerned with the right or wrong among one another would not be a sensible thing to do here. No, it may be different on a normal occasion, but our current situation is urgent. We cannot start an internal conflict during this state of emergency where the human forces could invade us at a moment’s notice.”
“……”
This was indeed, a skillful wordplay.
After his highness had defined our current situation as an emergency, he suggested that if this was perhaps a normal occasion, then he would have reproached Paimon. In order to dodge the blame here, Paimon could only agree. That is so. As much as our current situation is dire, there is no need to start a needless internal conflict. She was most likely thinking along these lines……
It was a checkmate.
If she wanted to disapprove of the war then she had to prove that our current situation was a normal occasion. However, if she wanted to avoid the blame, then she had to accept the state of emergency. Paimon was placed in a double-bind dilemma.
Paimon bit her lips.
“……It is snowing outside.”
“Pardon?”
“This palace is forlorn. Do your bones not feel cold?”
What was this sudden question? I could not comprehend the meaning or the intention. His highness Dantalian tilted his head as well and asked back.
“Should we order the maids to stoke up the fire?”
“It is already near midnight. Would there still be maids doing their shifts now?”
“That is an unnecessary concern. Would the attendants go to sleep while the lords are still awake?”
“I see. That is so, isn’t it?”
Paimon stared at his highness.
“We are lucky to be kings. Even if we were to stay up throughout the night, there are plenty of servants to kindle our flame. If our armies are dispatched now, then they will have to go through the winter mountains and streams with their bare bodies. Although we have maids devoted in taking care of our well-beings, who will light the bonfires when our soldiers are cold?”
“……”
“This lady estimated the wind on her path to this palace. This winter is especially arid. The earth is frozen all the way to its inner layer because of this icy weather and is difficult to dig through with spades. It will most likely take half a day to merely embed pickets into the soil and erect an encampment. While advancing through the winter fields, our soldiers will tire out on their own and collapse. This lady is immensely concerned that everyone’s vision is blocked by the palace walls and are unable to reach the cold winter plains.”
“……Miss Paimon.”
Surely.
That was a valid rebuttal.
To not oppose war itself, but to oppose the time of war. It also displayed the worry for one’s subordinates as a Demon Lord, so it appeared graceful as well.
“If we raise an army, then our forces will cross the mountains and travel through forests. Trees to use as firewood will be abundant. Therefore, our troops collapsing due to being unable to kindle a campfire, is a needless worry.”
“Dantalian. The task of crossing the mountains and splitting the firewood is all managed by our soldiers. Will our troops not be miserable?”
“Then should I split the firewood myself and present it to the soldiers?”
His highness gave an unabashed laugh.
“You have many worries, Miss Paimon. Although I am not unaware of your highness’ innate virtue of taking care of your subjects, when handling military affairs, one requires not benevolence but austerity. A sovereign’s anguish will be transmitted to the general, and the general’s woe will be transmitted to the soldier. The entire country will then advance with concern and retreat with concern, therefore, even if one were to obtain victory once, it will not be proper, and if one were to be defeated a single time, then they will be unable to recover. Since when did us demons worry about a campfire while going to war?”
The shouts, ‘That’s right!’, erupted from here and there.
Although I personally considered Paimon’s reasoning to be logical…… the overall majority of Demon Lords did not. They did not pay any mind to the minor things. It wasn’t only Demon Lords, but most demons believed in this idealism as well.
His highness Dantalian was different. His highness utilized this idealism. His highness utilized everything. He manipulated the things people enjoyed, and exploited the things people despised. His highness claimed that this attitude of taking the use of all things was called being pragmatic. One day I asked, ‘If that is so, then where is pragmatism useful?’. His highness gave an immediate response.
Authority.
Having authority itself was good, and the very fact of not having authority was bad, so I did not question the basis any further. I was convinced by that irrational remark. My mind and his highness’ mind were alike.
“For the past 500 years, we’ve raised a massive army 7 times and withdrawn 8 times. Each time our forces were pushed back, we withdrew our territory as well. And now, we’ve been chased back behind the mountains. If we are to be defeated this time as well, then we will have to yield to them the inner portion of the mountain range. This lady is anguished over the future of our kind.”
“That is correct. The worry which Miss Paimon has, I too, am concerned for as well. Despite that, should we not aim for this current situation where the humans’ vitality is on the decline due to them suffering from the plague?”
“The disease is indiscriminately affecting both the humans and demons, so why……”
“I am still in possession of a large amount of the herbs which can triumph over the disease. I would like to offer these for one tenth the current market price as military supplies.”
“……”
“Please spread this information wide amongst the people. That to the officers and men who apply for military service, be they from a high or low class, they shall be provided the cure. I shall offer 10,000 black herbs within the military. So everyone, please take the herbs and distribute them freely.”
In truth, the meeting was concluded by that one statement.
His highness, rank 71st Dantalian, had offered an enormous amount of military supplies. Demon Lords that were of a higher rank than his highness had no other choice but to keep their heads down in order to save face.
A slight amusement glided past the corners of his highness’ lips.
He was most likely certain of his own victory.
……That was a bit unfair.
Every time I witnessed that side of his highness Dantalian, that thought crossed my mind. I recalled the connection his highness and I shared before the meeting was held today.
♦
Just before the conference, his highness was smoking gaya.
Gaya is an item of personal preference similar to cigars. Since they are both easier to be intoxicated by and have no addictive properties compared to cigars, they are incredibly expensive. The asking price is extensive. His highness favored this elegant luxury item.
His highness did not enjoy this on his own, but he dragged Miss Laura De Farnese along as well and ruined their lives together. Today as well, once I entered the bedroom I witnessed the two of them behaving like a pair of worms squirming around on the floor.
It was a grand spectacle.
It felt like a group of drug-addicted hoodlums would show more moderation than these two.
I approached his highness and slapped his cheek.
“Lord Dantalian. Please come to your senses.”
His highness looked up at me with dull eyes.
“Mademoiselle……Madem—?”
“The meeting will be held in 2 hours. Forty Demon Lords will be attending. It is the Walpurgis Night. Does your highness plan to put yourself to shame during such an occasion as well?”
“Bonjour—?”
This was wrong.
Leaving his highness alone, I approached Miss De Farnese. Once I drew near, Miss Farnese stood abruptly. And then did she not spread both of her arms out horizontally? I was at a loss for words for a moment by this bizarre conduct.
“……Miss. What are you doing right now?”
“This young lady is a tree.”
“A tree?”
“Because I am a tree, I cannot answer your question. Trees have no words.”
“……”
She was a bit insane.
I pondered if I was going to have to handle, with this peasant body, the honor of being the very first person in all of history to speak with a plant. Regardless, it appeared much easier to converse with the miss than his highness. To have to choose between a man who had regressed back into a toddler and a girl who had become a human plant. It was the extremity of choices.
“Exactly when did you become intoxicated?”
“This young lady isn’t intoxicated, though?”
Surely.
“Then I will change the question. When did you start smoking?”
“Mm. That is quite the religious question.”
Miss Farnese nodded her head with an emotionless face.
“This young lady has a question as well. Will you answer?”
“Yes, as long as it is not a question concerning the vegetation of trees.”
“Why is it bright outside the window all of a sudden? It was clearly dark a second ago. That is rather unusual. It seems the sun has gone insane.”
The thing to have gone insane is not the sun, but you.
……My head hurt.
It seems his highness and the miss have been smoking gaya throughout the entire night.
When it was his highness alone, I was able to tighten the regulations of his highness’ household, but after Miss De Farnese squeezed in, everything became tangled. His highness continued to teach the miss detrimental habits, and the miss accepted everything with open arms. It was like a baby bird shoving its beak towards the mother bird’s mouth to receive food. From drinking habits, sleeping habits, to smoking habits, the miss became a carbon copy of his highness.
It’s fun since it’s like raising a little sister, was his highness’ statement. I consider it to be sincerely fortunate that his highness Dantalian does not have any relatives. If by any chance, his highness had a child, then the world will end on that day. It was not a joke.
“Miss De Farnese. If his highness decides to do something reckless, then you must not go along with his antics. An outbreak of war will be upon us soon, and the miss will have to grasp military power and discipline his highness’ military personnel. What soldiers would trust and follow a general who does drugs from a young age?”
“You are strange. This young lady is a tree so how could she manage soldiers?”
“……”
“Mii-n, mi— minmin—.”
She wasn’t a tree, but a cicada.
Putting me to the side, his highness and the miss had a conversation.
“Bonjour— bonshouuur—.”
“Minminmii-n……miin, mii-im.”
“Mam……Mama—?”
“Minmin—.”
“Shaba daba do?”
“Miiii-m, miiim……”
At last, the two had arrived at the creation of their own language. The sight of a new language being born was before me. How marvelous. It was so phenomenal that no words could come from my mouth. Especially since the miss was clinging to my thigh and drooling, it was quite the sight.
Miss De Farnese’ face looked perfectly fine, but the ecology of the inside of her head was simply a mystery.
Her face was void of emotion and there was no tone in her voice. It was difficult to guess her mood. Although I was indeed the same in having no expressions on my face, in my case, I had thrown away my psyche, while she did not have a psyche. Throwing away one’s mind is something done by one’s own volition, so there is still a slight heart remaining there. However, discussing a psyche that never existed in the first place is impossible.
I stared into the miss’ eyes, which were as green as the early summer thickets, for a long period of time.
There was absolutely nothing in the miss’ eyes. In order to understand the other party, one must use the sparsely placed emotions shone within their eyes to cross from this side to theirs. There was not even a single fragment of emotion, which I could use to step on, within the miss’ eyes. I could not see the other side. It felt distant like when closely facing a large blank sheet of paper. What his highness Dantalian discovered in that desolate bottom, what he planned to fill it with, how he planned to color it, even as his lover, I could not fathom his intentions.
“……”
A little.
Should I test it out a little?
I examined his highness’ movements. His breathing was gentle. He most likely was not going to wake up anytime soon. Turning my gaze away from his highness, I spoke.
“Miss. I have a question. Will you care to answer it?”
“A cicada does not inquire and only responds continuously throughout the summer. A cicada answers when the sunlight of summer falls upon them in question, but this young lady is not certain if it is summer now. Mii-n, mim—.”
“What kind of person was your mother?”
“My mother was a slave.”
Laura De Farnese answered immediately.
“She lived as a slave and gave birth to this young lady after being raped. On the day this young lady was born, my mother was killed. It was a covert murder. There were no records or any keepsakes, so this young lady does not know any more than this.”
The miss tilted her head.
“Did my response properly answer big sister Lapis’ question?”
“Yes.”
It was a lie.
The reaction that I wanted was something a bit more intense.
For the sake of dragging out even a handful of subterranean water from that barren well that is her mind, I questioned further.
“Were you perhaps abused because of your mother’s low status?”
“Yes. I was abused a lot.”
“There must have been many minor harassments.”
“Mm.”
“I am curious as to how they harassed you. Would it be fine to ask?”
“Aah. It was trivial. They would give me food that had been spat on, give me water with head lice or flies in them…… Despite that, there were barely any days where I was starved or parched, so I was greatly fortunate.”
“Which mistreatment do you remember the most?”
“……”
The girl held her breath for a moment.
In that spot where she had stopped breathing, I discovered the gap which I could pry through.
However, I did not rush. No matter what it was, I did not have the habit of being hasty. If one was going to pick a flower from a road, then you must approach it while walking slowly.
“Where do you escape to when you wish to avoid the abuse?”
“The library in an annexed building from the mansion……”
“The library, is it? I heard that you are fond of history books. The scent from paper books is indeed pleasant. I as well, keep close to me the aroma of books which have not been sullied by the hands of others.”
“This young lady, too, appreciates the smell of a sincerely opened hardcover book.”
“Since the library is in a separate building, the people there must have been sparse. Running away to an area where people rarely approached is an appropriate decision.”
“Mm.”
“But they still came after you, did they not?”
“……”
“There must have been many times where they simply let you off if you fled, but there were also many days where they did not. If they released you then it would have been fine, but they chased you till the very end. At first to the hallway, and then all the way to your bedroom…… slowly, one step, a single step at a time, they invaded your territory a small portion at a time.”
Her shoulder trembled slightly.
I caught her.
“And finally to the library. They must have promised to not disturb that location. How terrible of them. So was the library invaded as well?”
“……”
She nodded her head.
Fundamentally, a person’s mentality resembled a fortress. People built a home modeled after themselves and raised a rampart.
In a calm and orderly way.
Similar to how one would siege a fortress in a field of battle.
Cut off their path of retreat, surround their ramparts, tighten the guard around their castle gates, and finally, after capturing the marginal villages around the castle, is when I will knock on the most important castle.
“How old were you when they first invaded?”
“When I was 10…… in the summer……”
“I see. It was summer, huh? Was the weather hot?”
“I do not remember.”
“What could you hear?”
“The sound of cicadas……”
“The sound of the cicadas chirping resonated through the window, I see.”
“That is so. Through the window……”
“So you kept staring out the window. If one were to stay secluded in a library and read books, then their eyes will often become hazy. You must have frequently gazed at the window in order to release into the air the lines which reverberated in your mind. What could you see in the window?”
“A tree……”
“What kind of tree?”
“I do not know.”
“Please try to remember. You may not have known what kind of tree it was, but you continued to stare at it. You did your utmost to not turn your gaze away from there. In order to endure the abuse, you looked at the tree. In order to forget it, you enraptured yourself to the sound of the cicadas. You liked the strident cries from the cicadas.……”
Everything was arranged.
The entirety had almost fallen.
Finally, the most vital foothold.
The territory which you dislike the most being taken away from you, and the area that I was targeting since the very beginning.
I will break it now.
“Who invaded?”
“…………”
The trembling in her shoulders spread throughout her entire body.
The miss lowered her head. She shook her head as if she was trying to shake away her shudder. That was her final resistance. Honestly, it was laughable.
“It is okay, miss. It is an incident that you have endured long ago and have already overcome. Who was the person that had chased you all the way to the inside of the library?”
“My father, did.”
“……”
“I closed the door…… I definitely closed the door tight, but because I mistakenly did not lock it with the key……”
I see.
I thought about the stifling heat of that summer day.
The sight of the scorching heat pressing down on the silence.
“Why did you not lock the door?”
“Since everyone would get mad if I locked it. Just that……”
“Did it hurt a lot?”
“The cicadas cried a lot.”
I stopped my words.
“They really cried a lot. A long time…… continuously—”
Miss Farnese repeated the same words. There was no tone in her voice so the echoes felt distant.
Perhaps.
This was probably the opportunity.
Lord Dantalian showed affection for this girl before me. Although there was no noticeable carnal desire in his love, since long ago I was vigilant towards love without sexual appetite the most.
Sexual desire is explicit. It goes in the hole that must be gone in, and when it welcomes the path that it must welcome, it reaches satisfaction. It is a desire with a fixed direction. Different types of love went around poking here and there chaotically without any direction, and once it tires of poking, it pesters the other party to teach them the way. In the end, they do not learn how to relieve their desires, but they learn how to withdraw their cravings and endure it, thus resulting in them rotting from the inside out.
Rather, if his highness embraced this girl in front of me.
That thought came up all of a sudden.
The miss will most likely hang by the neck by his highness’ love. But what would happen if there was no carnal desire there? She will have no method to respond to his highness’ affection. Unable to untangle his highness from her mind, it will continue to pile up and— slowly occupy her mind further.
At one point, her mind will be filled with nothing but his highness. The inability to respond to the other party, she will most likely try to repay with herself. Devote her everything to his highness. I am immensely concerned. If his highness drifted even a slight distance away from this miss, then would she not drag him into the bottom of her heart and try to drown together with his highness?
That was why now was the opportunity to break her.
Before his highness was sufficiently engraved into the miss’ heart.
Before she suffocated by his highness’ affection.
I will crush her mind completely.
No matter how much the miss’ psyche was like that of a white sheet of paper, you cannot write love or any sort of line on scraps of paper which were torn apart into hundreds of thousands of pieces. It was fine. The method of breaking her apart was simple. Words could slice one’s heart with more ease than blades.
Like this, all I had to do was whisper words into Miss Farnese’s ear and her heart would swallow the blade on its own and tear her mind into shreds.
You are a revolting and trash-like whore who was raped by her father.
—with these words.
Did Miss Farnese become tired after having repeated the same words over and over again? She had fallen onto my leg and gone slack. However, she did not fall asleep yet.
In order for the curse to seep in distinctly, I brought my mouth as close to the miss’ ear as possible. I will welcome your resentment, Laura De Farnese. If the ability to blame another still exists within your mind, that is.
“Lapis. Leave it there.”
“……”
“I do not know what you are planning to say, but leave it at there.”
His highness’ voice pulled me from behind.
I turned my head towards that irrefutable voice. Lord Dantalian was smiling bitterly.
“……Your highness.”
“She is still a child.”
“She will one day grow into an adult.”
“You are overstepping your boundary.”
Within that slight conversation, we were able to read each other’s intentions. We were in a relationship where we have not concealed anything from one another and did not plan to conceal anything in the future as well. I did not obscure my hostility.
“If anything, this is lighter than overstepping a boundary. Was your highness eavesdropping this entire time? This one thought your highness had fallen asleep.”
“I was listening since your ability in handling people is quite adept. Do not forcefully pull out or forcefully tear apart that child’s heart. I wish to observe her.”
“Your highness. People’s minds are naturally revealed on their own, and the thing which people expose on their own is also, indeed, their mind. If nothing becomes revealed and nothing is exposed, then there is no other choice but to pull it out by force.”
“And so? Now that you have drawn it out, how is it? Are you satisfied?”
“It is dangerous.”
I declared.
“By ruining herself, she has the physiognomy of ruining your highness as well. Because of her bottomless heart, it feels like every person to approach her side will plummet. This one does not desire for your highness to fall.”
I was firmly confident in my ability to discern others.
Up until now, the one and only person that I had misjudged was his highness Dantalian.
Since Lord Dantalian alone had taken both my first mistake and my first love, he was truly an exception among exceptions.
“……Miss Farnese is unable to sleep even when it becomes night.”
“Pardon?”
“This is an assumption, but she was most likely abused every night. That is why she stays up throughout the night reading. She is abiding the night through books. Until she becomes exhausted to the point where she can no longer turn to the next page, is when she passes out and finally sleeps. During the night where I met her for the first time, Miss Farnese was reading inside of her cell.”
His highness pulled out a pipe and bit down on it. The scent of a burning tobacco leaf spread throughout the bedroom. His highness gazed at the smoke cloud which he made with his own mouth.
“How is it, Lapis? Is it not adorable how desperate that child is?”
“Haa.”
A sigh flowed from my lips.
His highness Dantalian had the habit of treating a serious topic as a joke.
It was a fairly unpleasant mannerism.
“It is not too late to dispose of her.”
“No. She is a child with many uses.”
“Then can your highness toss her away once her uses are gone?”
His highness did not answer. Instead, he smoked his pipe. It appeared as if he was hoping that the smoke from his pipe would express the words that he wished to say.
After a fair amount of time, his highness spoke.
“Since she is a child which I brought back with the intention to espouse, I shall do so.”
“……”
His highness’ words were distant because they were imperious.
Although this goal of dragging the future, which people could not handle, towards us and cutting that fate into pieces to manage one portion at a time befitted his highness, I worried that his highness may have been burying the fact that there was no end to his words.
……Your highness. Words are like the drowned, they have the ability to sink people downwards. The word known as love is the strongest among these, so it will drag you down the furthest. That was why we had set down a safety net by telling each other that we loved authority the most back when your highness and this one had confessed our love to each other. In concern of this descent, this fall, and this collapse…… I kept this monologue in the back of my throat.
As his highness would already know regardless of whether I informed him or not, I was wary towards lightly pronouncing the word known as love, thoughtlessly.
If that was so then.
“……This one will join as well.”
I wonder if my words came as a surprise, his highness’ eyes grew wide.
“What? Join what?”
“This one heard that the miss’ mother died early, so the miss should not feel too awkward if this one were to fill that empty spot.”
“Wait. Through what method……?”
“Please console the miss’ mind properly, your highness. This one will straighten the miss’ body. How to not lower one’s head, how to not stutter one’s words, how to not dishevel one’s facial expressions, how to not slouch one’s back, and how to not ruin one’s gait. This one will educate her in these arts. Since she is a child from a refined birth, if she masters these techniques she will become marvelous.”
“But I was planning to teach her all that myself……”
“Since your highness was born with a fully controlled body, your highness’ gestures do not match the people below you. This one is a peasant, and half of the miss is a peasant as well. The miss is a human, and half of this one is human as well. This one’s mannerism will most likely fit Miss Farnese more than your highness’ body movements. Please make the miss learn discipline as a vassal instead of the methods of a king.”
“Lapis, wouldn’t it be tiresome?”
His highness asked worriedly. A soft consideration was spread across his face. His way of speech had also come undone and turned into a normal tone. It was the expression and tone that his highness would occasionally whisper to me with after sharing intimacy.
It was a bit sly.
If I were to hear a voice like that, then even I would have trouble refusing.
Therefore, I decided to be sly as well.
“Yes. Incredibly tiresome.”
“Euuk……!”
“Speaking honestly, it is absurd. This one is busy just preparing a stratagem for war, but to have to worry about childcare as well? How preposterous. It is a question whether your highness lives with any thought at all.”
“Euh, uuuuuh……”
“That is why, could your highness grant this one a favor?”
Lord Dantalian wore a tearful face.
This was what it meant to knowingly suffer.
“I-If it’s a wish that I am capable of.”
“Do not unburden only the miss’ heart, but give her your body as well. Stroke her head often and take care of her regularly. If the mind and body are unable to keep up with one another, then this one fears the situation of the miss’ mind wasting away in her body, and her body being thrown away within her mind.”
His highness let out a long groan.
“Are you perhaps saying that if Miss Farnese were to request for my body, then I should present it to her?”
“That is so.”
“Lapis, you alone are enough for me.”
“It will not be excessive even with several people.”
“Children who are less developed like the miss are really not my type, and her chest is small as well.”
“This one apologizes, but if the person who is besotted with her highness Barbatos is to say that, then the credibility……”
“That is not me being besotted! That is Barbatos having eaten me! The power relation is completely on that side!”
“That may have been so at first, but that is no longer true after the fact, is it not? Please collect your words, your highness. It is embarrassing to hear your highness continue to make excuses.”
“Wait. Barbatos is a vitally crucial tool in executing our plan, is she not? If that is so, since she has an extensive use instrumentally, caring about making myself agreeable to her as she desires is……”
“Yes. Since your highness brought the miss since she has her extensive uses as well, then your highness can put that same care to her as well.”
Lord Dantalian put his hand against his forehead. Sorrily, his highness has rarely ever won in an argument against me. That was because I only fought when I knew I could win.
Needless to say, I loved as if I was fighting a war. Be it a relationship or a war, it was a rule to fight only after one has ascertained their victory. You were careless, your highness.
“……If. If I’m the father and Lapis is the mother, then that would mean that Miss Farnese is our child. There is no law against a parent and a child connecting, right?”
“She is not your real daughter anyway, so why does it matter?”
“Right. That’s right, isn’t it……”
His highness shrunk down. His final resistance was trampled with ease and a white flag rose from the inside of his fortress. After seeing my face which had become refreshed from having acquired a sound victory, for some reason, the corners of his highness’ lips twisted.
“Lapis. A daughter has abruptly formed between us, has it not?”
“……That is so.”
I was apprehensive.
Every time his highness made that kind of expression, an absurd event would always occur.
“Since a daughter cannot be made without intercourse, it seems the two of us have to share intimacy right this instant.”
“……This one apologizes, but just now, was the order not reversed a bit?”
“I shall not listen to objections.”
His highness lifted me up abruptly and sat down on a chair.
While childishly shouting ‘yah!’ like some mischievous child, his highness embraced my body.
He was truly an unreasonable person.
“Your highness, the conference will be held in an hour.”
“If you are disappointed, then there is also the flavor of ending it with that lacking sensation.”
“Is the miss not sleeping? This one is worried that she will awaken by the noise.”
“Doing one’s best to not get caught is also a charm. Ah, do not remove your socks. I oddly prefer it more when doing it while you still have those on.”
This was wrong.
“This one will say it again, but the order is wrong. A daughter is made after copulation, so why would one copulate after the daughter has already been made?”
“Oho, order, is it? Lapis, did you not know till now? This is a country of smoke where everything is backwards. People speak in reverse, words are pronounced backwards, and thus, human relations are flipped upside down as well.”
His highness placed his head against my chest and grinned.
“Repeat after me. uo-y, ev-ol, i.”
“uo-y, ev-ol-i?”
It was a gibberish line.
“What does it mean?”
“Now say that backwards. Then you will know.”
“uoy……”
I tried flipping each word around and pronounced it in my mouth. That was why if you ordered ‘uo-y, ev-ol, i’ in reverse.
i, lo-ve, y-ou.
……Therefore.
I love you.
……
I was dumbfounded.
To think that he would make such a childish joke.
A little girl, selling flowers for the first time on the streets, would most likely snort at such a play.
While receiving the entirety of my cold gaze, his highness whispered into my ear.
“We are going to bring upon a war from now on. A war where everything will be turned upside down. Cause and effect will be reversed, voices will be entangled, and people will be twisted. Nobles will become peasants, and peasants will become nobles. In that world, Lapis, you and I together will rise to the pinnacle.”
“……”
“However, our love will not change. Even if the order of our love were to be reversed, it would still be love.”
Could you believe this?
All of this was an excuse given by his highness just to sleep with me once.
Amazing, your highness. How marvelous.
A great individual who would flip the entire world over in order to have sexual relations with a single mixed blood shallow-minded succubus, no matter how longstanding the history of the continent was, most likely solely Lord Dantalian alone existed as such an individual.
Of course, separate from that, I did not feel impressed at all.
“……Does your highness not feel shame to say such words so boldly?”
“Shame? I threw that sort of emotion away into a trash bin long ago.”
“Please go retrieve your highness’ personality back from that trash bin.”
“Geez. Even though you like it on the inside, Lapis. You’re trying to play it off.”
Dear lord.
I was speechless.
If a brazen-faced person was intelligent, then how dreadfully narcissistic of an individual they would become, I could understand by looking at Lord Dantalian.
In order for his highness to regain his senses, he would have to meet an individual as preposterous as himself.
This was where the problem lay. The world was already handling Lord Dantalian. With that alone, the world has already run out of any surplus space. For two people, who are similar to Lord Dantalian, to exist. Just this hypothesis was enough to violate the laws of nature.
“Haa……”
While abandoning my resistance and calculating what I had to do in order to most efficiently and quickly squeeze out Lord Dantalian, I covered his highness’ eyes with my hand. If we were to not be late for the meeting, then there was a need to rush. But that was fine. Despite my appearance, half of my blood was that of a succubus.
I am an expert.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_01_02.txt
|
Chapter 1: Wordless Sounds
♦
The conference had arrived at its final stage.
Although Paimon continued to elucidate the prohibition of war, there was a clear lack of strength in her voice. Paimon as well most likely understood how the conclusion of the gathering was going to end. His highness did not go out of his way to prevent Paimon’s voice. He merely observed Paimon with empty eyes that appeared as if they were marveling a single piece of art.
……People’s minds are naturally revealed on their own, and the thing which people exposed on their own was also, indeed, their mind. However, the mind that appeared from his highness and the mind which his highness revealed was peculiar so it was occasionally difficult for myself to grasp his meaning.
Lazily sleeping in and doing drugs throughout the night was also his highness. Cunningly embellishing war was also, indeed, his highness. Slyness secretly seeped into laziness, and laziness boldly resided within slyness. Whenever I looked at his highness, a single spider—I am reminded of a poisonous spider laying its body on spiderweb and sleeping leisurely. The entire world was like a web to his highness, therefore, his highness resting peacefully meant that he was hunting.
“……?”
His highness suddenly turned towards my direction. Since I was perceived as a peasant, I was unable to approach the center of the conference room. I could only view the meeting from a distance. To that me, his highness moved his lips. There was no sound.
What sort of play could that be?
That was an insulting behavior towards the sacred Walpurgis Night. It was inexcusable. A slight headache came to me.
Through lipreading, I read each word that came from Lord Dantalian’s lips that were not pronounced.
nia-ga, em, rof, lla-f, uo-y, did…… gniza-ma, ton, I, ma?
It did not establish a sentence at all.
It was neither Habsburgian nor Franconian. From what language that was from, I could not……no. Wait a moment. His highness was the type of person to use the same joke daily. If I were to read it backwards like I did earlier, then it may make sense. ‘nia-ga, em, rof, lla-f, uo-y, did, gniza-ma, ton, I, ma’, if I were to read this in reverse, then—.
Am I not amazing? Did you fall for me again?
……
While experiencing my gaze turning thin like a rotten fish in real time, I moved my lips.
Please kill yourself immediately.
The jokes continued on until the break of day. At 4 o’clock in the morning was when the Demon Lords finally voted on whether they were going to go to war or not. This was the exact result.
Total participants in the meeting, 63 people.
Yes for war, 38 votes.
No for war, 21 votes.
Abstained, 4 people.
Since the approval votes were more than half the amount of total participants, the war was determined. Everything was flowing towards the direction which Lord Dantalian desired. Rank 1st Demon Lord Baal, rank 2nd Agares, and rank 3rd Vassago did not partake in this gathering, so this decision of war could be considered to have been handled with more haste than caution, but—
What was the problem?
There was no flaw according to the law.
We could now conduct war legitimately. If we were to speculate that the function of war was to kill humans, then just now, through the conference a second ago, we were presented the rights to murder the humans legitimately. The legal and illegal boundary drawn on death, which was made due to people being unsatisfied after being concerned with the legal and illegal laws on life, was laughable. It was the funniest joke that I have heard all year. Surely his highness Dantalian was bursting out in laughter on the inside.
— When should we teach the humans a lesson?
— It should be sufficient to start moving when the cold lessens a bit around the 3rd month.
— Once we pillage them a fair amount, the humans will be shocked and lower their bodies on their own. I shall call together a race meeting and inform the youngsters.
— It’s been a long time since I got a warm up.
The complexions of the Demon Lords were light.
It was clear. No one here was interpreting this resolution of war on a full-scale. They were looking at it as a simple war to plunder. And this was referring to just the Plains Faction. The Mountain Factions had taken this as a small skirmish within diplomatic affairs. They were seriously discussing the topic of sending an envoy to both the empire and kingdom to reprimand the humans of their wickedness. It was a comedy.
How easily they spat out words.
How fatal it was for an individual to decide on a war, where people killed and were killed by others, with mere words.
These people will have to shoulder that responsibility on their own.
Among the Demon Lords, only Paimon had a dark complexion until the very end. After seeing the results of the vote, Paimon lamented for a long period of time. She cleared her throat. The warning that she left behind remained in the ceiling and echoed throughout.
— When this war started and where it came from, we do not know this. Since we do not know when the war had started, we will not know when to end it. Since we do not know where the war had come from, we will not know where to go in order to end it. Everyone, do you not feel dizzy? This lady feels light-headed. It should not be possible to contain the weight of lives with the lightness of words, and yet this lady worries for that one thing. That our soldiers will have to endure that heaviness because of our frivolousness……
After deciding to gather at the Plains of Jatvingians[3] on the 2nd month and 15th day to advance together, the meeting was over.
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 12, Day 7 Niflheim, Governor’s Palace
The conference had dispersed.
I waited for everyone to make their way out.
While staring up at the dark ceiling, I dwelled on the words Paimon left behind. Paimon’s lamentation of not knowing where it had come from and not knowing where it would go, was honestly magnificent. While the other Demon Lords were trying to make their way through the cloud of smoke which Barbatos and I had spread out, Paimon was concerned about where the smoke had come from. It was only her. The sole person to have tried to look past the smoke.
The meeting room was empty. The servants blew out the candles. It felt like I was by myself in the backstage of a performance hall where the actors had left and the audience had departed.
— I’m sorry…… I’m sorry……
Now that I think about it.
Even back during the time she had collapsed after receiving my retaliation in this room, Paimon apologized exceedingly sincerely. The rank 9th woman apologized with tears to the rank 71st me. I suddenly feared her lucidity that could apologize sincerely and lament honestly. Paimon will most likely not make the same mistake twice.
Crossing through the empty conference room, Lapis came to my side. She then asked.
“What is your highness doing?”
“I am concerned about whether if I will have to have a single individual assassinated.”
“It will not be easy.”
Lapis responded calmly. There were no signs of her being surprised by my words. She did not even ask who the person I was considering to assassinate was. I knew that Lapis was contemplating the exact same thing as myself in her mind.
“Sitri is always by that person’s side.”
“Sitri?”
“The rank 12th Demon Lord. If one were to rank them by personal strength, then rank 2nd Agares is at the highest, rank 8th Barbatos is second, and after that is Sitri at third. Since she follows that person like an elder sister and does not leave their side for even a moment, it will be difficult for an assassin to get through.”
“Aah.”
I recalled the event from the past. The time Paimon had fallen after receiving my counterattack, there was a female Demon Lord who supported her and left. I could not see her face, but she must have been Sitri.
I then remembered Torukel. The old goblin merchant Torukel. Looking back at it, did that merchant not commit suicide in order to protect Paimon as well? I let out a long groan.
“Is that so. Paimon is blessed with people, I see. Her loyal subjects protect her by forming the rampart, so it would be difficult to break through from the outside. Since she is an individual who worries for even the campfire lit by the privates, it would be a cluster.”
“Will you leave it be?”
“I cannot see the means yet. Loyalty does not form by itself. They are loyal to Paimon because she is able to fill the thing that they are unable to fill themselves. I must first find out what Paimon is providing them……”
Lapis lowered herself to one knee. She gently leaned her head against my thigh. In the center of the empty conference room, we silently felt each other’s silence.
Suddenly having a craving for contact, I pressed my lips against Lapis’. No matter how you looked at it, one hour was not enough. I wanted to fill the lacking sensation that was left from before the conference started now that the meeting was over. Lapis let out a breath.
“Your highness. This is a sacred place……”
“Does that not make it better?”
This was a sacred location which only Demon Lords attended and Lapis Lazuli was a peasant. By my cruel joke of suggesting to dirty the most divine area with the defamatory of a peasant, Lapis shut her mouth. We were accomplices. Lovers who were wounded by the world brought those scars and shared it with one another, but there was no need for that for lovers who were trying to damage the world. Within the gaps of our intertwined flesh, the sound of breathing dug in deeply.
—……
—……
We rubbed our skin together as long as possible and overlapped one another’s flesh as widely as possible. We also held back our sound as much as possible. When the gasps of either her or myself would leak out at times, the sound reached as high as the ceiling. Throughout the night a blizzard raged on outside the window. It felt like the snow was covering the cracked fields that were especially arid. The wounds of the earth will be buried under the snow.
At dawn, the sound of snow had ceased in the world.
Translator's Notes
[↑] The Five Ws.
[↑] It's So Good (Wikipedia, YouTube)
[↑] Changed Jötunheimr to Jatvingians.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_02_01.txt
|
Chapter 2: Winter
“Try calling me father.”
“Are you insane, Lord?”
I organized my army throughout the winter.
The tempers of the soldiers were fierce and violent. They couldn’t stand the sight of a 16-year-old broad pretending to be a general. Whenever I glared at them, the soldiers would quickly move to obey, but it was for that moment only. In areas with no watching eyes, the military personnel criticized Miss Farnese. Thanks to the witches having spread their familiars around, we were able to vividly listen in on the soldiers talking behind our backs.
“Listen well.”
Having recorded their words onto a Memory Play artifact, I allowed Farnese to listen to it in full. The soldiers referred to Miss Farnese as ‘human harlot’.
— We’re demons, but why is some human harlot crawling here and saying she’s going to command us? What kind of fresh bullshit is this?
— It’s raw bullshit. That’s what it is.
— But that young broad’s appearance is nice.
— Who goes to war to look at someone’s face? We fight to take the necks with those faces attached to ’em. Even if that human harlot memorized a couple of lines from an art of war manual, I doubt even small-fry officials would be intimidated by her after hearing that she read some books.
— Who knows? All of our heads might go down after being pushed down by her hips and hearing her moan.
The privates laughed loudly. We could also hear the objurgatory nagging from someone on the side telling them that trying to score a broad, one that his highness Demon Lord had already had his way with, was a dangerous action. However, it was not said in a way of speech where they were reproaching them seriously. It was said in a joking tone surrounded by jest. Listening up to that point, I closed the artifact.
“What do you think?”
“It seems the soldiers are recklessly saying whatever they want while not knowing anything about this young lady.”
Farnese muttered with an emotionless face.
“This young lady has never shared a bed with your lordship. What troublesome people.”
“Hey.”
That part wasn’t the issue.
A little bit more, how do you say it? Is there not a more important problem lying dormant? If I were to point it out in more detail, then there’s the fact that your military command is not receiving even a seedling of respect. Despite having heard my comment, Farnese’s face was still devoid of emotion. She did not even turn her gaze towards me, but instead, silently continued to read her history book. While reading her book, Farnese muttered.
“It is not possible to take apart and fix a problem within an army with ease. Them being unable to simply accept an outsider, in other words, means that they are already firmly tied together on the inside. Since they are sturdy on the inside, they will not lightly fall apart when facing the enemy. They are elites.”
“And so?”
“If this young lady were to slit the throats of the centurions and decani, then the sturdy army will fall apart from the inside and descend into being a mere crowd. The captains who cursed at this young lady would be cut down, and their positions will be filled by fellows who are good at flattering this young lady. Instead of captains with ability, captains who are good at bootlicking will end up receiving preferential treatment, and that is not correct. An army is a body of people that is essentially tied together by both the inner and outer workings. This young lady fears the foolishness of remodeling the outer layer only to have the inner layer deteriorate.”
I carefully examined Farnese’s complexion.
Despite having heard the vulgar words spat out by the lowly privates, there were no signs of her showing any resistance towards it. The only thing that was there was the sight of her contemplating what she was going to have to do in order to properly manage the privates while treating them not as people, but as tools.
Laura De Farnese was a psychopath.
Nevertheless, she was a clever psychopath.
“Would it be permissible to leave all of the military commands to you?”
“Did your lordship not retrieve this young lady from the slave market in order to let her reign over your troops? It is fine for your lordship to not worry. Military affairs are this young lady’s task. Since it is an issue confronting this young lady, this young lady shall manage it herself.”
I knew that my concern was unnecessary.
With the intention of finishing this conversation with a test, I reprimanded her.
“Would military affairs be managed just because someone like you says they can handle it?”
“Your lordship’s words are rather aggressive. Instead of using words to instill fear into this young lady, use a goal to light a path for her.”
“I shall give you one month. Within 30 days, have control of the military discipline. If you are unable to uphold the big talk you have just now made, then I shall lash you for the crime of thoughtlessly flapping your mouth.”
“Understood.”
Farnese still did not remove her gaze from her book. Since I had harshly opened the path in front of her, it was time to softly support the path behind her. I asked her allusively.
“Is there nothing I can help with?”
“Please assign the witches’ familiars to this young lady. This young lady shall use the familiars as her eyes and ears, and utilize them to examine the things which this young lady cannot see or hear.”
“An easy request.”
“Ah, also—.”
Farnese spoke.
“Why did your lordship say that you would become this lady’s father?”
“The privates are disregarding you because you are a child of a human. I figured that the contempt towards you would lessen if I were to adopt you as my daughter.”
Farnese collected her gaze from her book. She was finally looking towards my direction, but for some reason, her eyes were full of suspicion. It almost felt like she was treating me as food waste.
“That is quite indecent. Those words may not be wrong, but your lordship’s way of thought is pitiable. In the entire world, what lord would try to solve a military affair through adoption? Although this young lady has felt it before, but your lordship is a bit insane. You are at least not normal.”
Why do you care!?
You’re the psychopath!
♦
Farnese submerged herself into the inner layer of military affairs. Farnese laid down her bedding at the side of the quarters where the soldiers rested and played. The general resided wearing the uniform worn by privates, a single set of a mat and blanket, and a poor quality bowl. She was planning to live alongside the troops.
The captains flocked to me and complained.
— It is uncomfortable since the general had abruptly entered our area.
— Since the general is nearby, even when we’re receiving breakfast with our bowls, before we can get our portion of soup we end up glancing at the general once. While peeking at the general, we end up chewing the meat in our soup one less time. Since we are frequently being mindful of the general, we often forget to chew, therefore, we have no energy after our meals and easily have upset stomachs. They say that people shouldn’t bother even a village mutt when it’s eating, but how are we expected to fight properly when the general is interfering with the meals of the subordinates? Please understand.
— Please understand, your highness.
I scratched my forehead.
I see these bastards are small-mindedly throwing a fit over their meal. They are sullying my name. Since you guys are rattling on like goats, I shall behave narrow-mindedly as well. Let us see how you bastards cope with my angered performance.
Taking a deep breath, I unloaded words like a round of bullets.
“Are you all discussing domiciliary before the king? So be it then. I shall inform you all of your domestics. All of the food which you all shove into your faces every morning comes from me. The dinner you all stuff inside yourselves and the shit that comes out of your bodies, all of that comes from me. When your swords are broken, who will you go to in order to request for them to be fixed? Who will seek for the blacksmith? Who will obtain the horse and wagon to load the weapons onto and send to the blacksmith, and who will provide the food and accommodations for the coachmen who will be traveling back and forth? I am the household manager. You ungrateful fellows. I am telling you that I am your monarch. Just because you feel slightly uncomfortable by the fact that you have to be a bit more mindful and chew a bit less, you came all the way to my premises to make a fuss?”
I grabbed the wooden pillow which I was using for my nap and threw it at the captains. Once the wooden pillow hit the floor and bounced, the captains’ spines shivered. The captains lowered their heads further.
The mannerism of speech I used when handling Demon Lords and the tone I used when dealing with military captains were distinctly different. I did not allow them to run far away by needlessly behaving high and mighty in front of the captains . Instead, I lowered myself to their level and made them sink their heads while being unable to move an inch. That was my stratagem.
“These ignorant fools.”
— Your words are immeasurable, your highness!
— We are to blame, your lordship!
— Our thoughts were short.
“Good. Seeing that you all are able to apologize with such ease, I will not make you repent deeply. Laura De Farnese is the general giving military commands in my stead, she is the acting general. Wherever I am not, she is your monarch. The reason why I am not punishing you all right this instant is not because I have accepted your apology, but because I want you all to go to the acting general and finish your apology. A mistake which occurs within the army must be forgiven by the general.”
— But, your highness.
— We fight with the strength given to us by our food. If we are unable to eat our meals properly, then.
— We do not mean that, but.
These fuckers?
I drew a sword.
“Should I personally assist in making your meals go down your throats with more ease?”
At that moment was when the captains finally fled. Since their steps felt more feeble than refreshing, I chased after them. The captains were surprised and let out a scream. I picked up the wooden pillow and tossed it once more, and since I was gifted as a pitcher, the wooden pillow hit the exact center of the back of a captain’s head. The captains escaped. And like so, I covered for Farnese.
I trusted Laura De Farnese who was destined to be the greatest commander in the continent like in the original history.
Sure enough, after 4 days, Farnese figured out the problem within the army. While wearing the military uniform meant for privates, Farnese came to inform me.
“The irrationality within the troops is immense, lord.”
“What kind of irrationality?”
“If there is a regimental commander, a centurion, and a decanus, then that is sufficient. Despite that, the regimental commanders give their duties to the centurions, the centurions give their duties to the decani, and the decani give their duties to the privates. In the end, the privates take care of everything within the army. Even the privates, having become tired of this, distinguish the high and low among themselves. The low privates then spread the bedding for the higher privates and do their laundry.”
“An issue that is prominent in any military.”
“Privates should fight like privates and centurions should fight like centurions, and yet, why are they ordering around others just for the sake of making their own lives easier? This young lady, who is the general, should be the one commanding the privates, but since there are so many superiors who are making the privates do things, it is as if they have several generals at the same time. There is no chance military command would be able to gather together as one and pervade deeply within an army of this sort.”
I spat on the floor. My throat often felt parched because it was winter.
“Can you solve it?”
“This young lady shall crush it with ease.”
I preferred to leave irrationality as it was and manipulate it appropriately, but it seems Laura De Farnese was the complete opposite. Enduring irrationality or bearing with her alone, I considered which side would be more convenient.
“Very well then. Perform as you wish.”
“This young lady shall perform for your lordship’s goal.”
Farnese started to handle the military discipline more severely.
From this point on, be it captain, veteran, or newcomer, regardless of one’s rank or experience, Farnese established a rule where everyone must manage their own livelihood by themselves. She stepped forward on her own. Farnese washed her uniform by herself and personally cleaned her own military boots. One day, when a private brought her meal for her, Farnese told him off in a loud voice.
“Put that away. Do I not have my own arms and mouth?”
Farnese did not eat at all on that day. Once the commander cast away the bowl, the soldiers did not know what to do. From that day on, the sight of privates presenting meals for the veteran soldiers disappeared.
However, at this point, it had only vanished on the outside.
Something that dissipated on the outside was bound to hide deeply on the inside.
During an ambitious night, the veteran soldiers secretly gathered the privates and abused them. Using the familiars, we were able to listen in on this sound of violence flowing from the corner of the encampment in real-time.
— Hey, get your heads straight you bastards. You think that human harlot is going to live in our quarters forever? She’s the type of bitch to leave in half a month. Once she does, you guys will die by my hands.
— Think carefully about who is truly taking care of you guys. That human harlot is someone like his highness and not people like us. I’ll give you an honest advice, stay in line.
— Yes, we understand!
Be it here or there, the repertoire is quite the same—.
While I was turning my ear towards the audio and receiving a feeling of longing, Farnese muttered beside me.
“……I see they are challenging me to see who will win.”
Oh?
It may have been just my imagination, but that appeared like a slightly angered face. Since it was rather rare for Farnese to show any emotion, it was intriguing.
Since that day, Farnese began to go on night patrols.
She did not wander around openly but feigned it as a coincidence whenever possible. For example, pretending to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and swooping in on violence that was occurring in a warehouse, or pretending to wake up because of a presence and examining the backside of the quarters. It was an obvious trick. Of course, there was no tactic that worked as efficiently as an obvious trick. Think about it. It’s the commander appearing out of nowhere from the darkness. The privates could only be frightened.
“What are you all doing?”
The senior officers who were mistreating the privates could not respond.
With an emotionless face, Farnese announced.
“I see. People who do not sleep when required to sleep must fight quite well when required to fight. I am relieved that you all form a strong army as one. The senior officers over there, follow me.”
Farnese made the senior soldiers do manual labor. Giving them each a pickaxe, she ordered them to dig. Since the earth had hardened due to the cold, the ends of the pickaxe were unable to pierce the ground. Looking at the impenetrable dirt, the soldiers made a fire in order to melt the ground. After lighting the fire, they dug down until a low mound was piled up in the barracks. Farnese looked down at the soldiers and gave another order.
“Well done. Now fill it back up.”
The officers poured the dirt, which they had dug up in vain, back into the pit. It took a whole 4 hours to dig and refill the hole. The ground had returned to being flat. Towards the veteran officers who thought their work was finally over and were wiping away their sweat, Farnese spoke coolly.
“Dig again.”
The faces of the veteran officers turned blue. For half a day, the soldiers repetitively dug and filled in holes. It was labor with no reason or goal. Since there was no goal, the end could not be seen, and since the end could not be seen, they could not endure the current situation. They most likely wanted to die. It must have felt like they were digging up their own graves. While keeping my hands behind my back and standing afar, I watched Farnese cheerfully torment the veteran soldiers. Speaking truthfully, it was pleasant.
— Please kill me instead.
— Us humble ones have made a mistake, general!
The officers lowered their heads to the ground and bowed. This must have been the first time that Farnese was referred to as general by the soldiers. Farnese, with an expression as transparent as water, looked down at the soldiers.
“Why would I end your lives? No one cherishes you all as much as I do. Stop your chatter and continue digging.”
Farnese raised the edges of her mouth. Since she was still not used to making facial expressions, Farnese’s mouth twisted very strangely. That was more terrifying.
“Or do you perhaps want me to give you the hole on myself? Do all of you think you could satisfy me with those limp dicks of yours?”
The soldiers wailed out.
After that day.
The miss rose from being a normal harlot to being a wicked harlot.
In the past, the sound of voices saying ‘that harlot!’ in a ridiculing tone rose high into the air, but now, the voices uttered ‘that wicked harlot……’ in a vexed tone and sunk down low. Sounds that resonated high dissipated quickly, while the sounds that permeated low spread out wide.
A joyous occasion this was, quite joyous.
The captains came running to me once more. Different to before, their tone was greatly intense. An acute urgency could be felt. All of the captains now referred to Farnese as Miss General. It may have only been the single word ‘Miss’ being attached to ‘General’, but there was overall a lot of meaning there. For example, a meaning on the level of ‘that crazy bitch’ was inclined there. Was this not impressive progress?
— Since Miss General interferes with the soldiers not only during the afternoon but during the night as well, the youngsters are unable to sleep properly. Even if we lack energy after our meals, we can still fight with that emptiness. However, how are people to fight without sleep?
— This does not come from an art of war manual, but from life itself. People should read books based on life, but if someone were to live their life based on books, then would the world not be upside down? Even if Miss General’s knowledge is profound and she were to have read every book related to tactics in the nation, life is a separate matter. Lowly people like us live in life and have no other choice but to continue living in life. Please understand!
I motionlessly listened to the words coming from the captains. After hearing everything, I went to the warehouse and brought a pickaxe. It was the same pickaxe the senior officers had swung until they collapsed from exhaustion. I then spoke.
“I see your words are quite profound so they pierce an exquisite principle. Let us test how deep your bodies can be buried in the ground.”
The captains fled.
The month after, irrationality was completely suppressed within the troops. The custom of the centurions taking the wages of the decani, and the decani taking the wages of the privates disappeared. The tendency of loaning the money they’ve taken from others, and conspiring with outside peddlers and panders to sell items for an exorbitant price, also vanished.
Farnese was a vicious girl. The more that this fact spread out among the troops, in contrast, made the sounds of soldiers pointing towards her and calling her a wicked harlot shrink down. At one point, instead of a wicked harlot, the voices of people praising her as a general who thought of the privates before others, flowed throughout the army. This was most likely around the time that the 11th pit was created in the barracks.
The captains reacted sensitively towards the mood of the privates. Like how humans would automatically perceive the smell of flatulence, the captains understood the privates’ temper.
The captains read the atmosphere and obeyed the commander. They must have been afraid of the consequences for coming to me to complain unreasonably since the captains went around cheering ‘Hooray for Miss General Farnese!’. Captains that behaved as if they would lick the soles of Farnese’s feet crawled around. Among them, one fellow actually did try to put saliva on Farnese’s toes and was kicked.
Tsk tsk.
What adorable fellows.
Finally, the remnant group of individuals known as decani and senior officers remained.
These people were unable to throw away the pleasure of extorting money from the people below them. They were better than the privates but lower than the captains, so they were fellows similar to that of neighborhood thugs. These people lacked the political capability to react appropriately to the state of affairs like the captains had done. The senior officers tried to protect their authority and territory.
When the senior officers mistreated the privates, they went far. They dragged the privates out to one of the most remote warehouses in the encampment. A mouse, that was the familiar of a witch, eavesdropped on the voices leaking from the gaps on the wall.
— Hey, bastards. Who’s the one that brought you bums from the village and enlisted you to the army? I’m the older guy that lived next door. You guys were born in the village first and not in the army, right? Then you guys should treat your seniors from the same village with respect!
— We may live in the unit right now, but when we die, we’ll do so back home. If you guys keep ignoring your seniors, then do you think a single mourner will show up to your funeral? Do you think that wicked harlot will go out of her way to arrange your funerals? She’s the bitch who’ll order you to die, not a bitch who’ll take care of you after you’ve died.
— Hey, don’t ignore us. We’re all saying this in consideration of you guys. Besides, no matter how much you scream here, that harlot won’t come.
Farnese threw open the door.
“Yes. I am here because you called.”
The soldiers screamed and fell to the floor. I could hear the sound of materials collapsing clamorously with a crash. I asked Farnese later on, but apparently, the soldiers were gazing up at her as if she was a ghost.
“It is fine to look forward to it, gentlemen. Let us dig holes properly today.”
The senior officers were forced to unearth dirt for 2 days straight without sleep.
At last, military discipline stood upright. The soldiers took care of their own domestics by themselves. If it wasn’t an official order from above, even the privates did not obey them thoughtlessly.
On the final day of the promised 1 month, Laura De Farnese discarded the uniform meant for privates and donned the military uniform for commanders. After washing herself, Farnese came to visit me with a clean body. Farnese’s skin was whiter than the snow that had just fallen onto the earth, and her voice was as clear as the sky which the snow had fallen from. I was not unaware of her intention to appear like the snow and sky while before me. Regardless of whether she knew that I understood her feelings or not, the small troublemaking psychopathic girl said shortly.
“This young lady hereupon reports, that she has achieved your lordship’s goal. ”
So much self-pride and smugness could be understood by that shortness of words.
I wanted to compliment this girl. I wanted to acknowledge the hard work she had gone through by staying up throughout the night chasing after senior officers, consoling the new recruits, and doing all of her laundries with her own two hands. I gestured for Farnese to approach and softly brushed the hair of Farnese who had drawn near with an ivory comb.
I smiled.
“Well done. Would you like a drink?”
♦
Farnese did not try to gain adoration from her troops. Farnese desired for every individual soldier to fear her. Instead of the courage to rush at the enemy, Farnese highly regarded the dread the soldiers would feel by disobeying the supreme commander. This was, indeed, different compared to me. Unknowledgeable on the method of obtaining fear, Farnese came and asked me.
“What should this young lady do to make the soldiers fear her, lord?”
“Well. You do have a rather pretty appearance, so that may be difficult.”
“Would they be afraid if there was an unseemly scar on this young lady’s face?”
“Damn it, this ignorant child. How could you think so one-dimensionally? Think a bit more respectably.”
“Only your lordship and Miss Lazuli are the ones to call this young lady ignorant……”
Farnese became sullen. As of late, Farnese had been receiving education from both myself and Lapis. Compared to me, Lapis taught her much more harshly. It was obvious that this small room girl, who lived her life believing that she was a genius, would be low-spirited if she were to be ill-treated frequently. Feeling some sympathy, I spoke indirectly.
“Should I inform you of a good trick?”
The next day.
Farnese purchased 15 hunting dogs. The waists of the hunting dogs were slim so they appeared scrawny, but the color of their fur was marvelous. They were a breed commonly raised by imperial families and royal families, so they were remarkably expensive. The dogs did not leave their master’s side even for a second.
— I see Miss General adores dogs.
— Raising hunting dogs is a good hobby. They can smell the scent of the enemy and pursue them, so it’ll be convenient for us too.
The soldiers gathered in small groups and chewed on dried meat. Though they tossed some of their dried meat for fun, the hunting dogs did not turn their gaze towards it at all.
Farnese personally acquired food and fed the dogs herself. The dog food looked more luxurious than the food people ate. Some privates joked that Miss General fed the mutts better than them and chuckled. After seeing the sight of Farnese providing a sumptuous meal for the beasts, some people claimed that they were delighted since she finally appeared like a young girl, while others were worried that the commander’s selfish interest would disturb the military order. With half delight and half worry, the soldiers stared at the luxurious dog food with envy.
The time for my army to go to war had arrived. The troops, who had warm sleep and ate till their stomachs were full, had clear eyes despite the winter season. 3,500 dwarf infantrymen, 500 centaur cavalry, and 50 witches hired from the city were standing on the winter field, waiting for the general’s speech before our departure. There were people gathered around the outskirts of the field, but they were all peddlers and prostitutes. These types of people lived with busy feet by constantly following behind anywhere armies went.
“……”
While holding a formal-dress sword, Farnese went up onto the platform. There was no decoration so the blade was small. Since the appearance of the weapon was light, it well suited the miss’ body figure. The hunting dogs followed their master all the way up the platform. The dogs then silently stationed themselves around her.
Farnese unsheathed her blade. Hearing the sound of metal, the hunting dogs looked behind them. The clear-blue sword slit the long neck of a dog. Blood burst out. The other dogs did not react at all. Farnese killed all 15 hunting dogs, and until the very end, not a single one barked. Blood soundlessly flowed down from the platform.
—……
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_02_02.txt
|
Chapter 2: Winter
The soldiers all held their breaths. They did not dare meet the commander’s gaze.
People would fear the general who had mercilessly slaughtered the hunting dogs which she had raised so preciously, they would fear the silent general whose face was expressionless during the entire slaughter, and they would also fear the fact that that sort of general was merely a 16-year-old girl. They would especially dread the intentions behind the general who had gone out of her way to slaughter her pets, which she had treated with care, on the day the army was departing. While glancing at the decapitated heads of the dogs rolling around, the captains rubbed their own necks.
Laura De Farnese spoke.
“Advance.”
The troops obeyed.
♦
Farnese turned the dead hunting dogs into dried meat. It was a week’s distance from here to the location where the other Demon Lords planned to gather their armies. For one week, Farnese chewed on the jerky made of dog meat and drove away soldiers with her gaze.
On one of the days, a river was not entirely frozen so we had set up camp at a ferry service to rest. There was a small village located next to the ferry service. I issued a military command and forbade them from pillaging.
Around the afternoon, three soldiers were caught. They were criminals that had surreptitiously trespassed onto private property to steal from and rape the women and children. At the time I had heard the report, I was enjoying tea in a back room with Farnese and Lapis on both my sides. The tea warmed my insides. Lowering my teacup, I gazed at Farnese.
“Since you are the general, you decide the punishment.”
“I wish to execute them.”
“Execution, huh?”
After taking a slight glance at Lapis, I turned back to Farnese.
“Is execution not excessive?”
“They are people who have disobeyed the military command. Additionally, they are also the first offenders. This punishment will decide how retribution will be carried out within the army from now on. This young lady wishes to handle this with severity.”
Lapis broke into the conversation and asked quietly.
“What method of execution will you carry out?”
“In order to establish an upright regulation within the military, their heads must be severed and put on display. This young lady shall behead them.”
Lapis asked again.
“How?”
“……”
“I asked how you planned to do it, miss.”
“What do you mean by how? Is it not over once their heads are on display?”
“How pathetic.”
Farnese’s shoulders twitched because of Lapis’ admonishing words. After the day Lapis had vowed that she would become the mother, she frequently scolded and affronted Farnese ever since. Lapis purposely behaved cruelly like Farnese’s biological father, who had trampled on her childhood, had done. Farnese had trouble dealing with the Lapis who behaved like this.
“The people are like weeds. They will stand back up no matter how many times they are trampled. Among those weeds, hired soldiers are the most tenacious. The soldiers will not lower themselves just because the heads of three rapists have been cut off. However, that is if you do not certainly implant fear into them beforehand.”
“Then what does this young lady……”
“Think of that on your own. Is the object attached to the miss’ shoulders not a head but a tin bucket? Why are you unable to think on your own and coming to me for help?”
“……”
“If you are truly the general, then there is no need to confide in me or his highness. Previously, you relied on his highness in order to buy the soldiers’ fears, and you are now trying to purchase the soldiers’ dread by confiding in me. You will one day have to repay the debt that you have borrowed from his highness and myself, and the name of that price will be nothing less than your incompetence. If one were to count the number of times you had borrowed the hands of others from here and there, then the amount of competence which you lack will surely be immense. Miss, I do not wish for the misfortune of the debt you had piled up due to your own lack of skill, being repaid by his highness instead.”
Farnese became silent.
I did not get in between these two. If I were to interfere now, then Lapis would be ashamed and Farnese would feel humiliated. In order to allow my two vassals to exchange with one another and, in their own way, establish a distance, I stayed silent.
After contemplating for a long period of time, Farnese muttered.
“This young lady will personally take the sword and cut down the criminals to……”
Slap
Farnese lowered her head.
The cheek which was hit had become red.
Lapis spoke.
“Answer again.”
“……I do not know. Miss Lazuli. This young lady does not have the faintest idea.”
Lapis struck the other party’s cheek with more power than before. Farnese cowered. She became miserable like a crinkled wrap of aluminum.
“You did not know from the very beginning. Despite that, you made up a response and hoped that it would coincidentally be the answer. If you were to confess from the start that you did not know, then you would not have been hit, and if you were to have maintained the attitude of trying to figure out the answer until the very end, then the occasion of you being hit would have been non-existent during this time as well. Your dishonesty represents your petty self-pride and your lack of effort represents your incompetence. With what face is a person who is both petty and incompetent sitting here comfortably? Leave immediately.”
Farnese was chased out of the room.
In the room where only Lapis and I remained, it became silent.
“……”
“……”
We poured each other tea. We observed the sight of milky-white steam rising up from our teacups.
Even if more tea were to pile on top of itself, the tea remained transparent and did not become cloudy. Tea with a slight tint of color was more transparent than plain water with absolutely no color. Transparency was obvious in something that started off with no color, but for something to have color and be transparent enough to see the bottom of at the same time, was both clean and divine. We desired to educate Farnese like this tea. Lapis and I did not consider the act of turning Farnese into plain water or leaving her as so, as education. We regarded the process of cutting, grinding, brewing the tea leaves, and then finally pouring the brew into the teacup, to be education. If I bestowed color to our daughter and Lapis brewed her, then Farnese would naturally bear a fragrance and emit it on her own. It was an artificiality that processed nature, and it was an artificiality that uncovered nature as well. We did not treat someone who had their thirst for authority castrated and tossed away as an adult, and we did not respect a child who did not know how to handle their authority. We were cold people.
After raising the cup before me and placing it on my lips, the tea was already cool. While drinking that cold tea, the two of us spoke to one another in a low voice.
“How would your highness have dealt with the rapists?”
“Mm. The main point of this issue is providing the fear of punishment to the soldiers. The more distinct the punishment is will make it stronger, and the more obscure the dread is will make it more powerful. It must be clear-cut on one side while giving a feeling of uncertainty on the other. That is the best solution.”
Lapis nodded.
“A logical response.”
“If it were me, then I would have castrated the genitals of the criminals and pierced a hole in the spot where their genitals once were. After that, I would bring an untamed orc or goblin and make them violate that hole. With this, the point becomes clear that rapists will receive rape in return, and the soldiers will feel fear by the aspect of a hole being created by force and having said hole be violated. Therefore, the troops will feel the dread of penalty all the way to the inside of their skulls.”
Lapis nodded her head once more.
“That is remarkable. Except, it would be more outstanding if you were to also carve their eyes out and insert their testicles into those empty sockets. That way, you could include the metaphor which warns them to not commit a crime while blinded by lust.”
“A splendid idea.”
It was my turn to nod this time.
“Since the metaphor envelops the distinctiveness and obscurity, the penalty will be even more apparent. Furthermore, you won’t be throwing away the severed testicles, and will be recycling them instead, so that makes it more beautiful.”
It was a tacit understanding. The two of us had no reason to not love each other. I understood that the term ‘a match made in heaven’ was not an exaggeration after having met Lapis.
“With how much points does your highness assume the miss will solve this task?”
“I wonder. I feel like she will narrowly fill 30 points.”
“Your highness is generous. This one is predicting 20 points. This one still does not understand why your highness has such a favorable opinion of the miss. Whether she truly does have talent or not, this one is unable to judge it as so.”
“She does indeed have an ignorant side to her……”
I smiled bitterly.
Regardless, our assessment was purely limited to the domain of politics. The realm of tactics was something entirely different. Our aptitude for the art of war was either completely non-existent or incredibly minimal. Even Lapis should have slightly realized by now that Farnese was a genius in regards to tactics.
“A terrifying monster lives over the mountains and in the land of humans. Farnese is the sword to defeat that monster.”
“……Puzzles are not this one’s specialty. A monster? Just what kind of person is he for your highness to refer to him as a monster?”
“No.”
I gulped down the rest of my tea.
“That is incorrect. It is a she.”
The ringleader to exterminate the Demon Lords within 30 years.
In this world lay a girl who would hire a humble sword wielding farmer from a slash-and-burn village, and then proceed to send that villager out as the vanguard of war with the title of ‘hero’. In this world lay a girl who would crush enemies who persisted, dust away enemies who yielded, and pull back enemies who fled and tossed them aside. If there was a cruel person who did not change one’s manners after killing nobles or feel sympathy after slaughtering their own subjects, then there was also an empress who would annihilate all of the Demon Lords and establish a united empire.
Therefore.
— Do you know how this world ends?
As the result of all the Demon Lords disappearing, all magical energy in the world will lose its current and cause it to overflow, until finally, it results in the collapse of the world. The mastermind to be the first person to open the doors to a unified continent while also being the first person to destroy the world at the same time, was currently living in this world as a young imperial princess.
Elizabeth.
Elizabeth A. E. von Habsburg.
In order to face her, Farnese was essential. If the imperial princess possessed the sword known as the hero, then I possessed the blade known as Farnese. I carefully savored the taste of the tea in my mouth.
Grow quickly, Farnese.
Hurry and mature, oh Farnese.
We are living in order to not die.
♦
One hour later, the execution was carried out.
Farnese had made a hole in the ice on top of the river. The three culprits were dropped into that hole. However, they were not submerged completely but only to the point where the water reached their chins. The miss ordered the witches to refreeze the river. The offenders’ bodies were then completely trapped in the ice water with only their heads sticking out. Farnese bent her back and met their gaze.
“They say that an old monster lurks in this river. Do well to endure.”
The faces of the culprits became deathly pale.
The fiends living in the water swam towards the men. The shadows of beasts stirring underneath the platform of ice could be seen.
The offenders screamed and flailed, and at the same time of their rigorous movement, the monsters rushed at their lower bodies and began tearing it apart.
— Please spare us!
— We apologize, oh great general! I plead you!
Little by little.
Underneath the ice water, the beasts ate away at the men’s flesh a small portion at a time. The monsters ripped the feet of the criminals with their teeth, tore the flesh on their waist, and gnawed away at their lungs. As time passed, the screaming weakened. A stillness fell over the surrounding. The thousands of soldiers who were watching the execution were silent. Only the heads of the criminals remained above the ice, while below the platform of ice, a crimson color spread out and dyed the water.
Farnese glanced down at the sight of blood spreading below her feet.
She then lifted up the heads of the culprits. Since their bodies were already completely torn apart from their heads, their heads came off from the ice with ease. Farnese examined the faces which were frozen in a pained expression and muttered like a judge who was grading the work of a 3rd rate painter.
“This is not appealing. The shape of their heads is unsatisfying.”
Farnese tossed the heads to the captains.
“Hang them up.”
The heads of the criminals were impaled onto rods and put on display in the center of the village. The word ‘Rapists’ was carved into their faces with a knife. Blood trailed down the blade mark. In the middle of that night, the cold became so severe that the blood drops froze.
The next day, the soldiers put the severed heads behind them and crossed over the sheet of ice. While stepping over the ice, the soldiers frequently glanced down below their feet. It seemed the thought of the decapitated heads was still being harbored in their minds respectively. After that day, there were no more soldiers who went against the military order.
Unbeknownst to the troops, Lapis and I made an assessment.
“See? 30 points.”
“It appears like 20 points to this one.”
Farnese only chose one option in the fear of penalty. There was no preciseness in the punishment and only obscure dread was filled to the brim. Since it was only filled with ambiguity, punishment had no form, and without a form, it was unable to exist by itself.
Farnese’s punishment could not reach as far as punitive measures. Now, the officers would only fear the Farnese who had enacted punishment. Like a child who was afraid of their parents. Whether it be a person of authority trying to manage politics with fear, or a parent attempting to break in their child with dread, these were common mistakes committed by people. It was not a surprise that a horrible parent was also a terrible person of authority. I scoffed at the individuals who tried to properly run a country when they were unable to manage their own household early on despite using the method of Confucius and Mencius.
Lapis let out a sigh.
“Your highness, this one is frustrated. At this rate, she will be unable to grasp a single thing even if 5 years were to pass.”
“What do you suggest?”
“This one shall remodel her from the root. If the miss is unable to grasp logic herself, then should we not inject reason into her ourselves?”
Lapis’ eyes were glowing coldly.
—Rote learning was born here in this moment.
Lapis educated Farnese more strongly.
In an area out the sight of the soldiers, Lapis hit and trained Farnese. Lapis did not have the tendency of complimenting the other party. Without any praise, she taught Farnese how to not lower her head, how to not stutter her words, how to not dishevel her facial expressions, how to not slouch her back, and how to not ruin her gait. Lapis spoke quietly.
“Look straight. Speak straight. Walk straight.”
Farnese learned while being hit. After being beaten for 4 days, was when Farnese was barely able to prepare a single speech. Lapis had also taught her how to properly angle her gaze, where to direct her stride, and where to stress her words. Finally, while in front of the gaze of the soldiers, Farnese gave a speech.
— Conserve your courage. Do not try to charge in courageously whenever possible. Conserve your mercy. Do not try to bestow mercy to others whenever you desire. Conserve your lust. Do not try to grab and rape a broad or lad whenever you crave it. The courage you have when fighting alongside your colleagues is not bravery. The mercy you hand to our enemies is not benevolence. The lust you release to your companion is not craving. This major general despises soldiers who act courageously when they should not, show mercy when they should not, and rape when they should not.
— This general desires for the courage of you gentlemen to be used solely for taking the necks of the enemy, for your mercy to be used solely for forgiving your colleagues, and for your lust to be used solely for taking the families of the enemy. Hold your courage, save your mercy, conserve your lust, and devote your terror and dread to this general. In return, you shall all receive the terror and dread from every foe in the world as tribute.
The soldiers cheered.
Only the soldiers cheered.
After the speech was over, Lapis gave an evaluation.
“30 points. Put in the effort to be able to improvise that level of speech from now on.”
“……”
Farnese turned to look at me. Her face was still emotionless, and yet, for some reason, a desire for redemption could be felt from her eyes.
“Lord……”
I smiled brightly.
“10 points. It was a pathetic speech. Be hit more.”
“Even your lordshiiip……”
Farnese fell to her knees on top of the snow.
Farnese was most likely unaware of the fact that in the areas where she was not, Lapis and I discussed the miss’ education methods throughout the night.
We are a bit of an excessive couple, my daughter.
Be it for a good reason or bad, Farnese was experiencing growth befitting the general of a Demon Lord.
The soldiers following Farnese were completely becoming the Demon Lord’s army.
Miss Farnese reigned over the military as the general, I took care of the army as the monarch, and Lapis supported the military camps as the adviser. Miss Farnese led the soldiers with terror at the front, I held the soldiers together with benevolence at the center, and Lapis put the soldiers at ease with thoroughness at the back, that was our state of affairs. There was no gap between the three of us. We gained merit from each other respectively and interlocked firmly like the characters 凹凸. Strategy–Personnel Administration–Logistic Command breathed together as one body.
Among these, if we were to talk about Lapis, who was handling the logistic command, she was mostly following at the very rear of our march while leading the material supplies. At the back of our army, there were not only wagons, but peddlers, panders, and prostitutes crawling around. It was Lapis’ duty to supervise and manage the rights of these people.
She was heartless.
The lover who was cold-blooded to me and cruel to Farnese was what kind of person Lapis Lazuli was. There was no chance that that kind of Lapis would take care of the peddlers generously.
By the time Farnese had executed 2 soldiers, Lapis had already beheaded 20 peddlers. Lapis did not forgive the people who disturbed the trading area. She gruesomely punished anyone who committed the conduct of scamming the soldiers. Lapis determined the severity of the punishment by the crime committed, and carried out the punitive action on the same day the verdict was decided.
Lapis’ ruling was always short.
“Slit your throat.”
“Sever your limbs.”
“Cut open your stomach and display your internal organs.”
“Be buried.”
The verdicts were easy to understand and had no room for misinterpretation.
The horrifying truth was that the method of punishment was solely execution.
Execution by beheading was somewhat on the merciful side. The breaking wheel was the second best option after beheading. The slightest bit of one’s dignity was at least preserved up to this point.
You could at least look at the corpse and say, ‘So this guy was a goblin’, or, ‘So that guy was an orc’, by identifying the shape of their body.
However, whether it be skinning alive the procurers who treated their prostitutes like slaves and stole their pay, or ripping out the internal organs of peddlers like a bunch of noodles for unfairly gaining profit from soldiers who were lacking in the head, there was no dignity here whatsoever. There were only blood red entrails.
Lapis was cold-hearted.
If there was a single mistake on the directory then someone would, without a doubt, die on that day. Even if the numbers matched the list, as a person whose previous job was a merchant, she noticed the deception and made certain to kill the one responsible. It was impossible to fool Lapis who used to be a peasant that had risen up to be an executive in the Keuncuska Firm.
Since the soldiers at the front were afraid of General Farnese, and the suppliers at the back were terrified of Lapis’ punishments, both the front and rear of our forces were tranquil.
The voices of people disregarding Miss Farnese by claiming that she was a human harlot, disappeared. And the scornful words which spoke ill of Lapis by calling her a vulgar half-breed peasant had also vanished.
All I had to do was stay idle.
Even if I messed around, the march of my army progressed with no issue.
While our journey went on for a week, the captains uttered in surprise that it was the first time in their lives to experience such an easy march. Normally, an army would lose energy the further they went and their aim would weaken, but his highness’ army gathered strength the more we walked and our goal became clearer, so they were able to understand what the term Royal Grace truly meant because of this, was what the captains stated.
I, who was actually comfortably doing nothing, nodded my head in response. All I had to do was give their wages on time, occasionally punish the ones who embezzled the money, and the soldiers would cry out, ‘Hooray for his highness Demon Lord!’, on their own. Farnese and Lapis were the ones’ doing the hard work, but I had the monopoly of all the praises.
Referentially, this is the method of winning in life.
Bonjour—.
And like that, a week passed.
An open field was spread out before us.
With a ‘clang, clang’, the sound of a frozen brook being broken resonated. Soldiers were holding tools and pounding on the ice. Past the men, a countless amount of tents were lined up.
The stream flowed for a distance before our vision of it was blocked by tents. It continued flowing while in its hidden state and came out in a whimsical place somewhere else to continue flowing. At every spot the brook came out, 10 goblins were attached and were smashing away at the ice. This scenery extended out all the way to the horizon.
Farnese examined the horizon with her eyes.
“Approximately a massive army of 60,000……”
The dark blue skin of orcs, the green wrinkled skin of goblins, and the sturdy gray skin of trolls crowded the military encampment. It was swarming with color. All kinds of miscellaneous things were mixed together and squirming around like an ant’s nest. Those fellows had set up their own world over there.
It was a world that I didn’t really want to squeeze into. I wished to decline politely. I was a bit too young to accept something that was being crowded, being swarmed, and squirming as beautiful.
“Would it truly be 60,000? Those goblins over there are not wearing clothes so they are most likely servants and not troops. This is worrying……”
“What are you concerned about, lord?”
“Since they have freely mixed the soldiers who fight with the servants who aid, there is no possibility that their military discipline will be stern. I fear that the number of soldiers may appear many, but that, in truth, their worth does not match their quantity.”
While staring at the lineup of the Demon Lord Allied Forces, which had gathered here to suppress the humans, Farnese spoke. It seemed she was overwhelmed by the number of tents covering the field.
“But is it still not a grand spectacle?”
“Quite.”
I nodded.
“This magnificent view is indeed grand.”
2nd month and 12th day.
We arrived at the promised field.
▯The Northern Guardian, Margrave of Rosenberg, Georg von Rosenberg Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 2, Day 12 Polles
— A rumor has been going around that the end is approaching.
— They say the Demon Lords are going to arrive while steering the Black Death to us.
— That’s a false rumor, a false rumor……
The Saintess of the Empire coughed out blood and fell unconscious.
The saintess claimed that she had witnessed the end of the world in her dream. The soldiers gathered in twos and whispered among one another that the saintess had been possessed by an evil spirit. The fear on the soldiers’ faces was apparent.
— Black smoke shall engulf the mountains. It shall swallow the empire and, at last, consume the entire continent. The gray clouds shall have no limits or bounds, and thus, the winter shall continue with no limits or bounds. Freeze in this continuous winter. Everything shall freeze. The black smoke shall not clear. The black shall……
Speaking up to that point, the saintess then vomited blood. The blood was sticky because of the content that was mixed together with her blood. The reason I was able to detail this incident so confidently was because I was there in person to hear the prophecy during the previous night.
As I was the commander in charge of the northern region, I participated in the conference for the highest leading members of the government. We had received information that the Demon Lord Allied Forces were going to invade soon. We had to prepare against the invasion. I was not the sole person to partake in the strategy meeting, but the authority figures, His Highness the Crown Prince and Her Highness the Imperial Princess, and adding to that, The Saintess, were present as well. In that location, the Saintess was possessed by a spirit.
— The black shall, the black shall, the black shall……
The saintess coughed blood. She vomited repetitively. Her eyes rolled up to the back of her head and revealed the whites of her eyes. There were many clumps from her intestines mixed into her blood. The saintess convulsed. We urgently called for the clerics and healed her.
The Imperial Princess made an entreaty.
— This incident is confidential. Only we must know of this. Do not divulge this information outside. If the soldiers were to hear the saintess’ prophecy, then they will be heavily shaken, thus meaning, we cannot allow our morale to drop in our current situation where the Demon Lords plan to invade. No matter what cost, watch your words.
I agreed.
The Crown Prince, while consumed by fear, nodded his head as well.
With that, the case was supposed to be buried, but—for some reason, not a day had passed before the prophecy ended up being leaked. At the entire front, at that.
From the veteran officers to the new recruits, they all knew of the news that the saintess had vomited pitch black blood last night. Even the peddlers at the bottom of the military camp knew the contents of the prophecy. People whispered that it was an ominous omen.
Throughout the night, I wandered through the crowds and reprimanded the captains. There was nothing more terrifying than a wild rumor. Nothing more horrifying than the sound of words. Since soldiers lose and injure their lives effortlessly, they felt fear and dread just as easily. That is the core of a soldier. Since I have lived for more than 60 years now, I have seen many occasions of an army falling apart due to a groundless rumor. There was nothing which assured that it would not happen this time as well.
I wished to decline being defeated before even engaging with the Demon Lord Allied Forces. Measures must most likely be discussed immediately. Above all else, I cannot fall until I have avenged myself for the humiliation I suffered last autumn……
“Your Highness the Imperial Princess, I am here on this morning to pay my respects.”
“Enter.”
The Imperial Princess spent her time enclosed by a white tent. She disliked going under a roof to sleep. The Imperial Princess declared that if the troops were being struck by snow and rain, and if one was unable to prevent the fall of that snow and rain, then it should not be avoided. The soldiers held that Imperial Princess in high esteem, and worried for the Imperial Princess’ health foremost when it rained or snowed.
……Of course, the Imperial Princess’ action was most likely a political scheme, but the majority of nobles were unable to properly carry out even this simple ploy. Separate to the Imperial Princess’ personality, I respected her ability.
Pushing the white cloth to the side, I became surprised by the sight of the Imperial Princess.
And the scene that was utterly unexpected.
Inside the tent, a long table was placed.
This was fine.
That was a normal scene.
But if there was a corpse of an alligator spread out on top of the table, and additionally, if the Imperial Princess was personally holding a knife and butchering that alligator, then the scenery went a thousand miles from being normal.
“For the margrave to come pay his respects. What a rare occasion.”
The Imperial Princess silently stripped the skin off the gator.
She did not glance towards my direction even once.
“Did you not dislike me?”
“Nothing of the sort, your highness. This general has always respected your highness.”
“That isn’t a lie. Not a lie. However, you also do not revere me. Is that not so?”
“……”
“You respect me. However, occasionally the word ‘respect’ is nothing more than a slightly safer and milder way to pronounce the word ‘scorn’. Words are trivial.”
Thack
The Imperial Princess shaved a piece of fragrant wood and scattered it into a brass incense burner. The brass, heated by a charcoal fire, slowly lit the chunks of wood aflame. The aromatic wood burned. As smoke formed, the fragrance spread. The aroma covered the smell of the alligator’s blood. While hiding the scent of blood, the fragrant smoke rose up densely. The fragrance seeped all the way down to my gut.
Thuck
The Imperial Princess skinned the alligator within the smoke.
The Imperial Princess peeled the skin by severing the outer layer of muscle and stabbing into the inner layer of muscle. The boundary of the outer and inner layer was clearly visible to the princess. I unintentionally marveled at the skillful hand movement that was able to establish a border in the flesh and carved that boundary out naturally like a professional butcher. I could not imagine when and where the lady, who was born into the highest lineage in the world, had learned how to skin an alligator. The Imperial Princess, who resembled the secluded place in which she was born and raised in, was difficult to handle.
“Do you not think that the majority of the conversations we have shared can be condensed into more simple terms? I like you. I hate you. A person’s mind may start from there, but they are unable to arrive at this location in the end. Although people may refer to this as the path or course of life, I honestly call it a waste of time. Sir Rosenberg. Let us not waste each other’s time. Why did you come find me despite your animosity towards me? Tell me the reason why I have to listen to the words of a man, who does not revere me, while it is still noon.”
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_02_03.txt
|
Chapter 2: Winter
Was it a threat? Or was she serious?
I was unable to figure out the emotions of the other party. There were no expressions on her face. It appeared as if she was purely focused on the task of skinning the alligator. Even though the Imperial Princess was outside, it felt as if she was still residing within the palace. It even felt like she was the palace. If the amount of nobility she had purged did not reach over the dozens—then I may have had already been deceived by her outer appearance by this point.
“Your highness. You cannot gain the admiration of nobility automatically.”
“Oh dear. I do not desire for your admiration.”
The Imperial Princess shed her feelings and laughed.
It was a sound of laughter with no temperature.
“I was merely asking what meaning your respect has. The word respect contains 5 different meanings and 10 variations of tone. That is why I do not trust words. What I demand from you is not words, but actions. Distinct-Evident-Articulate-actions. Of course, you would not listen even if I were to order you to like this. You are a stubborn old man, after all.”
“……”
“Speak.”
“……Information that Demon Lord Barbatos, Demon Lord Marbas, and Demon Lord Paimon, as the key individuals, are calling together an army has arrived. Although the total military strength is uncertain, it is clear that they have more than 50,000 but less than 70,000.”
“It seems it is not as fearsome as I had imagined. They do not have Baal nor do they have Agares. Barbatos is ignorant, Marbas is indecisive, and Paimon is…… well, Paimon.”
“Your highness is currently underestimating the enemy forces.”
“That is not so.”
At that moment, the Imperial Princess looked at me for the first time.
My mind felt needlessly restless because her purple eyes felt like they could pierce through a person’s psyche.
“No. Oh dear, by the Gods. That is not so at all! Why would I possibly underestimate the enemy forces? Never in my life have I ever devaluated someone.”
“Is that the case?”
“Of course. As proof of that, you are still alive.”
“……”
“You are a man of talent that is essential to our empire. The House of Rosenberg has been loyal to the imperial family for the past 500 years. And they have protected us from the invasions of the Demon Lords coming from the Black Mountains for 1,000 years. You are a competent individual, Georg. I respect you. If perhaps, I did not respect you, then—something like a province warlord in command of troops could not possibly still exist, is that not so?”
“……”
“This is what it means to show one’s purpose through actions. It is distinct, evident, and articulate. Georg, I at times ponder how outstanding it would be if people lived without ever using words.”
Rip
The muscle was torn.
The Imperial Princess plunged her knife into the neck region of the gator. The neck was more tender than any other area on an alligator’s body. Once the Imperial Princess moved her blade, the leather on the neck was skinned off just like that.
“It is fortunate that that situation is not now. Be at ease and continue. My ears are prepared to listen courteously.”
“If the Demon Lords are going to invade, then they must choose one of three paths. The first path is the passage in the mountains……”
“A passage that leads to the Kingdom of Teuton. That has no relation to us.”
“……The second path is through the plains.”
“The path to the Polish-Lithuanian[1] Kingdom. That certainly does not matter to our empire as well. For goodness’ sake, we’ll have to pray for the Gods to influence the Demon Lord armies to go towards the mountains or plains. We’ll be able to catch our breaths while they are going to war, after all.”
“Your highness.”
I furrowed my brows.
I could not stand that sort of response.
“I apologize, but if this general is correct, they are the same humans as us.”
“And there are no other animals that can kill humans as efficiently as other humans. Sir Rosenberg, please stop trying to act refined on your own!”
The Imperial Princess gave a timid laugh.
“Exactly how many villagers have burned to death on the mountains this winter? 100? 200?”
I closed my mouth.
“Or was it 300? I’ve heard that the number effortlessly surpasses 1,000, and if my memory serves me right, those villagers were also the same humans as we are. What did our great Sir Rosenberg do while thousands of villagers were massacred as humans? You observed. You only watched.”
“……”
“Do you not consider the word ‘observed’ to be the same term as ‘fire watching’, but expressed in a more elegant manner? Oh, Northern Guardian, One of the Four Margraves, the Controller of both the Black and White Fortresses—Sir von Rosenberg.”
I stared at the eye of the gator. Since my head was lowered, I could not meet the eyes of the Imperial Princess. Instead, I intended to at least glare at the beast.
The Imperial Princess let words flow out.
“It seems I have mocked you severely. I apologize. I am apologizing for the fact that I do not feel particularly sorry. Continue to keep that in mind.”
“……I shall bear that in mind.”
“Good.”
Riiiip
The Imperial Princess gripped the back skin of the gator and tore it off. The leather came off instantly. The skin smoothly peeled off following the line which she had lacerated earlier. Once the leather was gone, a light pink inner-flesh was revealed. The color of alligator meat was modest and light.
“Do not concern yourself with the passage in the mountains or the path in the plains. All we have to do is defend the path leading to the empire. Do you require the assistance of the imperial family?”
“The North does not require help from anyone.”
I responded as clearly as possible.
“But I shall express my gratitude to your highness’ offer to help.”
“Oh dear, it seems he’s become upset because of my teasing…… It is only your loss if a beautifully aged man like yourself were to lose your temper towards this shameful girl. Just obediently accept the reinforcements.”
“I apologize, but your highness, I truly do not require reinforcements. This one shall defend the mountains, so your highness should solidify the home front alongside His Highness the Crown Prince. That way, if we are forced to, we will be able to make contact with either Teuton or Polish-Lithuania and spread out a strategy.”
“With my brother? You sure know how to make me laugh.”
“……”
“Do you see that fellow as someone who knows how to manage military affairs? He is a man who is unable to properly conduct his own mouth and bottom. Did you not see it as well? I warned everyone to remain silent about the saintess’ prophecy to such a degree, and yet, the rumor spread within a single night.”
“Your grace is immeasurable, your highness”
The Imperial Princess closed her mouth. I was unable to grasp why she had shut her mouth. Shortly after, the Imperial Princess spoke again.
“My brother’s mouth is more loose than a whore’s bottom hole. Even the privates do not respect my brother. Are you telling me to gather an army with that sort of man?”
“……For this general, the Crown Prince is an equal commander. His Majesty the Emperor ordered this general to manage the north, and did not treat the Crown Prince any differently there.”
“Forsooth, it seems you are loyal to my father, the king. I understand. I respect your loyalty. ……But by the way, Margrave, do you not think that the term filial piety shines the brightest when dutiful towards a parent with no worth, and the word loyalty shines brighter when faithful to a lord with no value? Your loyalty to the emperor is quite marvelous. It is impressive.”
The Imperial Princess stabbed the knife into the table.
With a washcloth, the Imperial Princess cleaned her blood soaked hands. Once she had done so, she lightly patted my shoulder. The Imperial Princess’ face was far, but her voice almost felt as if it was being whispered directly into my ear.
“You are a loyalist, Sir Rosenberg.”
“……”
“But you cannot buy my respect with fidelity. If you wish for me to respect you, then over all else, you must obtain victory. Although I may be accepting the military orders since you are the supreme commander of this upcoming war, if by some small chance, you were to commit a mistake…… Well, I’ll most likely be very disappointed, will I not?”
“This general shall not bestow disappointment.”
“I shall trust you.”
And the Imperial Princess spoke the words.
“Habsburg grants their faith a single time.”
“The North shall not forget.”
The two of us exchanged the maxim passed down in our families from the House of Habsburg and the House of Rosenberg respectively. The very act of exchanging the mottoes which were passed down for nearly 1,000 years was sacred. The vow of the Imperial Princess, who appeared like the one person who would not place her trust in others the most, felt that much more substantial. The moment I break that single faith, she will purge me without a doubt……
The Imperial Princess stabbed the alligator skin onto a rod and raised it up in the center of the military camp.
Alligators are known as the descendants of dragons. Dragons are the symbol of Demon Lords. While staring up at the gator skin, the soldiers whispered among one another that that monster was caught by Her Highness the Imperial Princess personally.
After examining that the signs of the soldiers still being afraid had disappeared, I thought about the armies of the Demon Lords that were approaching from over the mountains. Whether they will be a strong army or a rabble, and what fate they were going to bring with them, it was difficult to make an assumption. Like the Imperial Princess whose face was hidden by the smoke, the armies of the Demon Lords were similarly hidden by the mountains, and yet, I was unable to judge whether I should be afraid of the thing which could not be seen despite being by my side, or if I should fear the thing that could not be seen because of the distance. Surrounded by the fear from behind and dread in front, my body languished.
I beheaded the two military personnel responsible for circulating the wild rumor among the troops and hung their heads.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 2, Day 12 Yotvingian Plains, Demon Lord Allied Forces Garrison
— Where are those vulgar people crawling from?
— Ah, don’t you know? Isn’t that His Honor Dantalian? That pink haired bitch is a peasant, and the blonde bitch beside her is a human.
— Sheesh. Does that guy have some idiosyncrasy of only bedding peasants?
— They say that people from a low birth are tight down there, you know?
— Human? Are you saying that’s a human? That?
The Demon Lord Allied Forces were a rabble. Since the term rabble is incredibly old-fashioned, there was a need to be a bit more honest.
I believed that there is life in words. For example, words similar to ‘universe’ were too antiquated for me to use. I preferred the world over the universe. If you were a refined individual with common sense, then by distinguishing a dead language and a contemporary language, you must at times revitalize a half-dead language, and at other times, beat a half-dead language to death.
With no room for debate, I was a splendidly refined individual. Therefore, I elegantly expressed the word rabble in a bit more fresh language.
The Demon Lord Allied Forces were a bunch of damned pieces of shit.
As soon as we entered through the camp gate with our banners held out in front of us, for some reason, soldiers who were pitiable like bums approached us and spoke nonsense.
— Your Honor Dantalian! To bring a human bitch in front of us humble fellows who are gathered here to suppress the humans, we are able to understand your honor’s immeasurable motive. If your honor has had enough fun with that harlot, then please allow us lowly ones to have a taste as well!
— That human harlot’s presence is dignified, so her being the imperator is evident. If she’s so robust during the day, then just imagining how boyish she’d be during the night is putting me at a loss.
Looking at the soldiers blocking our path, I let out a sigh.
Seeing that they were coming at me without any fear, it was clear that they were the subordinates of a Demon Lord of a much higher rank than myself. To the demons, the humans were the enemy of our kind, and their social status was considered as peasants. To them, for a Demon Lord like myself to make a human like Farnese into my acting general was definitely a mistake. I rebuked them moderately.
“It seems you fools have lost your minds. Move aside before your balls are removed and shoved into your mouths. Or in reverse, do you want your throats to be slit and your dicks shoved in there?”
The soldiers laughed loudly.
— For your honor to say that you will personally jack us off. We are so gracious that we do not know where to place our bodies.
The crowd split in half, and thus our path was finally open.
Commanding Lapis and Farnese to move to my side, the three of us moved forward with the heads of our horses aligned next to one another. Lapis quietly spoke in a tone that only I could hear.
“You did well to endure, your highness.”
“What do I have to endure? You are the ones to have received the ridicule, so you two did well holding back.”
“What could your highness be talking about? This one is later on going to take the lives of those soldiers in secret, so your highness did well in enduring right this moment. The insult this one has received will, of course, be repaid by this one.”
“……”
Those soldiers were piteous. I still vividly remembered the method where a certain maid was poisoned to death for having insulted Lapis. These fellows should be happy if their corpses were at least left intact.
Farnese muttered.
“This young lady cannot understand. Why does every officer who looks at this young lady wrongly assume that this young lady had slept with your lordship? Thinking logically, there is no chance that a man like your lordship could possibly be allowed in this young lady’s bed.”
“Take the situation more seriously, you idiot.”
I’m not sure whether it’s because this child had always shut herself in a library to read history books all day, but she didn’t have the sensibility to accept reality.
Leading my vassals, who I could not say had a strong distinct characteristic since they actually had nothing but distinct characteristics, we went into the deepest part of the encampment. The demon soldiers poured jeers on us by shouting ‘Boo— boo—’. They called me ‘The King of Peasants’, Lapis as ‘The King’s Whore’, and Farnese was referred to as ‘The King’s Slave’. It felt like we had all of a sudden become a popular idol group.
How poignant.
For them as well, every day was shit, thus their lives should have been spent enduring this kind of days, and yet instead, they scorned peasants and slaves. They most likely suffered because of the nobles and were pressured to look down, and the only thing below them were peasants and slaves. It became a state of affairs where the things they received from the nobles were passed straight down to the people below them. What could possibly console them? Was there anything more to say to the reasonability of these low people, who could not gather together, but fought among each other instead? The ones pressuring them to not look upwards were the nobles and royalty such as myself, so the right to punish them for belittling the things below them was something which I did not possess.
“It seems there are a lot of people to kill.”
……Except for Lapis.
Since Lapis was a girl born at the absolute bottom, to her, she had more than enough rights to send the heads of those above her flying. She was a girl whom even I could not stop. No one could stop her. I prayed for the repose of those poignant souls in advance. Please have an easy passage into eternity.
It was at the moment we were docilely passing by one of the military camps. The soldiers started to throw clumps of snow at our ranks. My men became bewildered and stopped their advance. The 11 members of the Berbere Sisters, who could be referred to as my royal bodyguards, instantly covered the area around me.
The snow collided against the witches. Being hit by snow on their foreheads, cheeks, and torsos, the witches became soiled. The witches silently endured the barrage until they became a complete mess. They did not utter a single word while being hit. Just like the time they were abused by Demon Lord Andromalius in the past.
From the other side, the demon troops made invidious remarks.
— For your honor’s mistress to be an outcast, general to be a human, and royal bodyguards to be witches, your honor’s good faith impales the sky. Indeed, it’s befitting of the King of Peasants.
— You must be very fortunate to be so popular with women, your honor! Please teach the people how to bed lowly harlots and spread the information throughout the world.
Snow continued to fly towards us. They were not aiming at me but were throwing the snow in order to hit the witches. Despite that, the witches, in concern for the worst situation, did not leave my side for even the slightest moment. The witches merely guarded me with a stoic expression on their face.
“……Lapis.”
“Yes, your highness?”
“Where are those bullock bones from?”
“It appears a three-legged goat is drawn on their flag. That belongs to the rank 12th Demon Lord, Sitri. The soldiers led by Sitri are renowned for their rough volubility and coarse speaking habits.”
“Indeed.”
I let out a sigh.
“Then if I were to slit the throats of those soldiers, that’ll be the same as making the Mountain Faction into our enemy.”
Sitri was a loyal subject to Paimon. Even if they had provoked us first, a big incident would occur if I were to kill them thoughtlessly.
No, they may be starting this ruckus in order to cause a big incident on purpose. If the current situation were to get any worse, then there will certainly be a faction who will use my decision of putting a human as my general as the problem, and place it as the public opinion. That the privates were probably dissatisfied just because I had made an individual with no prestige into my general.
If that were to happen then I would be at a disadvantage. They would be taunting me and dragging me into a situation where it was favorable for them. What should I do? How should I deal with this mess……?
I wonder if it had detected that I had fallen into deep thought. With a jaunty sound effect, a selection window appeared before me.
[1. Punish the insults.]
[2. Endure the insults.]
I carefully gazed at the words floating in mid-air.
Even if the soldiers were wretchedly throwing clumps of snow towards a Demon Lord, such as myself, I did not feel any particular anger because of it. Insults were disgraceful when done by someone of a similar standing. So what if some soldiers tossed snow at me?
The problem was face. The issue was always one’s honor. The witches were being hit by the filth in my stead, but if I were to do nothing and pass the situation by like this, then my honor as a monarch would be damaged. Farnese, who must have also been concerned of this, whispered to me some advice.
“Lord. Should we not kill those men immediately? Even if we do not kill them, if we bind them and shove their faces into the ground then they’ll shut up on their own.”
“This one disapproves.”
Lapis whispered to me in a low voice on my other side.
“Seeing that mere privates are openly insulting your highness, there is no doubt that Demon Lord Sitri is supporting them from behind. There is no benefit your highness can gain by colliding against Sitri. Refrain from doing something rash.”
“How could enduring be a king’s only method? Miss Lapis. You never close your eyes towards the ridicule you receive, and yet, how could you request for his lordship to turn a blind eye towards the humiliation he receives?”
“Since this one is a humble vassal, it is fine for this one to behave basely. A humble individual’s generosity is the act of forgetting oneself and behaving with impudence. Disgracefulness is a shallowness befitting this one’s place. However, his highness is different. Please be tolerant.”
I spoke.
“Stop.”
“This is not something that can be solved by stopping, lord. This young lady is an illegitimate child of a lowly servant girl, so it is appropriate for this young lady to receive insults. However, how is this young lady supposed to endure the situation where her lord is unjustly being ridiculed? Please order this young lady to take their necks.”
“Your highness. Miss Farnese is still young. Do not listen to her. Even if the people were to praise your highness, your majesty will not rise, and even if people were to jeer at your highness, your dignity will not be damaged. Please understand.”
“Sheesh. I told you two to stop, and yet you two continue to bicker.”
I raised my right hand.
The moment I did so, the witches all raised their staves at once. My troops also broke apart from their marching ranks and lifted their spears. It took no longer than a couple of seconds for my troops, which consisted of 4,000 soldiers, to display their vigor.
The encampment became quiet. An aggressive silence, which felt as if a fight could erupt at any second, flowed. Even the soldiers who were tossing snow at us had pulled out their swords with their muddied hands. They continued to babble on narrow-mindedly.
— Does your honor plan to cut us lowly subjects down? That’s fine. Since your honor had stabbed the throat of His Highness Andromalius in order to save the life of a succubus whore, then killing tens or hundreds of us lowly people for those witches should be possible, right?
— Please step over our corpses with your honor’s grace.
I dismounted from my horse. I wiped off the mud smeared on the witches’ faces with my clothes. The mud was smudged on them rather excessively so it did not get wiped off easily. Moistening the lower end of my clothes with the snow, I wiped clean the skin of the witches.
—……
The sight of a member of the noblest stratum in the demon world cleaning the face of a peasant, hundreds of thousands of soldiers watched while holding their breath. Within the heavy atmosphere, only the witches chatted and giggled quietly.
“Ahah, really our master[2]……”
“His way of thinking is really abnormal, isn’t it?”
“Right—?”
I deliberately whispered to them in a serious tone.
“Be quiet. Do not ruin the mood.”
“Roger.”
The witches responded faintly. Although my facial expression was stoic like before, it was not the same impassive expression as before. I sincerely cleaned all 11 witches.
The mud that was trickling from the witches was all moved onto my clothes, so now I was the one that was filthy. I took my mantle off and draped it over the leader of the group, Witch Humbaba. After brushing her shoulder twice, I remounted my horse.
“Let us depart.”
“Set forth!”
Farnese shouted.
The soldiers who were enthusiastically ridiculing us could not stop our march. As if they were embarrassed, they lowered their heads. The bottom line in the selection window glowed brightly and dispersed in mid-air.
A kind and merciful decision!
Witch Humbaba’s affection went up by 3.
Witch Stheno’s affection went up by 9.
Witch Euryale’s affection went up by 8.
Looking up at the words that broke apart like a flurry of snow, I smiled. I was already doing well, so was there really a need for it to compliment me about it? 100 points is already 100% so there’s nothing more to add, after all.
Lapis spoke.
“95 points, your highness.”
“Ara? That score is subtly suspicious. What are the grounds for the deduction in points?”
“A man who is too perfect is aggravating, is he not? This one was concerned that your highness would become bothersome, so this one was being slightly considerate. Since removing 5 points is, in truth, the same as adding 5 points, this is this one’s method of displaying her loyalty to your highness.”
Sure.
Good for you!
▯Demon Lord of Benevolence, Rank 9th, Paimon Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 2, Day 12 Yotvingian Plains, Demon Lord Allied Forces Garrison
“What should we do, sis……?”
Sitri asked with a teary voice.
We quietly watched Demon Lord Dantalian go by with his troops in tow. There was nothing we could do. This lady’s plan of provoking Dantalian, in order to someway or another delay the start of war, was thus a complete failure.
“I’m sorry, Big Sis Paimon. I chose the most vulgar mouthed soldiers among my troops and spread them out, but it seems that wasn’t enough.”
“No. It’s not your fault Sitri. The other party had merely handled the situation smoothly. I tried provoking him since I had heard a rumor that he cherished his subordinates, but for his expression to not shift even once……”
My mind felt heavy.
Ever since last year, the feeling that this lady, no, not only this lady but all of the Demon Lords as well, were being swept up by Dantalian’s pace did not disappear. Was it merely this lady who was mistaken?
It was fine to consider Dantalian’s reputation to be the absolute worst. He had declared an outcast as his fiancée(This is illegal), made a human into his acting general(This as well is illegal), and furthermore, his Demon Lord Castle, which was his stronghold, had fallen. In the public eye, the assessment of Dantalian was horrendous. A fool blinded by love, a filthy debauchee……
However, this lady thought differently.
There was no other choice but to think differently.
Within half a year, Dantalian was able to rise up to one of the highest positions among the richest individuals in the demon world. If that man were a fool, then that would be impossible to achieve. If you looked further into it, the trigger to start this upcoming war originated from Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle having been invaded. Was this a coincidence?
If anything, should one not look at this backwards?
That that man had personally induced his public image to appear like a fool and a parvenu.
“……”
My face became stiff.
If this lady’s intuition was correct, then that would mean that Dantalian was playing around with the entire demon world at his own will. To always achieve what he desired, while at the same time making that achievement appear like pure chance. He disguised everything to appear as if it had flowed like that because of luck. There were a countless number of people who fail but pretend to have succeeded. However, people who have succeeded but acted as if they had failed were rare. Furthermore, the occasion where that act would be carried on and continued was even more uncommon.
If we don’t deal with him by any means then.
“Big sister. Are you alright?”
Sitri looked at me with a worried expression on her face.
Oh dear, it seems this lady’s face had unintentionally become excessively serious without her knowing. Following my long time habit, I moved the edges of my lips and formed a natural smile.
“Yes, I am fine. You are very kind, Sitri.”
“Ehe.”
Once I stroked her head, Sitri rubbed her cheek against my hand. How cute.
That night, I sent away every soldier who was in the vicinity of my quarters and called for the spy. The spy was a short girl. With a pitch black cloak wrapped around her entire body, the spy lowered herself to one knee.
“Did your highness call?”
“Yes. Was there any inconvenience on your way here?”
“Ahah, it’s alright. Sir Dantalian’s camp is currently having a drinking party, so the security is lax. There were no cumbersome gazes while concealing myself all the way here, so it’s fine.”
“A drinking party, is it……?”
“He threw a banquet saying that everyone did a good job for marching through the snow and rain for a week. Since alcohol and boar meat are being served indefinitely, the privates are going wild. Normally, the night watch would be managed by a girl named Lazuli, but she was caught by Sir Dantalian and is currently pouring him his drinks. That’s why this one was able to sneak out easily—.”
“……”
That was most likely not the only reason for throwing a banquet.
Although Dantalian may have sagaciously gotten past the situation from this afternoon, the likelihood that Dantalian’s soldiers were still harboring in their minds the humiliation that their monarch had received was high. The banquet was held to disentangle their frustrated minds.
Indeed.
Dantalian was not a foolish fellow. This lady’s instincts were warning her as so.
In the world, something with a million to one chance could always occur. The path that Dantalian had walked until now could truly be nothing more than a coincidence. A method to identify whether it was an inevitability or a coincidence did not exist for this lady. If the ability to discern whether something was an inevitability or a coincidence was not available, this lady tended to lean towards it being an inevitability.
That was why I had bribed the spy in front of me.
“Show me the evidence that you claimed could slander Dantalian.”
The spy took out a pocket watch from inside her cloak and laid it on the floor. As soon as this lady flicked her wrist, the pocket watch floated to her hand. Since this spy’s stratum was so low that it could be compared to that of an outcast, in accordance with the laws in the demon world, direct contact with her was forbidden.
“Is this a Memory Play artifact?”
“Yup. Setting it to 12, 7, 5, 4, 2 ,3, and 11 will do.”
“This lady is looking forward to seeing what sort of content lies within this.”
I turned the hour hand of the pocket watch according to the sequence the spy had stated.
A white smoke leaked out from the watch and a video was projected onto the fumes. Dantalian’s figure appeared within the scenery displayed on the smoke. Dantalian was holding the human girl, whom he had made into his acting general, in his arms. Witches could be seen as well.
— Turn this place into Hell.
— Aha? By ‘Hell’, does master mean?
— I can smell a scent somewhere. It is the smell of fat emanating from disgusting masses of flesh. It is the smell of greed and hypocrisy
Is that…… a market?
Seeing that there were iron cages around them, it seemed to be a slave market. What appeared to be the corpses of guards were collapsed on the ground. Dantalian grinned towards the witches.
— If they are pigs, then it would only be appropriate for them to behave like pigs and oink in a pigsty, and yet, why are they striding so boldly along the streets? What are you to do when these pigs are arrogantly trying to imitate people and shove their noses everywhere?
— Naturally, you have to imprint onto them that they are pigs!
— Only people can possess slaves. It seems those runts are arrogantly going against the moral of beasts and trying to handle slaves.
— Please give us the order. We shall make this place into a slaughterhouse tonight!
— Yes. The command that I shall order is slaughter. Slaughter those bastards without giving them the chance to even scream. This is not murder. Do not let your conscience weigh down your heart and hesitation take over your hands. As you are lords of all creation, with the authority granted to you all by the Goddesses, slaughter these livestock for our extensive cause.
— As you command, master!
And the slaughter began.
Shooting through the night sky, the witches killed every last human. It was not only humans. Even the demons caught as slaves were put to death. The market instantly degenerated into a burning hell, and people burned between the flames. I watched the figures of them wailing while dumbstruck.
“What is this……?”
“The scene of the slaughter that Sir Dantalian had ordered.”
The spy responded.
“Although the rumors say that Sir Dantalian had picked up Miss Farnese, who was wandering around aimlessly, by chance. Ahah. That is actually a lie. Sir Dantalian had personally gone to rescue Miss Farnese who was confined within the slave market in Pavia.”
“But why the order to slaughter……?”
“Since there can’t be any evidence.”
This lady became speechless.
For that reason alone.
The massacre was still taking place in the video. Regardless of their race or age, the witches got rid of every figure that came into their sight. There were even the tremendously weak sirens and children among the slaughtered.
The screams of a child and the laughter of witches mixed together. It blended together like smoke. Endlessly, endlessly…… my head became so dizzy that I ended up closing my eyes. Until the video had ended. This lady could not contain the tragedy in her eyes.
“……Is this not fabricated?”
“Fabricate a video of this size? Surely your highness is joking–. Even if someone were to use disguise magic to imitate the core individuals, Sir Dantalian and Miss Farnese, then what about the rest of the people? Does your highness think that hundreds of mages would use disguise magic to make this sort of video?”
The spy laughed.
“Ahahah, if that were true then a rumor would have spread a long time ago. Your highness should know well since your highness Paimon is a mage much more outstanding than this one, but utilizing hundreds of mages in secret is impossible. Additionally, the screams from the children are extremely realistic, so to consider that as an act is—.”
Slap
The spy fell to the floor. The spy, who was slapped by my hand, tumbled onto the ground. Because this lady could not bear it any longer, while forgetting everything about the demon world laws, I kicked the spy.
“Aha, ah hah haha……ahahahahahah……”
Even while being kicked, the spy continued to laugh. What could possibly be that funny? Could the sight of innocent children being killed be nothing more than a joke to this spy? The sound of this spy’s laughter was detestable. The sound of giggling unpleasantly latched onto my skin. This lady stomped on the spy with more force in order to strip herself of that unpleasantry. I felt disgusted at myself for having hired someone like this as my spy. I was the fool for having believed that they were pure at one point.
The bunch who had sold their souls.
The absolute bottom of everything inferior.
The prostitutes of souls.
With her face planted into the ground, the spy grinned.
“Your highness–? It is fine to vent your anger, but didn’t your highness hire us since you needed this sort of evidence–?”
—Witch.
The head of the Berbere Sisters, the possessor of the Triphyllous Badge, Witch Humbaba.
Even after her platinum blonde hair was covered in dirt, she did not lose her amusement. There was no madness in her laugh. Whether witches laughed normally, laughed because something was funny, or laughed when they were feeling anguished, their laughter was constantly the same. Therefore, it was constantly disgusting.
“……You are a bunch who should not have been born into this world.”
“We hear that often–.”
“Is there truly no feeling of sorriness for the lives of others in your minds?”
“This one apologizes, but we’ve already sold our souls—?”
It seems words would not get through to her.
Although people considered it regrettable that we could not converse with beasts, beasts did not care about being unable to converse with people. Similarly, witches did not even contemplate the idea of sharing a conversation with us people.
This lady took out a pouch of gold and tossed it. The moment the pouch fell to the floor and gave off a metallic jingle, Humbaba immediately turned her head towards the sound. She embraced the pouch as if it were the loveliest child in the world.
“Your highness’ kindness is immeasurable. Thank you very much. Hehe.”
“I put in half the amount of the promised gold.”
“……Half–?”
Humbaba froze.
I coldly gazed down at the witch.
“I will give you the remaining half once the task is completely over.”
“That’s a little bit different compared to the promise that this one had heard previously–……”
“Dantalian had personally wiped the dirt off of you all earlier today, and yet, you all had betrayed that Dantalian. Do I have even the slightest reason to place my trust in you?”
“Mm–, well–, hm–. Ahahah? That’s right. Of course. Your highness is correct.”
Humbaba straightened her cone hat. The witch’s face was no longer visible because of the wide brim of her hat.
“But at least the other promise……”
“Yes. On a Walpurgis Night, I will petition for every witch that had participated in this war to receive a Leaf Medal. You’ll then be a veteran in possession of a Quadriphyllous. Congratulations.”
“Ahaha. That is a great favor.”
The witch beamed brightly. The medal with a leaf shape on it was proof that an individual had devoted oneself to their kind in a field of war. No matter how many times one were to participate in a civil war between Demon Lords, you were not granted a leaf. As much as our current situation was going to become a massive war against the humans, it meant that it was going to meet the conditions for the witch before me to be given a leaf.
Regardless, people of the low class were originally unable to receive medals, excluding the extremely rare cases. Despite that, just like they had done now, these witches were able to somehow gain medals through constant repetition of betrayal and trickery. One’s honor should be established by one’s self and not by relying on others, and yet…… They were a despicable group.
This lady waved her hand.
“I do not wish to see you any further. Get out.”
“My apologies for sullying your highness’ eyes.”
Humbaba wrapped herself in her cloak and left. Just like she had done when she arrived, her footsteps had no sound while leaving as well. It felt as if she was still somewhere in the quarters because of her noiseless footsteps.
“……”
This lady silently stared at the pocket watch. The problem now was where I was going to utilize this strong evidence. Unfortunately, it is clear that this video will not have any particular use in bringing the war to a halt. Currently, the person holding the lead position for the advocacy of war was Barbatos. Even if Dantalian were to be accused, Barbatos would heed it no mind and execute the war anyway. However, even if it was unable to stop the war then……
My worries became deeper along with the night. Thinking about the destiny of the ones born as monarchs, this lady’s head became numb. I shared the responsibility in the proclamation of war, and yet, only the lives of the soldiers will be taken away through it. My heart pounded by the thought that no matter what occurred, I will remain alive.
A massive war.
At the very least, a devastating war must be prevented……
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 2, Day 13 Yotvingian Plains, Demon Lord Allied Forces Garrison
“I heard you personally wiped clean some witches. You crazy bastard!”
Barbatos spoke.
The words shouted after barging in here abruptly during the middle of the night was that.
I put down my fountain pen and sighed.
“Thank you, Lapis. You may leave now.”
“……”
Lapis, who was helping me throughout the night with documents, left without a word. While Lapis was my woman, I was Barbatos’ man, thus Lapis behaved as if she were invisible while in front of Barbatos, and Barbatos treated Lapis as if she were not there. The distance between Barbatos and Lapis was too vast for them to connect with each other for the reason that they shared the same man. Once Lapis left the tent, I spoke.
“Rumors spread quite fast.”
“I’m here to compliment you. You did well holding back. Ten to one, I’m certain that incident was one of that bitch Paimon’s schemes.”
“Probably. That’s why I endured it.”
“It’s impressive to say you’ll endure it and actually be able to endure it. If it were me, then I would have punched Sitri right in her face. Dantalian, you’re a big shot.”
As if something was funny, Barbatos cackled. She was the type of person to not tell people why she was laughing, and I was the bastard who didn’t disregard it and made sure to ask what was so funny.
“What’s so humorous? Let’s laugh together.”
“It’s hilarious since the upright guy who believes in witches just looks like a retard. Hey, do you want to know something amusing? You know I constantly place agents around that bitch Paimon, right? She’s the type of bitch who pretends to be pure and coy while doing everything she wants, after all. If I don’t spread observers around her, then sheesh, I can’t feel reassured.”
Barbatos grinned.
“Well, that bitch probably has agents planted around me as well, but that isn’t what’s important right now. Do you know who just went into that bitch Paimon’s tent?”
“……”
I gazed at Barbatos. Excluding the white candles placed on top of the table, there were no other sources of light in the tent. When the candle light trembled, the shadow covering Barbatos’ face shook as well. Regardless of that trembling, Barbatos smiled grimly. I shook my head.
“That isn’t possible.”
“How innocent. That’s cute.”
“……Humbaba? Euryale?”
“Who knows? I don’t know well enough to know their name. I only know that after leaving that bitch Paimon’s tent they disappeared into your camp.”
“Give me the evidence.”
Barbatos raised her middle finger.
“Eat shit, Dantalian. I won’t give someone like you evidence. Whether you believe my words or not, that’s something you’ll have to decide on your own. My duties were finished the moment I didn’t turn a blind eye towards this matter.”
After leaving those words, Barbatos left casually. There was no farewell. It was truly like her to not give a refined greeting,
and simply toss aside something that she had started on a whim. I became as awkward as a preschooler who was suddenly faced with a drawing paper that was forcefully given to him because of a teacher’s discretion. How was I going to deal with this?
Betrayal was a social response which occurred when a single contract was not fulfilled adequately. However, I have never infringed on the contract shared between myself and the witches. Although I did not doubt the fact that betrayal was an obvious occurrence in the world, I was suspicious because I believed that a betrayal without reason could not exist. A sudden thought occurred to me. Could this not be a type of signal?
I quietly exited my tent and headed towards the witches’ quarters. The witches had built a large tent for themselves and resided in it together. I wondered if they were controlling the temperature with magic since the inside of their tent was humid despite the blizzard outside. The witches were playing around with each other and entangling their bodies with one another. Even after seeing me enter their tent, the witches did not put on their tops.
“Ara, Master? What brings you here on this night?”
“Did our master finally start to yearn for our blooming bodies and has come to visit us in order to grant us your Royal Grace—?”
The witches giggled. Among them, there were three or four witches who were pressing against one another and licking the others’ skin. A strong flowery fragrance emanated from the air. It was the smell of decadence. Because the fragrance was so thick, I could not distinguish whether I was breathing through my nose or being waterboarded by extracts. The heaven and earth on all four sides were being enveloped by the winter, making the world white, but the witches had separately made this place into a small red-light district.
I clicked my tongue.
“It appears this place isn’t a military camp but a licensed quarter instead. Do I have to pay an entrance fee?”
“Of course not. Our master is always welcomed.”
“Tsk, these obscene fellows……”
I sat down anywhere that felt convenient. The witch who was suddenly sat on by me let out a playful yelp.
“A yin[3] and yang should be fusing together in order to form a union, and yet, you girls seem to be in quite the fine state with lewd fellows playing around with other indecent fellows.”
“Eeh. Why is our Master being concerned when this isn’t the first or second time you’ve seen us like this?”
“Is there anything that Master had done in order to supplement us for being obscene, disorderly, and slovenly–?”
“Be quiet. You girls are being too bold since you are not even concerned about dying by a sword on a battlefield, but instead, you’re preparing to die by coition first. Hurry up and go put on some undergarments. I have something serious to discuss, that is why I have come all the way here myself.”
The witches pouted and draped clothes over their shoulders. In truth, it was an outfit that was more befitting to be called cloth than actual clothing. The nape of their necks were wide open and their chests were completely revealed. Seeing that they were exposing themselves while in my presence, it was clear that they were trying to tease me. I didn’t feel like reprimanding them any further, so I let it be.
The witches adjusted their clothes slowly. They seemed to think that if they did that, then I would turn into an animal of passion and pounce at them. Seeing their ridiculous behavior, I let out a snort, and once I did so, the witches grumbled with a face that displayed discontent. At any rate, these fellows did not know their limit.
I gazed at Humbaba who posed as the leader of the witches.
“Is there any inconvenience while residing in the camp?”
“We are endowed with both something to eat and a place to sleep, so something like inconvenience couldn’t possibly exist-.”
“I am worried since you all used to be abused commonly. Are there no vulgar fellows who mistreat or beat you?”
“Yes. The people who abuse us are normally nobles, but as your lordship already knows, there are no nobles in your camp, and even if there are, only minor nobles who stink of piss on the family tree are present-……”
The witches’ complexions gradually became darker.
There was no chance that their lord would come pay them a visit past midnight just to inquire them of their well-being. There was a sequence in conversations, so a ground must be spread out first. However, since the ground kept being set down, the witches were worried about what sort of talk was going to come next. Once I closed my mouth, the tent became silent. The quarters was still humid, yet it was no longer a pleasurable warmth but just plain heat instead. I spoke.
“I heard that you girls betrayed me. Why did you do it?”
“……”
“I do not wish to quibble over the improperness of you all and the information given. Tell me the reason behind the betrayal.”
Over the tent, the sound of an owl hooting could be heard. The witches’ tent was thin so the sound of the bird felt nearby. It was forbidden for witches to wear or use the leather of animals. That was the law in the demon world. The tent was made completely out of cotton. Once the owl’s hooting ceased, Humbaba spoke.
“This one shall atone for the crime with her death.”
“I asked for the reason of betrayal. Would I not need to know something before being able to determine whether if I am to accept your apology or not? There would be no meaning if you were to die on your own.”
“We craved money–.”
“Money? If you desired for money, then you could have asked me, could you have not? You all should know well that I possess so much money that it is nearly unmanageable.”
“As there is nothing more terrifying than free money, it is also uncongenial to us. Rather, doing spy work is more efficient and clean.”
“Oh, these imbeciles.”
I placed my hand on my forehead. My brain started to hurt.
I understood that since these witches lived their entire lives being scorned by the other races, the only place they could put their trust into was money. People did not consider the act of breaking a promise with low-class individuals as shameful. As long as it was not a business relationship, betrayal was a peasant’s destined fate. It was heartrending to see these girl use their destiny as an excuse.
“And so? Did you get some money?”
“Nope. We only got half the promised amount–.”
“What? ……After having betrayed me, you were embezzled half the amount?”
I was taken aback.
“Dear God. I already knew that you all were imbeciles but I did not consider you would also be a bunch of pushovers. If you’re going to stab someone in the back, then do it properly. Just what are you doing?”
“We heard that Miss Paimon was kind towards even peasants, so we were a bit hopeful. But it turned out that she was less kind than the rumors. Ahahaha.”
“You’re laughing? Does laughter really come out right now?”
The witches’ shoulders trembled.
I pressed them for answers in order to find out what information they had sold. ‘No, it’s nothing big. It really is nothing’, and the crime which Humbaba confessed ended up belonging to the category of being something big. After hearing the truth that they had passed over the entire process of retrieving Farnese and the process of ordering the slaughter to Paimon, I grabbed the back of my neck. When I asked them how much money they were supposed to receive, they responded with 3,000 gold. Since they had lost half of that, they were barely able to get 1,500 gold after having sold me out.
How maddening.
The sight of a mantle hanging on a clothesline within the tent came into my vision. It was the black mantle that I had gifted to Humbaba yesterday. All of the dirty stains were gone and the mantle was dried stiff, which made me wonder if they had washed it with the snow outside. It seemed that to the witches, the sincerity of washing the piece of clothing that I had given them and the lighthearted act of betraying me for money, easily coexisted together.
The amusement on the witches’ faces was gone. I was able to see the witches with an emotionless face for the first time. That did not appear awkward to them at all. People who were always smiling were supposed to be people with a reason to constantly smile, but the very fact that they had to constantly laugh was not that humorous to them. That was the reason.
I spoke as if I was letting out a sigh.
“Girls, politics misbecome you. The Demon Lords and I are currently moving behind the scenes, and if a bunch of girls as pure as you all were to try and squeeze in, then you will only be injured greatly. Since you all have gone against the military order, you must pay the penalty.”
“……”
“Bring a cutting board. I will cut a single finger from all of you.”
One by one, I sliced off a finger from the witches with my dagger. It was the same dagger that I had used to commit my first murder after having fallen into this world, the blade that had killed Andromalius.
When the ring finger on their left hand was being severed off, the witches did not appear as if they felt any particular pain. A sense of pain and mind that should have fallen along with their ring finger did not exist in the witches. While cutting their fingers, I spoke.
“Since your lifespans are long, you will one day meet your life-long partner. Even if that life-long partner were to confess their love and propose to you, you now no longer have the finger to put a ring on. You are forever crippled. Repent in dust and ashes for the foolishness of not having cherished a bond and having hastily betrayed it. You will understand this feeling when you meet the one you love.”
“……Master.”
“Come find me when the day is bright. I shall give you the rest of the gold which you were unable to receive.”
I wiped the dagger with the edge of my coat and left the quarters. Once I returned to my own tent, Lapis was arranging the bedding. Through some method, Lapis had listened in on the conversation shared between myself and the witches, so she knew everything.
“5 points, your highness. The penalty was excessively weak. It would be better off to have killed them.”
“They got caught on purpose.”
“Pardon?”
I lifted an alcohol bottle and drank straight from it.
“Would witches who have lived for over 200 years be that naive? They clearly know that Barbatos is intimate with me, so if they were to do spy work, then they would have behaved more carefully. Despite that, did they not go back and forth from my and Paimon’s encampment without any disguise whatsoever?”
Lapis supported her chin with her hand.
“Is your highness saying that the witches had betrayed your highness on purpose in order to get caught? This one does not understand. What benefit could they possibly gain from doing so?”
“It’s a test. They were testing to see whether if I am truly a good person to depend on or not.”
“A test……”
“They must have felt anxious since I have been constantly treating them with kindness. They wanted to believe and devote their loyalty to me, but they were unable to because they were uncertain whether if I would cherish them or not. That is why they tested me. If need be, they may have harbored the idea of jumping ship and joining Paimon’s side……”
It seems Lapis was half in doubt after having heard my words.
Once dawn arrived, the witches came. Since they did not have the heart to enter my quarters, the witches were kneeling on the snow outside. Once I stepped out of my tent, the 11 sisters lowered their bare bodies on the snow. They were not wearing clothes.
On the witches’ pure white backs, permanent scars remained. Whip marks, scald marks from past tortures, and wounds that were healed then injured again until the scars remained fully intact, these injuries lingered on their bodies. Each witch, who was wearing nothing, had a necklace around their neck and hanging from that necklace was the ring finger that I had cut.
Humbaba lowered her forehead to the ground.
“Us Berbere Sisters, born without a home, raised in the back alleys of towns and villages, and individuals who have spent our lives as mercenaries for decades and centuries, wish to now forget our pasts and find value in our lives as solely Demon Lord Dantalian’s followers. Our hearts, our heads, our souls will forever be a part of your highness’ possessions. Therefore, your highness, please take care of our lost hearts, heads, and souls.”
An oath of fealty.
When nobles pledge their fealty, they devoted their hearts, a commoner devoted both their hearts and heads, and peasants devoted everything up to even their souls.
I brought out all of the mantles that I possessed and put them on each and every one of them. The witches earnestly adjusted their black mantles. I placed my forehead against Humbaba’s forehead.
“I vow, that I, Dantalian, shall never return thy advice with silence, and shall never return thy suggestions with scorn. If thou art to sweat and bleed for my behalf, then I shall repay thee the exact weight for every drop of sweat and blood.”
The Berbere Sisters have been recruited as subordinates.
The degree of loyalty will appear in the witches’ statuses.
A complete and firm allegiance. The other party regards you as their one and only lord.
They will not betray you as long as you do not betray them first.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_02_04.txt
|
Chapter 2: Winter
By accepting these girls, it was the same as acknowledging that even witches had souls.
The witches sobbed into the snow. They weren’t tears shed for me, but for themselves. They sat kneeling within the fluttering snow for a long period of time. I brushed off the snow that fell onto their heads with my hand.
♦
On this day, the Demon Lord Allied Forces’ strategy was ultimately decided.
First Army. Rank 8th, Barbatos Advance with the Plains Faction and 21,000 soldiers under her command.
Second Army. Rank 5th, Marbas. Advance with the Neutral Faction and 15,000 soldiers under his command.
Third Army. Rank 9th, Paimon Advance with the Mountain Faction and 13,000 soldiers under her command.
Although the lineup of armies reached up to the Sixth Army, the armies written on the paper were only these. The rank 1st, Great Demon Lord Baal led the Sixth Army, but Baal did not lead an army to meet with us here. There were around 30 other Demon Lords who were also like that.
In other words, this was our entire army.
The dignity of the Demon Lord Allied Forces, which had at one time led a massive army of over 100,000 soldiers throughout the plains, had descended this far. Although no one would admit it, everyone already knew. That the era of Demon Lords was over.
The humans had slowly succeeded in a centralized authoritarian rule, and in this era where kingdoms and empires were being built up upon, the demons were still being managed by villages and clans. The demons pointed at the humans and looked down at them, referring to them as tamed livestock, however, the reality was the complete opposite. The Demons were miserable beasts that weren’t even able to be tamed.
This age has already become dark. The majority of the continent was occupied by the humans. The demons could either wither away while being surrounded by the humans or entrust their bodies on a hopeless final war. Either way, it was suicide.
Paimon, who suggested that we should huddle up since there was no hope in winning a war, or Barbatos who declared that there wouldn’t be a chance for survival if we were to stay docile so a war must be waged. They were nothing more than pioneers who had smelt the scent of annihilation and had become desperate.
Barbatos who shouted for dispatch, claiming that this was the golden opportunity given to us by the heavens since the humans were being exterminated by the Black Death spreading throughout the continent. Or Paimon, who warned everyone that there would be no end in a war initiated while believing not in the strength of our own army, but in the weakness of the enemies, so once war is commenced, it cannot be taken back. There seemed to be no elucidation in throwing open the doors to a new age.
In an era with no clarity, Barbatos discussed the duty of a monarch who had to lead their subjects, and Paimon conferred the fate of a monarch who had to fall with their subjects. Even if they followed their duty or accepted their fate, the thing to be thrown away was the lives of the people. Whether it was better to offer one’s life to one’s task, or to throw away one’s life by following one’s destiny, neither Barbatos nor Paimon could answer that question. It was an unanswerable question. In order to find the path which contained the answer, the Demon Lords led lives down their respective paths.
Barbatos went south. The ground was flat and vast in the southern region. It was easy to both lead an army through and transport provisions. It was also simple for battles to occur. It seemed Barbatos was searching for her path on the endlessly stretched out horizon. However, Barbatos most likely did not know what would be waiting for her past the horizon. She was not a monarch that questioned the end, but was simply a monarch that walked down the path.
Paimon went west. The mountain terrain was perilous in the west. It was difficult to both lead an army through and move provisions. It seemed Paimon was going to seek for her path after having gotten out of the rugged mountain range. However, it was clear that after Paimon escaped from the mountains, she would be unsure which direction to take. She was a monarch that searched for the end of the path, but got lost on the way.
And I obliquely traversed between the south and west.
The south-west was an easy and difficult route to pass through. It was a location where a single mountain range huddled down and another mountain range spread out. A path was placed between where the mountains ended and the mountains began. Once you’ve gotten past the narrow passage, you would immediately be in the heart of the human empire. It was a short path.
Even the humans knew full well of the shortness of this route. The humans built fortresses within the gap between the mountains. The fortresses blocked the ascending path by two layers. If one planned to cross over the mountain pass, which was neither plains nor mountains, one had to go through 2 strongholds. It was a short but difficult path. However, what lied waiting ahead past the mountain pass was definite, and where to go after making one’s way through was also clear.
The meeting was over. It was already the middle of the night when I had left the tent.
The moonlight was clear and permeated into the snowy fields. The night sky and snowy fields embraced the lunar rays and illuminated the distant mountains like twilight. The mountains were at the end of the field.
I tried to fathom why Hannibal had gazed at the Alps and tried to search for a path in an area that was not a path. The passage shall end at the end of the mountains and another path shall spread out before one afterwards. Hannibal most likely saw it as the end of an era and the start of a new age.
“Your highness.”
“Lord.”
“Master.”
Lapis, Farnese, and the witches approached my side. Seeing that I did not respond to their call, they followed my gaze and stared at the night sky.
The eyes of the girls who were born and raised in a dark place were well adapted to the night and could see far out. To us, the night was more cozy and relaxing than the morning.
Finally, the witches knelt down first, Farnese bowed, and Lapis lowered her head.
Lapis then asked.
“Your highness, where are we going?”
While looking at the mountains, I spoke.
“To the Empire.”
Translator's Notes
[↑] Politunia has been changed to Polish-Lithuanian.
[↑] Changed the way the witches referred to Dantalian to ‘Master’. The raw word used can be translated to both ‘Lord’ and ‘Master’, but after reading Volume 3, it seems ‘Master’ would be more appropriate.
[↑] Yin[Female Energy], lewd, and indecent all start with the same first letter. So he’s referring to the witches as them being both obscene and getting along with only other women.
Also, this is an important note, the way Humbaba speaks is rather unique since she drags out the vowel sound of the last word she says. That’s why you’ll see a ‘-‘ at the end of her lines occasionally. She does it on and off depending on the situation. I forgot to do this in previous chapters, but I will make sure to do it from now on.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_03_01.txt
|
Chapter 3: The Mountain Range is Burning
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 2, Day 25 The Black Mountains, Black Fortress vicinity
For several days the fog was severe. The soldiers were afraid to advance through a place where nothing could be seen. The Gods are not allowing our passage……these words were spoken in whispers. We unpacked our gear near the mountain range. Lapis spoke.
“Your highness. This location is a renowned shrine and numinous mountain in the demon world, so it would only be appropriate to perform an ancestral rite to the Gods here.”
“Would it truly be right to perform a memorial service in the middle of a war?”
“There are many soldiers who entrust their psyche to the Gods. Console the bodies and minds of the soldiers, your highness.”
“Minds, huh……?”
I scratched my forehead.
“It’s bothersome since it feels like it may become a needless pretense. Omit the ceremony and only set the food for the ancestral rites. Do not gather the troops into one spot and regulate them inconveniently. Instead, be considerate and allow the soldiers to offer their prayers whenever they desire. Inform the soldiers that while my intention is to show respect to the Gods, I shall not submit to them. If they depend on the Gods with their minds, then during the times they are unable to see their so-called Gods, their minds will collapse.”
“This one will pass your highness’ command to Miss Farnese and it shall reach the captains from there.”
Lapis handled the matter rapidly. It seems she had already taken care of the preparations for an ancestral rite before we had embarked on our march.
The soldiers steamed white soybeans, ground it, and made it into soup. They then pulled out wheat and turned it into noodles. They were making chilled soy milk noodle soup. Demons believed that if they consumed white soy milk noodle soup while performing an ancestral rite, then their insides would become clear and their spirits would be cleansed. The less salty it tasted, the better it was as food for memorial ceremonies. The soldiers ate the bean soup noodles and prayed to the Goddesses. Following us, the peddlers and prostitutes also made noodles of their own. After having a taste of the bowl that was presented to me, the taste of the soup was pleasurable. A servant had chopped cucumbers and modestly placed it above the noodles, which made me wonder where they could have possibly acquired the cucumbers during this winter season. The servants believed the act of obtaining cucumbers and offering them to me contained their sincerity, so they were quite proud of themselves for it. It’s a relief that there were cucumbers……was what the servants said while beaming immaculately. The soy milk noodle soup was simple and clean. It felt like my internal organs were becoming clear. I experienced for the first time in my life the devotion towards ancestral rites, which I did not experience before, here in this world.
“With this, is the service over?”
Lapis responded.
“It would be better to capture a white horse from a good descent and drain its blood and then boil that clotted blood to consume. However, since there are centaurs participating in the war as our cavalry, we cannot sacrifice a horse.”
“Hm.”
Centaurs were demons with the upper bodies of humans and the lower bodies of horses. For a race of demons with handsome faces, their tool on their lower body was as large as a horse as well, so honestly, they were a cheat-like race. If we were to capture and drain the blood of an animal who had the same looking penis as they did, then certainly the centaurs would loathe the idea.
“I see your consideration is deep, Lapis.”
“It would also be fine to boil the clotted blood of dogs instead of a horse. Your highness, would it be better to capture the hunting dogs?”
“That is fine. Although it may be different if it was duck blood, clotted dog blood most likely would not taste good at all. Rather than that, this chilled soy milk noodles is refreshing. Let’s have this again later on.”
“If we pillage the human villages then we will be able to obtain something like soybeans as much as we desire. If your highness so wishes, then this one will prepare the dish for your highness even if it is not during an occasion such as an ancestral rite.”
“You’re terrifyingly bad at making food, so that kind of lip service is……”
“Could this one’s cooking be as disgusting as Your Highness’?”
“What, how could you call it disgusting?”
Although those words weren’t necessarily wrong, that was still going too far. It seemed Lapis also thought her comment was a bit harsh and fixed her words.
“That was a slip of the tongue. This one apologizes. Your Highness’ handmade food is not disgusting, but rather, it is poor.”
“If you’re saying that as a compliment, then you are also quite the mystery.”
My lover is truly a weird woman.
Referentially, Farnese’s cooking ability was also completely non-existent.
We all grew up eating the food made by others or the food we had picked up, which could not be dared to be called cooking, so the lord and his vassals were all pitiful. How fellows, who have never made themselves a proper meal in their entire lives, could walk forward while trying to go to war, was a mystery. If it was a farce, then it was a comedy. With these pitiable fellows gathered together, they discussed military operations.
The captains disputed on the difficulty of the siege.
— Your highness. The Black and White Strongholds are impregnable fortresses that have been penetrated only 6 times in the past 1,000 years. Moreover, is the general protecting the rampart not the human from the House of Rosenberg? That House has had great commanders for generations.
— There was also a case where the stronghold did not fall despite the mobilization of 40,000 troops, but our current military strength is merely 4,000. A siege would be incredibly difficult.
I took out my pipe and bit down on it.
“Do you think I came here unaware of the difficulty of this path? Would the castle gates open if we were to have another history lesson after having come this far? Put aside the things that are needless to say. I wish to hear your stratagems. Even if you are to make a foolish utterance, I will not punish you by military law, so do not worry. However, keep in mind that the keep you earn is a lot higher than you think. You will have to be brighter in strategy than a foolish lumberjack. If not, then, well……blood will flow from your necks.”
The captains gulped.
— That is, well. Although the enemy forces are relying on the rugged mountain terrain, it’ll be difficult for them to receive supplies because of that terrain. It would be fine for our troops to hold position on this vast field and relax, but the enemy soldiers will have to go on patrols frequently, furthermore, the walls are high so it’ll also be that cold……
I spat on the floor.
“Oho? Are you saying that we should wait patiently until the enemy forces run out of provisions? That is quite the splendid strategy and marvelous tactic. To be able to welcome an imperishable great commander such as yourself, my insides are trembling. Come here.”
I gestured for him to approach me with my finger. Following my instructions, the captain prostrated. I raised my bare feet on top of the captain’s back and declared sternly.
“Until this meeting ends, you’ll be my foot rest.”
The dwarven captain was close to tears.
— Your Highness’ Royal Grace is immeasurable–……
Since a full grown dwarf was sniffling, there was nothing as extremely disgraceful as this sound of whimpers. The remaining captains could not dare to laugh, so only the edges of their mouths twitched. I glared at the captains.
“Listen carefully. Though the enemy’s fortress may be located on a rough mountain terrain, their back entrance is wide open. Their back gate is connected to the White Fortress, and the White Fortress is connected to the Empire,
so there are no chances of their supply line being cut. I understand that you feel reluctant about performing a siege, but use your brains a bit, your brains.”
The captains glanced at each other.
— How about turning the witches into a detached force and assaulting the enemy supply lines? It will most likely be an effective attack.
— Although our infantry and cavalry may be nothing more than a total of 4,000 men, the number of witches we have is 50. Normally, an army that reached 30,000 soldiers would have around 50 witches, so our numbers may be small, but we are still a strong force. Please make active use of the witches. If our forces block the front gate of the fortress while the witches cut off the back path, the enemy troops inside the stronghold will be unable to move anywhere and lose morale.
I was in awe.
“It is quite beautiful to see fellows, who claim to be warriors, pass on all their duties to the witches. I should have utilized the money I spent on hiring you chaps to just acquire more witches instead, but it seems I had ended up doing something foolish. There is not a complete lack of logic in your words. However, do you think that a stronghold known as the front line which protects the humankind would not have any supplies in their reserve? No matter how little their supplies may be inside that fortress, it should be enough to keep their forces fed for 2 months, so what would we do during that time? If it is 2 months, then the enemy could easily organize auxiliary troops from the rear, however, we do not have any reinforcements, so what can we do? By the looks of it, it also seems like there are no brains inside those heads of yours, so what can we do about that as well?”
I beckoned to them.
“Come here.”
The captains approached. The two captains laid on top of each other like a hamburger. Using those idiots as a chair, I sat on top of them. The captains groaned and endured the sensation of my sexy derriere.
“If you have no better plans, then just get on your knees. I will at least uphold the dignity of those who kneel down honestly.”
Thud
All of the military officers gathered in the tent had lowered their bodies at once.
Were these not dubious fellows?
Solely Farnese kept her back straight. Even during a meeting, Farnese had a book open. The fingers clinging to the cover of the book were being brushed by the cold wind, so they had turned red.
“……”
Every time she flipped a page of her book with her cold hands, the air around the tent was emaciated by the sound of the paper. The captains and I watched Farnese as she flipped one page at a time. Farnese spoke frankly.
“Just rush in. There are no enemy troops in the Black Fortress.”
The captains glanced at each other with a doubtful gaze. I asked.
“Why would there be no one protecting the stronghold?”
“Margrave Rosenberg is a coward. Since it seems like it will be impossible to protect both, he will try to at least defend the other half. That is the fate of an old general. The margrave most likely does not have the military strength to protect both the Black and White Fortresses. He would want to hold the White Fortress at any cost……”
Farnese let out a yawn. Her words were indifferent so it was similar to the way she was flipping the leaves of her book, and it was lightly passed by like the pages being turned. I thought about the child who was unable to learn how to speak from people and had no other choice but to learn from books. I spoke.
“What makes you say that the military troops the margrave would have brought here are a few?”
“There are several reasons. Those multiple reasons would have fused into one. The margrave most likely wants to achieve vengeance against your highness while relying solely on his own powers. A foolish fellow.”
Farnese let out a dried breath. In the previous battle, the margrave’s troops were all slaughtered after having been deceived by us. Farnese was referring to the vengeance that had blinded him because of that.
“There is also a political reason. The margrave is the starting point of this war. By attacking your lordship, he presented the demons a justification to start a war. The humans who were swallowed up by this abrupt battle will most likely abhor the margrave……”
“So cleaning up after one’s own mess.”
“The margrave himself should be thinking along these lines, so he should feel pressured.”
I nodded.
Margrave Rosenberg was the supreme commander of the northern region of the Empire. Despite that, what was the margrave doing? He had come to this location in order to block me, Dantalian, who was leading an army that barely reached 4,000 soldiers. In contrast, the Imperial Princess Elizabeth went to face Barbatos and Marbas. The roles were reversed.
There was only one conclusion. Although Margrave Rosenberg was the supreme commander, his position was endangered. The nobles did not follow him easily since they treated him with loathing. There may have been complaints from people questioning how the culprit behind the start of this war could go around acting like a general.
That was the reason. That was why the margrave was here. To achieve vengeance against me and reestablish his sullied reputation. A foolish fellow…… the words Farnese muttered were correct. Georg von Rosenberg was a fool.
“Therefore, Lord, be at ease and rush straight in. The Margrave most likely wishes to bring us in as deep as possible. The Margrave is aiming for the desperate measures of giving us the Black Fortress and luring us all the way to the White Fortress.”
“And you’re planning to go along with that plan, general?”
“The most dim-witted fish bites the bait and is caught by the hook. A slightly less dim-witted fish looks at the bait but disregards it and swims off. A wise fish bites only the bait while avoiding the hook, and escapes leisurely.”
Thud
Farnese closed the book she was reading. She gazed at me.
“However, this young lady is not a fish but a single shark. I shall drag the margrave in, hook and all, and tear him to pieces. Lord, leave your life to this young lady. This young lady shall offer the lives of thousands to your lordship.”
I nodded my head.
“Do as you wish.”
“This young lady shall carry out the task for only your lordship.”
The first stone was placed on the Go board.
▯The Northern Guardian, Margrave of Rosenberg, Georg von Rosenberg Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 2, Day 25 The Black Mountains, White Fortress
“An urgent report from the Black Fortress! The stronghold was captured!”
The conference room froze because of the messenger’s report.
The captains glanced at each other with an anxious gaze. Only I was silently looking down at the Go board. Since the Black Fortress falling was such an obvious occurrence, there was no reason for myself to panic. I scolded them in a mock-serious manner.
“Oi, where’d my Go opponent disappear off to?”
“Ah. Yes, general.”
The captain hastily picked up his stone piece once more. Regardless, there was no sharp flavor. This is why youngsters these days…… Did they not know how to maintain their composure?
From start to finish, the captain was dragged around by me. Black and white stones were mixed together disorderly. The result was his defeat by a large margin. After obtaining my overwhelming victory, I spoke.
“It seems you lost because you panicked, and you are upset since you have lost.”
“Yes……”
“Do not be perplexed, gentlemen. The number of guards that were posted at the Black Fortress was at most 200. Is that not the fall of something that was already destined to fall? Do you not gain victory by getting rid of the stone piece that is necessary to sacrifice? If you try to protect everything, then you will lose it all instead. That is the same for war or Go. Keep this in mind.”
“Yes, general.”
The captains bowed their heads. The very sight of them lowering their heads was docile. How troublesome. These young’uns still lacked much vigor. In the past, I used to beat the commanders around and…… no, wait. Am I perhaps old now? Have I become an obstinate old man that showed dissatisfaction towards everything around myself? That could be a possibility. I started having very mixed emotions. One becomes senseless with age, huh? I should pass on quickly…… Except, that will be after I have killed Demon Lord Dantalian.
“Messenger. What were the enemy numbers? With what method did Demon Lord Dantalian capture the Black Fortress? Tell me everything you know.”
“General, the fog is so dense that nothing is visible. Other than the fact that the snowy fog is immensely thick, nothing else could be known. It felt like the enemy had about 2,000 soldiers, but it also felt like they had 4,000. However, it most certainly wasn’t 1,000 or 5,000. Regardless, it truly is difficult to be positive because of the fog. I heard the sound of gunpowder exploding in the distance and then the enemy forces invaded. Of course, the words that the enemy forces invaded is also uncertain since this one did not witness it personally.”
While being aghast, I muttered.
“I do not know who chose you as the messenger, but you truly are a splendid one.”
As if feeling much obliged, the messenger bowed his head.
“Thank you very much. This is the first time I have received such a compliment.”
“Speak honestly. After hearing that you were unable to see anything, I have become suspicious on whether you had actually run away as soon as the fight started. Did you flee?”
“This humble one has an old mother back home, whom I am taking care of by myself, so I felt as if I shouldn’t die thoughtlessly……”
“Take him away to be lashed.”
The soldiers grabbed the messenger and left. The courier cried out, ‘General, General…!’, but of course, I did not pay him any mind. In the middle of the second round of Go against a captain, another messenger ran in and prostrated himself.
“An urgent report from the Black Fortress! The stronghold has been captured!”
“I already know, courier. Their numbers and through what method the fortress was captured, tell me everything you know.
The courier then exaggerated fluently.
“Yes. The enemy forces were as terrifying as the revival of an ancient demon. The armies that appeared through the snowy fog all consisted of trolls and ogres, which made it feel like giants were approaching us. While the soldiers on our side were scared out of their wits, a dragon flew at us and breathed fire. Although our forces struggled desperately, our military strength was at too much of a disadvantage so they were unable to hold on for even a moment and were defeated.”
After hearing the messenger’s words, the captains whispered to one another.
“If that’s true, then I think we should withdraw as well.”
“Even if we retreat, the dragon will catch up to us and we’ll be turned into grilled meat, so we should just sit here and die.”
“It’s more of a mythical scenery than a terrifying one, and it’s more of a fake scenery than a mythical one.”
“……”
I had a splitting headache.
“……You imbecile. State truthfully. Are you saying all that right now after having actually seen it, or are you blabbering after having seen a delusion? Dragons have been extinct for centuries now, but through what method could Demon Lord Dantalian have possibly used to bring one here?”
The courier furrowed his brows.
“Honestly, when the fortress was assaulted, this one was taking a nap in the barracks so even I am uncertain on whether the things I had witnessed were reality or a delusion.”
“Are you interpreting your dream right now in this stern military affair? And are you also claiming that dream as your report?”
“Since this one believes it is true, this one does not think that it is too much of a hallucination. Referentially, is a person’s belief not what forms that person’s world? Because I believe that I have seen a dragon, then that dragon must exist.”
“This man. So if I were to believe that you are soon destined to die, then I guess you will indeed die shortly after.”
“Uh……”
The courier tilted his head.
“Although that seems logically correct, something seems wrong.”
“The thing that is wrong is your head.”
I snarled.
“Someone drag this fool away and punish him.”
The soldiers lifted the messenger up and dragged him out. The sound of someone being clubbed could be heard in the distance. While I was concentrating on the Go board and placing my stone down, the third messenger rushed in. The messenger knelt down as soon as he entered the meeting room.
“General!”
“……I will have no expectations so just speak however you want. However, it would probably be better to say nothing at all instead of speaking whatever you desire.”
“General–!”
From beginning to end, the courier shouted.
“The Black Fortress has fallen by the heinous demons of the enemy forces! Our troops had lowered their guards because they thought the enemy wouldn’t invade due to the fog, but they aimed for that carelessness! The enemy forces put a bit over 20 witches in the front and bombarded our walls, and while our soldiers were running about in confusion, the enemy troops climbed up the walls. Several of our men struggled, but the majority had run away. Furthermore, among the ones that had fled, most of them were unable to escape completely and were captured. General! The enemy infantry consisted purely of dwarves and their numbers were approximately 3,000 to 4,000 men, but their morale seemed to be high and they were all well equipped!”
Once finished with his report, the messenger lowered his head. It was truly a clean movement. The captains lowered their voices and muttered to each other.
“……That’s strange. That fellow clearly gave a proper report, but for some reason, it sounds like a lie.”
“The so-called Shepherd’s Law. If the first two tell a lie, then no matter how sincerely the third states the truth, it’ll seem like a lie. That’s why, while it’s important for a person to be sincere, they must also be first, or at the very least second. This is important as well.”
“I have never heard of a law with that kind of name in my entire life. Are you sure that’s not some law that you randomly made up?”
“Hey, don’t accuse an innocent person……”
These guys, I told them to not panic and ease their tensions, but it seems that they have let their entire heads go.
I let out a sigh and spoke.
“Gentlemen, listen well. According to the reports from our scouts, the enemy army has about 3,000 to 4,000 soldiers. This location is absolutely not the main effort of the Demon Lord Allied Forces. Their goal is to grab our attention with the use of a separate attack unit. Do not be disturbed, and do not be blinded.”
“Yes, general.”
The captains courteously lowered their heads. I continued.
“Gentlemen, personally patrol the walls and reassure our military personnel. Our men are frigid because of the weather, so their hands should be cold. Switch their duty rotations frequently, and prepare hot water within the quarters regularly.”
The Black Fortress was captured, but what about it? There was no problem in the strategy I had planned out. If anything, it would be fine to judge that everything was going smoothly. I contemplated while preparing to write a report.
Demon Lord Dantalian will now pass the Black Fortress and advance further into the mountain pass. Their supply line will lengthen in consonance with that. Additionally, forests were luxuriantly spread out on both sides of the road. The optimum location to hide an ambush. If they were to try and invade thoughtlessly, then most certainly, the ones to die will be on the Demon Lord’s side.
This mountain passage was like a Go board. The Black Fortress was the upper side while the White Fortress was the lower side, and the entire mountain pass was spread out as the face of the battlefield. A single line of a stronghold rampart was merely increased by another line, and yet the battlefield was expanded to a high and low. Surely, the ancestors who had built these walls in this location must have had foresight.
……The thing that I am worried about was not our front. There were no problems ahead of us.
If anything, the complication was behind us. Whether the Imperial Princess Elizabeth was going to properly provide us with supplies or not……
His Majesty the Emperor had appointed me as the supreme commander of the northern armies. However, the nobles of the Empire had sworn their loyalty to the Imperial Princess. There was no prestige or dignity from the certificate of appointment given by the Emperor. It was a tragedy.
The Imperial Princess considered me as a nuisance. There was more than enough of a possibility for the supplies to be delayed. I had to obstruct the Demon Lord in front of me, and at the same time, I had to keep in check the Imperial Princess behind me. For myself to be in a war where I was surrounded on both fronts, just how did it become like this.
I recalled the words the Imperial Princess had spoken to me.
— Sir Rosenberg, do you not think that the majority of the conversations we have shared can be condensed into more simple terms?
— Habsburg grants their faith a single time.
“……”
The image of the Imperial Princess, peeling off the skin of an alligator, filled my mind. A cold sweat went down the back of my neck. Being careless with the Imperial Princess was not an option.
From now on, the Imperial Princess will most likely gain complete control of the authority in the Empire. The thought of submitting to the Imperial Princess in order to establish a livelihood and the thought of refusing to bow to the Imperial Princess since my body had already pledged fidelity to His Majesty the Emperor, clashed against one another. The former rigorously encouraged one’s livelihood, while the latter solemnly advised loyalty. I was more concerned about the home front that was glaring at us from behind than the enemy forces that were approaching us from ahead.
Our great ancestors had raised two sets of walls and given us humans freedom, however, it felt like all the liberty in the world was the freedom of the enemy and the freedom of the Imperial Princess. That was so. This place was where I was going to be laid to rest. By breaking through this location with my bare body, was when I will finally be able to survive with my life.
“Mm.”
I gulped. With the sick sensation that felt as if something was caught in my throat, I wrote the report.
— 2nd month, 25th day. Enemy forces have captured the Black Fortress. Military strength approximately 3,000. The commander is Demon Lord Dantalian. Our forces are stationed in the White Fortress and are perfectly secured. We are abundant in provisions and have a sufficient number of arms. The fog is severe.
And then, with the intention of warning the Imperial Princess, I added another line.
— The mountains are safe.
……Good. Even the Imperial Princess should be able to understand with this.
After passing the report to the postrider, I gazed outside the window. The Demon Lord will advance through the mountain pass covered in pure white snow.
Come, Dantalian. Come quickly. I shall sever your neck and satisfy my grudge……
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 2, Day 25 The Black Mountains, Black Fortress
Our forces had occupied the Black Fortress before a period of having a single meal. Farnese was right. There were barely any troops within the stronghold.
It was barely 200. The majority of them were captured as prisoners. Claiming that this was too insipid, Humbaba complained.
“Tsk–. I thought we were going to be able to smell some blood after such a long time, but we drew a blank. Why did those shitty humans surrender after barely even fighting–?”
“Are you bored since you were unable to fight intensely?”
“A frustrating feeling like feeling—?”
Humbaba pouted her lips. I responded.
“Then burn them.”
“Yes–?”
“Do we not have a lot more than 100 prisoners? Bring the other witches and take 50 prisoners to burn as you desire. The most entertaining scenery in the world is watching fire, so your stress should dissipate a bit.”
Humbaba tilted her head.
“……But they’re nice enemy soldiers who surrendered obediently–?”
“Since they gave up obediently, then I guess they will die obediently as well.”
“……I don’t really know if that’s okay–?”
“I plan to go and greet the margrave tomorrow.”
I picked up some snow that was mixed with mud and tossed it in my mouth. I scrutinized the unpleasant taste of the dirt and the fishy smell of the snow with my tongue. Despite being considered as a renowned shrine and numinous mountain among the demons, the dirt and snow did not have any distinct taste in particular. I spat the mud out.
“In the past, since the margrave had come and gone from my stone cavern, we had become acquainted. Now, since I have arrived at the margrave’s stone walls, it is only natural for me to give him my greeting. However, it seems I regrettably do not have a present to give him.”
“……”
“I feel as if 40 heads should be roughly enough to express my sincerity. What do you think, Humbaba?”
“—Ahahah.”
Humbaba twisted the corners of her lips. Ahah, ahahah…… Humbaba put her cone hat securely on her head and laughed flatly. The pitch black brim of her hat covered Humbaba’s face.
“Really, our master knows his stuff.”
“Burn them earnestly.”
“Oh. Us witches are the greatest experts in burning people to death. A person who has eaten a lot of meat knows well, and people who have had their flesh singed a lot can also burn things well. You’ll be stifled, master. It’ll be fine if you look forward to it–.”
The humans were set ablaze while they were still alive.
While looking down at their bodies burning from their leg up, the humans screamed. It was a wail that was like they were vomiting out their twisted intestines. We hung the corpses that were burnt pitch black on the ramparts. Similar to their last cries, their corpses were twisted bizarrely as well.
The witches devised a game. It was a sport to throw stones and hit the corpses. 1 point if you hit the body, 2 points if you hit the head, and 3 points if you hit their balls. Players who hit the balls three times in a row were gifted 10 extra points. The witches under my command were geniuses.
Farnese and I watched the humans burn and their bodies being played with. The sound of the witches’ giggling echoed throughout the area. The smoke blackened the corpses and the white snowy fog mixed into it. That side of the fog, where the whereabouts of the smoke disappeared, suddenly felt like nirvana. Once the laughter of the witches stopped, Farnese spoke.
“Lord. Do you perhaps know which army had captured the Black Fortress the fastest in the entirety of history?”
“I am not interested in history, so I do not know that well.”
“The answer is the revolting army of the Habsburg Empire. After starting a rebellion in the northern region, they assaulted the Black Fortress from behind. They say it took them 15 days to capture the stronghold, and this was an enduring record that was unable to be broken for the past 313 years.”
“Hmm.”
“When your lordship brought this young lady back from the slave market, you told her this; that you will make this young lady’s name remain in history.”
I had certainly spoken those words.
I had put out a hand of temptation towards Farnese who was trapped within an iron cell and depending on the moonlight to read her history book.
— You’ll shine brighter when holding the baton in a battlefield than you would reading books. I’ll make it so that history will remember your name……
At the time, Farnese had looked up at me with a doubtful gaze. She was a child who did not know how to smile. Now, after half a year, that girl had become a conqueror.
“Indeed, your lordship was correct. On this day, we have captured the Black Fortress, which had once withstood the revolting army for half a month, within merely half a day.”
Farnese grinned eerily.
“It seems this young lady has already left her name in history.”
Her smile was colder than the winter.
“……”
“Ack, Ahah—!?”
I violently rubbed the crown of Farnese’s head. Although Farnese was a girl who put her emotions at the very bottom of her unconsciousness, only her crown was squishy. Farnese squirmed while waving her arms due to my touching divine help.
“Trying to brag after having captured merely a single wall.”
“L-Looord. I told you I hate it there……Hoah……”
“There is a ranking even among the great individuals who leave their names in history. Since you were born as a heroine, you should be aiming for the position as the 2nd greatest personage in history, so why are you pettily being satisfied by a single rampart? For starters, properly learn how to give an oration from Lapis, and then I will provide you an appropriate position.”
“Ah, understood. I understand, lord……”
Farnese dwindled down.
Traditionally, people must learn to be modest.
♦
Before we advanced to the White Fortress, I took a look around our military with Lapis.
Peddlers and panders had spread out a market area below the rampart. In order to avoid even the slightest bit of the winter wind, people stuck as close to the wall as possible. They appeared like the clams which attached themselves to the boulders in the ocean depths, and it felt like the fishy smell from the sea was emanating from there as well. I uttered.
“Let us go. I wish to see how the people live their lives.”
“Why would your highness go to the corner where the lowly people dwell……?”
Lapis bowed her head.
“I want to see it, that is why.”
“This one is afraid your highness’ grace will be sullied.”
“Stop your nagging and guide me.”
I patrolled the simple marketplace. The demons watched me from afar. When I looked at them, each and every one of them was in rags and had mud smeared on their faces.
Below the wall, goblin children were throwing stones at the human corpses. It seems they were imitating the game which the witches were playing earlier. When I drew near, their parents appeared out of nowhere and hastily carried their children away. Their own world was already established there.
“It seems they had set up a world of their own in a corner away from home within a single day. Those people……”
“Should we track down the ones who have run away and interrogate them?”
“It’s fine. Would they not run more if you interrogate them? If they run, would you not be unable to see the end? Leave them as they are.”
Their vitality to establish a world of their own was simply unpleasant to me.
Burnt human corpses were dangling from ropes on the wall. Below the rampart, the demons were rubbing their scrawny bodies against each other. The blackened flesh burnt by flames and the thin dried skin from the people should at least be narrowly divided by what was dead and alive, and yet, it felt like life and death were not separated in that world of theirs. But by all means, I was not vastly unknowledgeable in the fact that that indistinguishability was what life and death were.
My father died in prison. It was a heart attack.
He had tried to write a couple of lines for his will, but he had fallen before being able to write a single line.
That was my father’s will.
I had crumpled the note and stuffed it into my pocket.
My mothers and siblings rushed to me and asked if my father had left a will. I flatly told them, ‘There was no will.’. Instead, he left an inheritance. The dozens of trillions of won was in their possession. Before the deathmatch that was going to be carried out during the funeral, they were jumping for joy.
……Oh, young master. Thank you very much, young master, my mothers would say and lowered their heads. My siblings called me ‘elder brother’ and bowed deeply. The people who had arranged my kidnapping were among them as well. Since it was family that had tried to kill their ‘Young Master’ and ‘Elder Brother’, there was nothing wrong if I were to brush away that family. I chuckled. Try to live as pleasantly as you can. I’ll watch to see how well you all do……
Like so, I had tried to hide from the world, and yet, another world ended up appearing on its own. Now I was unable to tell if the world was insane, I was insane, or the both of us were insane. Furthermore, it was a world that was going to be destroyed if left alone, and it was a world where everything, including the demons latching onto to the wall like clams, Lapis, and Farnese, was all going to disappear. A certain malicious intent hovered over the fact that a world that was going to die was given to myself who had thrown away the world.
Was this God’s intention? I asked. Was this the goal of the Heavens……? The most believable hypothesis was that everything was a part of my father’s ill-tempered joke in order to ruin my life once more. Since there was no God, Heaven’s Will, or even my father in this world, this all depended on how I looked at it.
Very well then. I will wreak havoc. I shall save the world of these people, and after I have salvaged this world, that is when I will contemplate on whether I will decide to take care of the people, rule over the people, or become a gentle lord. For now, does salvaging not have the most urgent priority? Even if hundreds of thousands of people were to die by war, was that not better than the entire world being annihilated?
“Your highness. The weather is frigid. Please go inside and get some rest.”
I turned my head. There, next to me, was the girl who had become one of the reasons why I had to save this world.
“Are you cold?”
“This one is alright. This one had slept in the open during colder days before.”
“I am also fine. Would we not be separated once we go to war tomorrow? I wish to be with you a bit longer.”
“When your highness says those kinds of words, does your highness’ tongue not go frantic because of how disgusting it feels?”
Lapis looked at me as if she was looking at a bug.
“This one is sometimes startled by your highness’ behavior. Please be discerning.”
“And how would I live without you?”
“For someone who has been living fine without this one, your highness sure worries……”
“Are you not afraid of the fact that I will be able to continue living on even if you were completely gone?”
“……”
“If possible, do not die. Be careful and be careful again. Cherish your own life over mine. You are the last remaining piece of mind left in me.”
Lapis let out a sigh.
“This one has always been a part of the group of individuals who only care for themselves. Put away your concern, your highness. It is hard to handle and it is disconcerting to hear. Please keep in mind the wisdom of bringing our bodies close while keeping our minds at a fair distance.”
“Yes. That’s right, isn’t it?”
Lapis and I followed along the rampart and walked forward.
Now that I thought about it, we have never had the separate opportunity to enjoy a date.
If that was the case, then this was our first date, and yet out of all the locations in the world, our date course was a wall with a bunch of burnt corpses hanging off of it. What kind of elegant date was this? Be it romance or something else, there was nothing here at all.
The vastly stretched mountain range—a rampart connected by segments—the ropes hanging the corpses—and even the will that my father was unable to complete, like a road that was erased midway through, it felt as if it was rattling on gloomily saying that everyone will end up like this as well. Since this felt like a date course that rather befitted the two us, I chuckled to myself. Lapis gave me a weird look.
In the path that we had gone past, the young goblins gathered once more. I could hear the sound of stones hitting the wall.
After listening carefully, their total score was 3.
▯The Northern Guardian, Margrave of Rosenberg, Georg von Rosenberg Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 2, Day 25 The Black Mountains, White Fortress
I went up to the upper story of the fortress gate and looked down onto the field.
The enemy forces were setting up camp in a location far away from our fortress gate. A black flag was waving in the mountain pass. Demon Lord Dantalian was using a black flag to represent his own troops since he did not have his own emblem. The Demon Lord of the black flag had arrived at the Black Mountains and captured the Black Fortress…… For a coincidence, it was a rather humorous one.
The captains measured the enemy army with their eyes,
“It appears like they have a bit under 3,000.”
“It doesn’t seem like there is a huge difference in numbers compared to our troops. We shall protect this spot with ease.”
“Mm.”
I nodded my head. The problem was the number of mages. Last autumn, Dantalian had led over 11 witches. He most likely brought a considerable number of witches this time as well. There was a need to oppose that.
I had spent the money, which could have been used to buy infantries, to hire more mages. Our forces had 25 mages. It was an impressive number. This was more than enough to defend against Dantalian.
“General, look over there.”
In the location where the captain was pointing, the enemy dwarves were building something. It was a self-assembled catapult. Assuming that they were trying to siege us with that garbage, the captains laughed in ridicule.
“Hah. Would they even be able to toss a rock this far?”
“They used their heads a little, though. Dragging a large catapult into this path would be impractical, so an easy to assemble one is…… Well, it’s still useless even if they do that, but their efforts are praiseworthy.”
Moments later, they had begun to launch something with the catapults. Something that appeared to be lighter than stone, either collided against the rampart or landed on top of the wall. A captain went to pick one of the objects up and brought it back. The captain hesitantly presented it to me.
“General, this is……”
A head.
The half burnt head of a corpse.
“……”
The corpse’s face was twisted fiendishly.
It was the face of a person who had suffered until the moment of their demise.
The enemy had burned the prisoners alive.
My hands trembled when I thought about the penitence that the prisoners must have experienced.
“Those, shameless devils……”
I knew.
I was already aware that Dantalian was this kind of person.
But there was no need to go out of his way to burn them. He could have beheaded the prisoners cleanly, ensuring that they would suffer the least amount before they died. Despite that, he had purposely utilized the most painful execution method. Just to insult me.
After catapulting over 30 heads, the enemy catapults stopped. Then, six cavalries approached from the enemy camp and stopped at the fortress gate. They were holding a white flag which represented ‘negotiation’.
“……Open the gate. I will go out personally.”
“Would it not be dangerous, general?”
“If something happens to me, then immediately fire the arrows and kill them. Order the crossbowmen to be ready to fire.”
The chief gatekeeper opened the gate.
Once I passed the iron gate, the enemy cavalry was standing right in front of me. Among them, a man wearing a black mantle bobbed his head at me.
“It has been a long time, Margrave. No, should I call this our first encounter? I am Demon Lord Dantalian. I am honored that you did not disregard the negotiation and came out to meet with us in person.”
“A man who does not know his manners……”
So this man was Dantalian. I could not see this fragile looking spineless fellow as a monarch. If I were to wield my blade and charge at him, then killing him immediately should be possible. After readying myself to pull out my sword at a moment’s notice, I spoke.
“Oh, Demon Lord. You must have sincerely come here prepared to die. What is your ulterior motive to have requested a negotiation right after having flung the corpses of the prisoners at us? Tell me the reason why I should not cut your throat right this instant.”
“You are being rather aggressive. That was merely a small gift since we are not individuals who keep a distance between one another, after all……”
Dantalian laughed.
“You have destroyed my Demon Lord Castle, and I have now arrived at your walls. I would be ashamed to come here empty handed. Did you like my present?”
“……”
“Aha. It seems you were not that satisfied.”
Dantalian slightly glanced up at the wall. The crossbowmen were aiming their weapons at Dantalian there. If I ordered them to, then they will immediately fire their bolts and penetrate Dantalian’s throat. He should not be unaware of this fact, and yet, Dantalian was still smiling.
“That is fine. I had prepared more gifts just in case you were to make a fuss. Look.”
Dantalian turned his body and gestured towards his camp. In that location, dwarves were hammering wooden pillars.
Soon after, over a hundred columns were erected. My eyes went wide the moment I saw what was tied to those wooden pillars. A prisoner was bound to each column. The dwarves approached the pillars with a torch in hand. It appeared as if they were planning to immediately set the humans on fire. The prisoners wailed.
— Save us! General……
— Please don’t throw us away……
My hands trembled. Was that the deed of a man? Did the demons not refer to themselves as demonkind and boast as being humane? Despite that, are you telling me that they can commit that sort of deed without any hesitation?
“You bastard……”
“Please order your crossbowmen to lower their weapons. I am a petty man with a lot of cowardice. Whenever someone threatens me, my body aches and my flesh trembles, making it difficult to breathe.”
“Is that so? Bask in your last breath in this life as much as you can. After I have slit your gullet, you will long for that breath once you are in Hell.”
“Ooh. Terrifying. How very terrifying. By the looks of it, it seems the margrave has a natural talent in threatening others.”
Dantalian raised his right hand.
“—Unfortunately, that is a talent that I have never obtained.”
At that moment, one of the pillars was set on fire. The column must have already been smeared in oil as the flames had begun to rise instantly. While looking down at the fire that appeared like the maw of a beast approaching them, the prisoner screamed.
— Aaack! Aack, Aaaaaaaah……
At once, the flame swallowed the human body. The prisoner struggled desperately as they burned. Save me, please save me, once these cries ceased, only smoke rose up from that spot. Towards myself who was unable to open his mouth, Dantalian spoke.
“Margrave, let us be honest.”
“……”
“As you have witnessed, I am a piece of scum. Garbage, if you insist. It is in my nature to treat the lives of humans lower than that of a fly. But what about you, Margrave? Are you not a governor who follows justice? Do you not cherish the lives of your subordinates as if they were your own children? I am this kind of person and the margrave is that kind of person. It is quite unfavorable for you to face scum such as myself.”
I touched the hilt of my sword with the edge of my fingers.
“……What do you want to say?”
“Let us call a ceasefire.”
A ceasefire? How could he ask for a ceasefire? Unsure of what the other party’s true intentions were, I glared sharply at Dantalian. Dantalian spoke while digging his ear.
“Due to your splendid hospitality, I was able to acquire a bloodless victory. However, passing over the Black Fortress, I do not have the confidence in capturing the White Fortress as well. It is not as if I have a considerable amount of military strength…… Even if I were to overdo myself and attempt a siege, it is obvious that only my forces will suffer.”
“You know your place well, rookie.”
“
You should also understand your place as an elderly man
, Margrave. Does the back of your neck on your old bones not feel cold? You are in a situation where a young miss is pointing her sword at you, after all.”
“……What?”
“Do you not fear the Imperial Princess, Margrave?”
My mind went blank for an instant.
What was he talking about? What did I hear just now? What exactly did this man before me grasp in order to throw that sort of question? Dantalian snickered.
“The Emperor of the Habsburg Empire has already lost his authority. The Crown Prince is nothing more than dead wood, as well. As you are the last remaining loyalist, she is an individual that only the margrave, such as yourself, would fear. Would the Imperial Princess not desire to purge you when the opportunity presents itself?”
“……”
“I am unable to capture your rampart. Be that as it may, Margrave, it would be foolish for you to leave your stronghold and attack me since that would mean you would be performing a pitched battle while leaving aside your safe walls. In conclusion, both you and I can do absolutely nothing and simply stand here face to face. This is quite the fateful relationship we have. Our destiny.”
Dantalian’s voice felt like it was being whispered directly into my ear, and pulled me in. I now understood what it meant to be lured in by someone’s voice.
“By seizing the Black Fortress, I have piled up enough contributions to not be ashamed in the eyes of the other Demon Lords. You as well were able to prevent the White Fortress from being taken away, so that is the same as being able to save face. Since one hand washes over the other, a good thing is a good thing, so this is more than sufficient for you and me to become close friends.”
“……”
“Margrave. I am a very liberal person.”
Dantalian smiled smoothly.
That smoothness made my blood freeze. The very fact that a wicked man was capable of smiling like that felt like an insult to the Gods and the disgrace of the world. That man was bragging as if he had already stolen something which must never be stolen. What is that? What are you telling me that is?
“If you agree to the ceasefire with us, then I will more than gladly let the prisoners go. A single person each day. Respectfully. Not the burnt heads of corpses, but humans who are in perfect conditions from their head to toe, I shall send them as so.”
I clenched my teeth.
I understood. This man before me was the Devil.
On that day, the day my subordinates were slaughtered on a hill, the apparition I had seen was not a simple illusion. The form of the Devil that appeared on the hill represented Dantalian. I muttered.
“……By some chance, rookie.”
“Mm?”
“By some chance, if I were to behead you right here.”
I gripped the hilt of my sword.
Dantalian gazed at me.
“At that time, what sort of expression will you have on your face?”
“……”
As if surprised by my words, Dantalian opened his eyes wide. He then raised his head up and burst into laughter. The sound of the Demon Lord’s laughter stretched throughout the dry winter sky.
“That’s right, isn’t it? Aah. Of course, I am not omniscient and omnipotent. There is a chance that I could have judged a person wrong. There is a chance that you, the margrave, are capable of disregarding the sight of your subordinates being burned to death and take my neck. Yes, that is more than possible……”
Dantalian stuck out his head. Since his neck was long like a snake, he pushed his head right in front of my face.
“Then go ahead and kill me.”
“……”
“Let us fall to Hell together, Margrave.”
He was serious.
This man, was saying that sincerely.
“People often say that Hell is a place that is forever burning in flames. However, that is incorrect. If Hell does indeed exist, then it is a winter landscape where everything is frozen. I have no doubts about it. A plain where the winter continues on and on until you forget that it is winter, forget that you are frozen, and finally, you forget yourself entirely. Absolute nothingness will engulf us. Would it not be lonely to fall into such a place by oneself? Let us go together, Margrave. Let us disappear eternally……”
I was barely able to prevent myself from taking a step back.
This person’s eyes were not normal. I thought that it was simply black, but inside those black eyes, a blood crimson color was flowing. The smell of blood emanated from his gaze.
Demon Lord.
Was this what a Demon Lord was?
Somewhere, in some other place, I had seen eyes similar to these, but it did not cross my mind easily. I could not grasp where I had previously witnessed these eyes.
“Hm……”
Dantalian narrowed his eyes. In an instant, the sanguinary in his gaze had vanished. The only thing that remained on his face, where lunacy had dissipated from, was a pleasant smile.
“That was just a joke. Do laugh, Margrave.”
“……”
“In order to respect your personality, I shall release 2 prisoners each day. Since I am in the possession of 98 captives, then I guess that means the ceasefire shall continue for 46 days. They say that people become tied together by merely brushing the other’s sleeve, but the tie connecting you and myself is remarkable.”
After uttering ‘Hiyah’, Dantalian turned the head of his horse. Before departing, Dantalian turned to look at me and spoke.
“Oh right. Since 1 has already died, it’s not 98 captives but 97 now. I apologize. I have always been weak with arithmetic. It is my weakness. In truth, it is my only weakness.”
While laughing, Dantalian gathered his group and left. The centaur cavalry followed behind the Demon Lord. Among the cavalry, there was a demon with flowing pink hair squeezed in among them. That woman was most likely the half-breed succubus referred to as the ‘King’s Concubine’.
……Shoot them. Shoot them with reckless abandon.
I was unable to give this order to the crossbowmen. Even though my mouth was open, words did not come out. My subordinates, who were tied to the wooden pillars, were stuck in my eyes. I could not dare give the order because their wailing rang loudly in my ears.
And then I realized.
Which individual had the same eyes as that Demon Lord.
— You cannot buy my respect with fidelity. If you wish for me to respect you, then over all else, you must obtain victory.
— If by some small chance, you were to commit a mistake…… Well, I’ll most likely be very disappointed.
Aah.
The Imperial Princess. It was the Imperial Princess Elizabeth.
A person with the same eyes as her was within the Demon Lord army.
For what reason were people with the soul of the Devil surrounding me on both sides? Were the Gods trying to test me? A Demon Lord was closing in on me from the front as a single segment, and the Imperial Princess was pushing me from behind as another segment. In the center of that, I was unable to choose life or loyalty.
If I were to raise my troops to tear down the Demon Lord forces and cross over the Black Mountains in order to invade the demon territory, then that would be the path of loyalty that displays the dignity of Her Majesty the Imperial Princess. But I was uncertain about whether that would be possible.
This was difficult. As it was easy to throw away one’s life for fidelity, it was boundlessly easier to discard fidelity for one’s life, and yet, why was it so difficult to go down a path while holding onto both one’s own life and fidelity……
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 2, Day 25 The Black Mountains, White Fortress vicinity
“Your highness, do you truly plan to enter into a ceasefire?”
With our horses’ heads aligned next to one another, Lapis and I moved forward. Seeing our return, the soldiers in our camp started to lower the prisoners. I responded.
“Of course not. Even the margrave will be unable to hold out for more than a couple of days and will soon leap out. Since that man’s sense of justice is strong, he will most likely be unable to withstand a hoodlum such as myself.”
“But then why……”
“I can assure you that the margrave will raid us within 10 days. Is Farnese not already waiting in ambush within the pine forest? All we have to do is pretend to retreat and then proceed to completely envelop the margrave.”
“This one understands your highness’ plan.”
We picked up the speed on our horses. Dust of snow arose from the horses’ hooves. The frigid winter wind swallowed me whole. I enjoyed the sensation that felt as if my body was becoming partially frozen. The winter wind informed me that my body was still alive. I burst out into loud laughter.
“Lapis. The margrave is a righteous individual. That sense of justice turns him into a profound character. However, that profoundness of his is thus his limitation. On the other hand, an unethical person is shallow to no end, and due to that boundless hollowness, they have no limitations. It is quite joyous that I am shallow! Can the margrave manage my happiness? Can any of the righteous fellows in the world handle me? It must be unfortunate for the people who are unable to cope with my joy.”
“It must be nice to be cheerful, your highness.”
Lapis kept our horses close. She then spoke.
“Is your highness certain that the margrave will come out within 10 days?”
“Of course. I believe in that righteousness of his.”
“If that is so, then 20 prisoners will be sufficient.”
“……”
“We do not have a reason to go out of our way to increase the number of prisoners and waste provisions.”
With the reins in my hand, I stared straight at Lapis. Lapis did not blink her eyes even with the winter wind pushing against her.
“Lapis.”
“Yes, your highness?”
“If you die, then you will certainly go to Hell.”
“I see. That is why this one will not die.”
Lapis met my gaze.
“According to a certain someone, they claimed that this one’s life is more precious than your highness’. Since it is such a valuable life, this one must take good care of it.”
I couldn’t believe it.
I asked.
“Do you not feel pity for the lowly prisoners?”
“This one will not commit the mistake of taking the prisoners lightly by pitying them. They are a group that can, at any time, attack this one or your highness. Since this one understands and acknowledges their strength, this one shall kill them.”
Lapis spoke flatly.
“In truth, is it not this one that is sincerely respecting the prisoners?”
Was there a way for me to not laugh in this situation?
While raising a blizzard behind us, we returned to our camp.
As soon as we returned to the unit, we beheaded 77 prisoners.
▯Blood Relative Killer, Imperial Princess of the Empire, Elizabeth von Habsburg Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 2, Day 29 Northern Region of the Habsburg Empire
— 2nd month, 25th day. Enemy forces have captured the Black Fortress. Military strength approximately 3,000. The commander is Demon Lord Dantalian. Our forces are stationed in the White Fortress and are perfectly secured. We are abundant in provisions and have a sufficient number of arms. The fog is severe. The mountains are safe.
For a long period of time, I gazed at the report that the margrave had sent. Since I had examined it for a long time, I understood its inner contents.
……So the margrave is afraid of me. Because he fears me, he is trying to not reveal anything, and since he is trying to not reveal anything, he had written information that is of no importance. Does the margrave not know that by trying to not disclose anything, he is actually revealing everything in detail? Is he trying to evade the immediate threat by feigning ignorance? What was his true intention behind leaving the report to a courier and not a mage, and having the message arrive today when it was originally sent on the 25th……?
I tore the report apart.
These were not words. These were the grumbles of an old man. Words should have been written on this paper, but since there were no words and only repetition, the piece of parchment became junk. It has been my long time habit to turn junk into trash.
A cold sweat ran down the nobles’ necks as they watched me shred the margrave’s report. I spoke.
“Listen to this. The margrave claims that the mountains are safe. I have given my faith to the margrave. What do you all think about this matter?”
The nobles spoke together.
— Do as your highness desires.
They were words that held as much meaning as having said nothing at all.
A chuckle flowed from my lips. The nobles flinched the moment I laughed. I was unsure of the reason, but the people around me would always be terrified whenever I laughed. It was a bizarre occurrence.
“I see that you all are unbecoming. Each and every one of you has a head and mouth, and yet, how are your words one? Would it be appropriate to call it the great joy of the Empire since the nobles harmonize together as one? Would it be appropriate to spare a single person, while taking the lives of the rest, since you all repeat the same words anyway? It is a rather good idea since we will be able to save on provisions as well.”
The nobles prostrated on the floor.
— Please be discerning!
These fellows lacked even a grain of sense.
The three phrases that I despised the most in the world were ‘Your words are immeasurable’, ‘I am much obliged’, and ‘Please be discerning’. These were not words but hallucinations. No matter what I said, they were immeasurable, obliging, and discerning, making it almost difficult to tell what was which now. Therefore, whenever I heard those three phrases, I interpreted it as a single line.
‘Please be quiet.’
If they are telling me to shut up then I shall do so. What else can I do?
I closed my mouth and walked out of the tent. The nobles quickly stood up and chased after me. Since the nobles followed after me, their attendants, knights, and knight subordinates all hastily accompanied us as well, until finally, 200 people were following a single person. Even though I did not utter a single word.
It was a comedic scene. Despite it being a humorous sight, no one was laughing. Since everyone would be afraid if I were to laugh, I refrained from doing so. I wanted to turn around and shout at the 200 people behind me. ……Laugh a little in your life. Laugh. Laugh I tell you.
There was a time in the past where I had actually spoken these words.
In that moment, hundreds of low government officials forcefully moved the muscles on their faces and started to laugh. Ha, haha, ha, hahaha, ha, haha, ha, ha, all at once they uttered.
It was horrible.
Occasionally, that would appear in my nightmares.
After that day, I never gave the order to laugh ever again. It was regretful. How could I have possibly hoped that people who could not speak properly could laugh decently?
They were not humans but ghosts. They were individuals that lived as phantoms and were going to meet their ends as phantoms. It was the way of the world for them to live their lives as ghosts. Because I believed it as so, I had no other choice but to leave them to their own devices. To humans, words should exist as a method to release their inner minds, and yet, humans used them to cover their minds and contort it, causing their words to not retain a single portion of their true meaning or contain the smallest amount of their emotions.
A plain was stretched out in front of the group of 200 people. There were wooden columns planted into the earth here and there. Orcs, goblins, minotaurs, and other similar demons were bound to the pillars, one demon per column. They were the prisoners that our forces had captured.
There was even a Demon Lord among them.
Rank 68th, Demon Lord Belial.
A detached unit, while doing reconnaissance, had encountered the Demon Lord by chance and captured him alive. Bound to the wooden pillar, Belial glared at me. I did not use ropes to tie the Demon Lord to the column, instead, I had nailed him to it. I had politely pinned his palms, wrists, and ankles to the wood. Belial groaned in the demon language while bleeding.
“……Curse you. Curse you all. You plague of the continent, the Goddesses will never forgive all of you. Judgment shall fall on your race which has trampled and burned our homes……”
The nobles muttered among one another behind me. They could not understand the demon language. Well, they also did not know the Imperial language properly, so there was no chance that they would know another race’s language.
I took out a knife. It was a type of blade that was used when butchering animals. After seeing the blade, Belial opened his eyes wide. The Demon Lord muttered more desperately.
“Oh Gods, oh Goddesses, please, I beg of you to punish the ones before me. Punish injustice with righteousness and return blood with blood. As your weak servant, I humbly pray. Oh Goddesses, please……”
“That is useless.”
The Demon Lord turned to look at me.
“What?”
“I said that is all pointless, oh weak Demon Lord.”
“You, what are you…… no. How do you know our language……?”
“There is no yours or mine in speech. As a flower is still a flower if it were to bloom in my garden, then even if a flower were to blossom in yours, it is still a simple flower. I normally take joy in viewing the flowers within my possession, so I do not dislike learning new languages.”
Belial glared at me.
“What do you plan to do with me, human?
“I will take your life.”
I took out a whetstone and sharpened the knife. The vibrations that came off the iron, while being sharpened by the stone, were transferred to my palm. Belial watched the sight of me grinding my blade in mute bewilderment.
“Do you see the banners that are waving on the other side of the plains? That is the army led by Demon Lord Marbas. Trenches are dug deeply in their front lines and wooden fences are set up, so their defenses are not ordinary. Rushing in there and crushing them would not be the most profitable tactic for us. That is why I plan to lure the enemy here.”
“Hah. Sir Marbas leads the greatest cavalry corps in the demon world. He is not someone who would lose to the likes of you.”
“Pardon me, Demon Lord. Do you know who I am?”
“What?”
“It seems you do not. I assumed that you did since you had said ‘the likes of you’.”
“……And who exactly are you to be saying that?”
Good.
The blade was sharpened well.
I momentarily put the iron of the blade in a fire and heated it.
“My name is Elizabeth von Habsburg. There are a couple more names in between, but I will omit those. Demon Lord Belial, albeit a short time, I will be in your care. Over all else, I will be the last person you will see in the final moments of your life, after all.”
“……!”
Marbas will most certainly be unable to hold still if his military personnel were to witness a Demon Lord being skinned alive before their very eyes. The demons will rage, and unable to restrain that wrath, they will charge. They will kick aside their sturdy walls and safe trenches to assault us.
It seems Belial understood what my intentions were as he had started to struggle desperately. Of course, Belial, whose body was nailed down, could not escape.
“No! Sir Marbas, do not come! Please leave me to my demise!”
“Give up. No matter how much you cry out, they are unable to hear you.”
“No! Aaack! You mustn’t, you bastard! You must not!”
“How troublesome.”
A type of person who did not know when things were futile.
I pressed my knife against the other party’s skin. The blade sliced into the Demon Lord’s flesh smoothly as if it was butter. A cry erupted. Aiming for the moment his tongue stuck out of his mouth, I severed the end of his tongue. Another scream burst out. Belial’s cries had now lost its form and had become merely wailings of pain.
I glanced at a mage. The mage nodded his head and furtively activated a sound enhancement spell. From that moment on, Belial’s screams were enhanced and thus resonated loudly throughout the entire plains. Every time Belial’s finger or toe was cut off, our soldiers cheered.
It was around the time I had started to peel Belial’s cheek, the nobles shouted.
— Your Highness, the enemy forces are moving. It’s Marbas’ flag!
— The enemy troops are carrying out a full charge!
The nobles blatantly pointed towards the front.
They were indeed right. The demon flags were fluttering violently. The sound of horns completely filled that side of the plains. They were preparing to charge soon. I cleaned the knife with a washcloth.
“Listen carefully. The enemy forces will be agitated so they will assault us with reckless abandon. Do not pit yourselves against them there. Drag them deep into our territory and envelop them. Constantly beat the drums and blow the horns powerfully. Move quiescently while making the enemy troops unable to regain their composure by causing a commotion with the noise. Do you understand?”
The nobles pounded their chest with their right arm.
— Yes, your highness!
The battle continued till the evening.
The enemy forces clashed against our defense line with their bare bodies. The cavalry corps led by Marbas was powerful. However, their cavalries were exhausted from having ascended the hill, had their pace decreased by getting stuck on the wooden fences, were obstructed by the spearmen, and were shot to death by the crossbowmen. The demons attempted to charge 4, 5, and 6 times and fell to their deaths repeatedly.
Finally, the enemy troops retreated. It was after they had failed to break through our defenses for the 7th time. They were not as fast as they were when they had first charged at us. I did not miss that opportunity.
“Pursue them and tear them to pieces.”
Our knight corps rushed forward. Since they had sufficient rest, the knights were full of vigor. The backs of the enemy were cut by the blades swung by our knights. The enemy soldiers fell on their faces at the descending portion of the hill. Half-corpses fell and tumbled down the hill, and by the time they had reached the base of the hill, they were already complete corpses. One after the other, half-dead bodies rolled down the hill. The enemy’s retreat had changed into defeat. Belial, who was hanging from the wooden pillar, had not died yet. He was watching the battle that had turned into a slaughter with wakeful eyes. With blood clogged in his throat, he wailed.
— Aack. Uuuuaaaa……uuaaaah! Uuuuaaaack!
Later into the evening, sleet started to fall from the sky. There were many enemy soldiers who had died on the hill while staring up at the sky. They had died with their eyes and mouths wide open. Snow and wind entered those opened gaps. Since the corpses had turned cold, the snow did not melt and firmly rested on top of their bodies. Snow piled up in the mouths of the corpses.
I slashed Belial’s neck and tossed his head into the snow. There were so many heads buried in the snow that it was difficult to differentiate the other heads from Belial’s. Although goblins, centaurs, and humans all had different appearances, the form they all had after death were nearly the same. So that was life. Lives were not the same because they all lived, they were a single life because they all died the same…… Although lives were supposed to be able to understand each other due to their fear and sympathy for death, since they were unable to experience death in their lifetime, the demons and humans were, in truth, separated and will most likely fight for eternity…… After gazing at the decapitated heads buried in the snow for a period of time, I turned away.
On my way back to my tent, nobles and soldiers were lined up on both sides. They were all covered in blood. While I walked down the path, they knelt down one at a time.
— Your Highness.
— You are the victor.
At the end of the pathway, my brother was standing at the entrance to my tent. There was no blood on his armor.
Once I approached, my brother’s knights took a step back. I dusted the shoulder of my brother.
“It is a relief that you are unscathed, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
My brother trembled.
“You…… you, are the Devil.”
“I know. Is there a problem with that?”
“……”
“I asked if there is a problem.”
My brother lowered his head. He had muttered something in a low voice, but I could not hear him.
How pathetic.
Feeling pity for that petty pride and rebellious spirit, I disregarded my brother and entered my tent. He was a man who could not properly gaze at a person unless he had bedded them, anyway.
The maids approached to unclothe and clean my body.
While wiping my lower abdomen, the chief maid whispered.
“Your highness, a message has arrived from Demon Lord Paimon.”
“Put it away. I will listen to it later.”
The chief maid bowed her head.
With my now clean body, I sat down on a bookstand.
The winter wind seeped into my now cooled body. Since the tent was unable to block the wind, winter was able to come inside in its entirety. My head was clear. I thought about the report that the margrave had sent and arrived at dawn.
…… The margrave was afraid of me. It would only be appropriate to respect that fear. It was obvious for the weak to be terrified of those they recognized as stronger than themselves. But for what reason did he fear me, and yet, choose to not obey my command? Was it pride? What meaning could come from an unhealthy pride? I could not understand. Was it stupidity? Did I have to berate the stupidity of an old man? I was not sure. Was it my own arrogance for having considered the other party as a senile old man on my own volition? That was most likely it……
I picked up a quill and started to write. It was a single word.
— Victory(勝).
▯The Northern Guardian, Margrave of Rosenberg, Georg von Rosenberg Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 3, Day 1 The Black Mountains, White Fortress
— Victory(勝).
I became dumbstruck as if I had been hit on the head.
The message of triumph that the Imperial Princess had sent had only the single word ‘victory’ written on it. Unable to figure out what the Imperial Princess was trying to say, I pondered.
……Was she telling me that she had won, or was she telling me to win? Was she instructing me to submit since she had obtained victory? Did it mean for me to distinguish who the victor was on my own? Was the Imperial Princess the victor while I was the loser?
This single word contained all these meanings. The Imperial Princess did not boast or brag about her accomplishment. She used her victory to threaten and intimidate me. By establishing her victory as an example, she was urging me to succeed as well. If it seemed like victory was out of my reach, then she was advising me to submit to her. The pressure to win pushed my body from behind towards the front where the enemy forces resided, and the advice to submit pulled my body back towards the place where our forces were holding out. The enemy and ally were clearly different, and yet, I could not see the difference between being pushed and being pulled.
The rightful ruler of the Empire was His Majesty the Emperor and the rightful heir to the throne was the Crown Prince, and yet, the Imperial Princess stepped on the Emperor’s dignity and laughed at the Crown Prince’s authority. That precession of stepping and laughing was exceedingly imposing. ……Was she telling me to join that procession? Was that what victory(勝) meant? Was an old man struggling to succeed in his late years what triumph means? Gazing up at the sky, I earnestly hoped that my aged body would at least not be sullied.
I called the captains to my room and gave them an order.
“The army led by the Imperial Princess has won a huge victory in their battle. Since the news of victory has arrived for us, the enemy residing in the Black Fortress should soon receive a report of defeat. Organize the troops in case the enemy attempts to withdraw.”
The captains lowered their heads.
“Do you plan to pursue the enemy now, general?”
“No. It is still deep in the night. Consider the possibility of being ambushed if we were to chase after them in a hurry. Once dawn arrives and the first rooster cries, spread out the scouts and then advance.”
“As you command.”
After sending the captains out, I got changed. A young lad assisted me in putting my armor on. This lad’s father had always helped me put on my clothes throughout his entire life, but last autumn, he had died during the battle against Dantalian. The son inherited his father’s job as if it was natural.
Different from his father, the son’s fingers were clumsy and awkward while
assisting me in putting on my gear. I could not blame him for that. Although this lad considered it embarrassing to not be blamed, I considered him being embarrassed to be boundlessly more humiliating.
“This is fine. I shall do the rest myself.”
“I apologize, your honor.”
“What is there to apologize for……? You can leave now.”
“Understood.”
I firmly equipped the rest of my equipment and sat at the desk.
Since the Imperial Princess had generously written and sent the news of victory, as a vassal of the Imperial family, I had to send a letter of congratulations. Previously, I was barely able to write a couple of lines, but this time, absolutely nothing came to mind.
……Your Highness the Imperial Princess, please do not kill your father and brother, and do not insult them either. I request of you to not throw away your filial piety.
When I was about to write down those lines, I clenched my fist strongly. As soon as I thought about the Imperial Princess’ face, Demon Lord Dantalian’s grin was situated there as well. My chest pounded. The feebleness of my words smoldered into my bones.
How difficult this was.
Because of my old age, it seems I did not have the margin of power left in me to handle a single sentence.
I closed my eyes. With my eyes closed, I thought about the form of myself giving a great appeal to the people of the northern region.
I attempted to picture myself approaching His Majesty the Emperor after having repulsed the Demon Lord’s army and the Imperial Princess’ cabal, however, the only image that came to mind was solely that of the Imperial Princess’ hands skinning the leather of the alligator. Just the fingers covered in blood. At the edge of her hands, the leather was skinned as if it was fated to be separated from the body since the beginning of time. My body trembled because of that fluid hand movement……
Where was that alligator captured from?
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 3, Day 1 The Black Mountains, White Fortress vicinity
An urgent message had arrived last night.
There was a code on the message that was difficult to decipher. Looking into their crystal balls, the witches took out strokes from the words.
I watched as the witches deciphered the report. As the strokes gathered together and started to form coherent words, the witches’ gazes shook. Humbaba read the lines out loud.
“……2nd month, 29th day. Complete defeat. Marbas’ 2nd army has been crushed.”
The complexion on Humbaba’s face as she turned to look at me was pale. I nodded.
“Do not stop. Continue reading.”
“……From the 15,000 chosen elite troops, around 9,000 remain. The opposition is the alliance between the Habsburg Empire and Polish-Lithuanian Kingdom. Approximate enemy military strength is 40,000. This is the Neris Plains. The enemy is infiltrating further in. Ah! Marbas is a horse-headed bastard. I’ll get to the point. I will hold out for 13 days. Dantalian, you pierce through……”
Humbaba gulped.
“That is all, master.”
I brushed my chin.
Complete defeat and crushed. These were heavy terms. Although Barbatos was a girl who disorderly copulated with me and laughed vulgarly, when the issue at hand was related to war, she became a completely different person. Barbatos would never exaggerate words when it involved war. Complete defeat and crushed. A bitter taste filled my mouth.
“13 days, is it? Did Barbatos say that she will hold out for 13 days?”
“Yes, master.”
I felt like I could see Barbatos’ narrowed gaze from the fact that she had informed me of the exact date. If it was 13 days, then that was nearly two weeks, so it would have been fine to write two weeks.
Regardless, Barbatos stated 13 days. She had calculated the days she could endure and the days she could not, and concluded it as 13 days. However, it was no more or no less than that and was exactly 13.
True to their name, Barbatos’ first army and Marbas’ second army were the main attack force of the Demon Lord Allied Forces. If they were to collapse then this war would be completely over.
Barbatos instructing me to ‘pierce through’ meant that she was requesting for me to attack the enemy allied forces from the rear, after having penetrated through the White Fortress. We not only had to capture the White Fortress, but we had to march all the way to the rear of the enemy forces, so the 13 days deadline was barely 13 days. While estimating the chances of succeeding in my head, I asked.
“Humbaba. How many days will it take for us to go north from the mountains and reach the Neris Plains?”
“Uh, well. If we move as fast as possible, then four to five days……? That will be a really tough march. If we advance while crushing, burning, and getting rid of the insufferable things in our path, then around 10 days?”
“Since a day has passed, then by adding a day to that 10, that will make it 11 days. If we include the days needed to march, then we must immediately capture the White Fortress within 3, but if possible, 2 days.”
“Hii–, two days. Isn’t that really rough–……?”
The witches muttered in despair. Originally, our forces were planning to conquer the White Fortress over the course of a week. Even a week was a short amount of time to capture that stronghold. Since it had become shorter than that, the witches were at a loss for words. Two days from now was the day after tomorrow. It was obvious that the witches would be troubled.
Despite that, I smiled.
The corners of my lips twisted on their own.
“—I see the heavens are helping us.”
“Pardon?”
“Around this time, Rosenberg should be preparing for a running fight. Since we have now received the report that the Demon Lord Allied Forces were completely defeated, then the margrave should have received it sooner. The margrave should already be awfully aggravated because of what I had done, and since this favorable situation has piled on top as well, the margrave’s bottom should itch so much that he will be unable to stay still.”
I stood from my seat. After standing up, it felt as if it wasn’t the margrave whose bottom was trembling, but myself. Well, what was so bad about that? There was no one who would blame me if my sexy derriere were to tremble a bit.
“Humbaba, go find and bring back Farnese from the pine forest. We shall have a war council immediately…… no, never mind! I will personally go to the forest. That will be faster. Will you give me a lift on your broom?”
“Yes. This one’s broom will always have a vacant spot for you, master.”
The witches flew into the night sky while giving me a lift.
It was a beautiful night with sleet fluttering around. Every time the moonlight collided against the small sheets of ice, the rays scattered. A countless number of narrowly split moonlight fell down upon the hundreds of thousands of pieces of snow. Although it was a dark night, the darkness only loomed over the ground.
The witches set me down beside the pine trees. The entire surroundings were still. Moonlight could not settle down in this pine grove. Since 4 days ago, Farnese had led the cavalry here to lie and wait in ambush.
Humbaba let out a long whistle.
— Hwiiiiiiii.
The sound was soon consumed into the blizzard and disappeared into the other side of the forest. Shortly after, while leaving a trail of snow dust, a group of centaurs quickly approached us. The centaurs were not wearing anything on top so their chests were bare. They recognized who I was and lowered their front legs to give their greeting.
“Where is the acting general?”
There was no response.
I furrowed my brows.
An unpleasant chill sank into my spine.
“My general? Where is Farnese?”
♦
There was an icehouse at the location where the centaurs had led me.
Once I entered the igloo, I saw Farnese huddled in a corner. Even in this forest, where the winter was fierce, Farnese did not wear a fur overcoat. She only wore the military uniform made from cloth.
Whenever the soldiers saw Farnese like this, they would say that it was because her father and mother had conceived her in the snow. The soldiers believed that the cold must have seeped into the mother’s womb and into the child’s bones, so Farnese did not feel cold even during the winter. To the soldiers, the general was a girl born in the winter. While shutting herself in the icehouse, Farnese mumbled in a voice that could barely be heard.
“……ry……orry……ry……”
“Farnese?”
“……”
Farnese froze.
Feeling that something was peculiar, I placed my hand on her shoulder, and at that moment, a scream burst out. Farnese clutched her head and lowered her entire body to the floor. Surprised by the sudden reaction, I took a step back.
“I’m sorry…… I’m sorry, Father…… I’m sorry……”
I held my breath.
My head became cold.
My spine felt numb as if a current was flowing through it.
Farnese, unaware of the fact that I had arrived, continued to mutter.
“I’m sorry, Father. I won’t do it again……I’m sorry……”
These damned Gods.
Unable to listen any longer, I ran out of the igloo. If I were to hastily approach a person in that sort of mental condition, then that would only make the situation worse. The fact that I understood that knowledge through experience, was the only reason I had to be thankful to the Gods.
Outside the icehouse, hundreds of centaurs were lowering their front hooves. The leader of the centaurs was kneeling at the front. Pointing towards the igloo, I asked.
“Since when.”
My voice shook with rage.
“Since when has the general become like that?”
“Ever since we had set up an ambush camp in the pine forest……”
“What is the reason?”
“T-This commander does not know that well. The general is fine during the noon, but strangely, she ends up like that during the night. It seemed as if the Miss has an unnatural fear of the pine trees so we had built that igloo. That’s why the situation had gotten a slight bit better, but……”
“The situation got slightly better?”
I looked back and forth between the icehouse and the centaur.
“Are you telling me that the situation got better? That is better?”
“……”
“Tell me now. Are you kneeling down in order to beg for forgiveness, or are you, by kneeling before me, requesting for me to cut your head off?”
The centaur’s shoulders trembled.
“Y-Your highness. Please at least spare this one’s life……!”
“Why did you not tell me sooner?”
“The general entreated for us to never inform your highness, so……”
I unsheathed the long sword from my waist and severed the centaurs’ neck. Blood spurted out from his neck. Crimson blood sprayed onto the pure white snow.
I looked around and spoke.
“I am your lord. Do not forget this.”
The centaur cavalry bowed their heads further. Leaving them aside, I entered the igloo once more. Farnese was still muttering in a voice mixed with weeping.
“Farnese.”
I approached Farnese and grabbed her head. I was barely able to establish eye contact with her.
“Farnese. It is me. Dantalian.”
“I’m sorry…… I’m sorry, I made a mistake……”
“I am not your father. Look carefully, Farnese. Look at me. I am not your father. I will not hit you or violate you. I will not confine you within a library and give you food through a hole in the door.”
I whispered desperately.
“I will not starve you just because you were disobedient. I will not burn or tear apart the books which you cherish. Farnese, I am not your father. I am Dantalian. Dantalian.”
“……”
“You are no longer an illegitimate child bound by your family. No one can confine you. You are here. You are my vassal. I am your lord. Behold. As long as you do not betray me first, I will never abandon you.”
The focus in Farnese’s pupils slowly returned.
“Lo……rd……?”
“That’s right.”
“T-The pine trees……”
Farnese shivered.
It appeared as if she had forgotten how to shed tears, so she could only cry with her voice.
“So many cicadas were attached to the pine trees…… they kept crying…… my father to this young lady…… this young lady, repeatedly……”
“……”
Was that it.
The tree that Farnese had seen through the window when she was young, was the same type of pine tree as the ones here.
I stared deeply into Farnese’s eyes.
“It is not the sound of cicadas. There are no cicadas here.”
“But, they keep…… the sound of cicadas, profusely……”
“That is not the sound of cicadas. It is the sound of snow. Farnese, you are currently confusing the sound of snow as the cries of cicadas. Due to your memories bound to the pine trees, those memories are causing this mistake.”
“No, lord…… that’s not it…… that can’t be……”
“I will prove it to you.”
I grabbed Farnese’ wrist and dragged her. Although Farnese struggled to not leave the igloo, I forcefully pulled her out. Farnese was aware of who I was. That meant that there was not a complete problem in her cognitive function. The moment her usual awareness and her confusing memories ground against each other, that was the optimum opportunity. It was during this moment I had to use her current perception to crush her past memories.
The blizzard wailed as it blew through the pine trees. Farnese kept her head down and tried to not look anywhere. I grabbed Farnese’s chin and forced her to face her surroundings.
“Look before you. It is winter right now!”
“……”
“There are no cicadas. Those were all hallucinations that you had created on your own. Do the sound of snow and the cries of cicadas sound the same to you? Look carefully, Farnese. Open your eyes and behold your surroundings clearly. You are 16-years-old. If you are 16, then you are already a damn adult. How long will you moan because you are bound by your mongrel-like father!?”
I met Farnese’s gaze once more. Farnese’s pupils were trembling. However, they were not the shaking of eyes that were unable to see, but the trembling of eyes that had yet to find their center.
“You are no longer the victim. You are the assailant. You are no longer a part of the weak who are offended, but a part of the strong who offend. If someone tries to take your life, then kill them before they can get to you first. It is simple. If that someone is your father, then kill your father, and if that someone is God, then kill God as well.”
“Lord……”
“All you have to do is take all their lives.”
“But, if your lordship throws away this young lady…… then this young lady will again.”
“Do not behave like a spoiled child.”
Farnese flinched.
“I do not have the hobby of raising a broken doll.”
“……”
Slowly.
A little bit at a time, Farnese’s trembling settled down.
I could not tell if 30 minutes or an hour had passed. Except, thanks to the witches having cast a barrier around us, we did not freeze. Farnese opened her mouth.
“Lord…… it is cold……”
“Have you gained your senses a bit?”
“This young lady is unsure……”
“Is the sound of cicadas still resonating in your ears?”
“A little…… but, it is much better than earlier.”
“Consider it a fortune that I had discovered you before Lapis did. If it were Lapis, then she would have grabbed your head and buried it in the snow.”
“Ah, aah. If it were Miss Lapis, then that is certainly possible—”
I pushed the back of Farnese’s head and instantly forced her face into the snow. Farnese did her utmost to wave her arms.
After 4, 5 seconds, I lifted Farnese’s head back up. With a ‘Puah’, Farnese let out a breath. From her eyebrows to her nose, her entire face was covered in snow. I smirked at her.
“And the thought that Lapis would question you further in a situation like this seems to come to mind. I shall ask again. Have you recovered your senses? Or do I have to shove more opium into your mouth for your head to become clear?”
“……I see your highness’ personality is like that of a dog.”
“Oh? You have finally uttered a profanity. I give you my sincere congratulations. I was quite curious on when you would finally learn how to swear.”
Once I let go of her head, Farnese wiped her face with the edge of her clothes. She picked up the hat that had fallen on the ground and dusted it.
“……What kind of profanities must one say in order to let out their feelings sufficiently in a situation like this? Your lordship is a man who claims to know everything, so you should know this well.”
“Of course. If you mutter the word ‘fuck’, then everything will be a bliss.”
“That’s right. This feels like fuck.”
Farnese let out a sigh.
It was finally time to get into the main topic.
“For what reason did your lordship come all the way here to find this young lady?”
“The second army led by Marbas has been completely defeated.”
“……”
Farnese gazed towards my direction.
A cold glow had returned to her eyes.
“……Then the margrave should be preparing for a running battle.”
“That is what I think as well. How to lure him out. In order to discuss this topic, I have come here to bullshit with you during the middle of the night.”
“Mm. The margrave is a veteran with a lot of caution. Even if we were to feign a retreat, there is no possibility that he would simply chase after us. A certain assurance, we have to plant a type of conviction which will assure him that it would be okay to pursue our forces……”
Farnese spat on the ground. It seems she was getting rid of the snow that was shoved into her face a second ago. I explained the rest of the situation.
“Due to Marbas’ defeat, Barbatos has ended up being isolated. After capturing the White Fortress within two days, our forces must travel northwards without delay. Is this possible?”
“……”
Farnese narrowed her eyes.
“It is not two days, lord. Tonight is the time limit.”
“Tonight?”
“Aah, there are two situations that the margrave fears the most. The first is us hastily running away the moment we receive the urgent message and being able to escape safe and sound. The second is the margrave pursuing us while we withdraw leisurely, and meeting his defeat by being caught in an ambush. These two are the worst turnouts for the margrave. The former is allowing the enemy, that is running away right before their eyes, to escape, so it would show disloyalty, and the latter is being defeated by the enemy and falling down, so it would mean the end of life.”
“Continue.”
“The urgent message came today. It had arrived just now, lord. The margrave most likely has yet to decide on whether he fears disloyalty or death more. Once tonight passes and dawn arrives, the margrave’s judgment will slowly become more clear. This confusing night, where the margrave is still uncertain of his fears, this is the most optimum opportunity for our forces. If we were to miss our chance today, then luring out the margrave in the future will become nearly impossible.”
Farnese brushed the snow off of her and stood up.
Farnese gazed at the witches who were surrounding us in a circle. She muttered.
“Lord. Let us throw a bait.”
▯The Northern Guardian, Margrave of Rosenberg, Georg von Rosenberg Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 3, Day 1 The Black Mountains, White Fortress
Late in the night.
A captain rushed to me and reported.
“General, we are being attacked! Witches are bombarding the walls!”
An enemy attack.
Due to that one phrase, I picked up my sheath and blade and immediately headed to the top of the rampart.
“What is happening?”
The soldiers were unable to give a proper response and pointed towards the sky. As soon as I looked upwards, I saw witches soaring through the night sky. The moonlight was being covered by clouds and sleet, making it difficult to see their figures properly. Despite that, I could tell that the number of witches was around 20. The witches dropped stubby objects onto the rampart.
“This is……”
They were heads. The same type of heads that were catapulted last time were now descending like hail by the hands of the witches. The heads of humans, that were blackened by flames, covered the rampart.
— Hii, hiiiiiik!
The soldiers lowered their backs and trembled. They believed that the witches had placed a curse on the heads. Hearing the screams coming from the privates, I narrowed my eyes.
“……”
Why?
After having pierced through the frigid winter air, why did they come here this late into the night just to drop the heads of corpses?
Although it may be a rather efficient method in lowering the morale on our side, the timing was peculiar. Of all occasions, it was during this belated night. What meaning was there to this if they were not going to initiate a siege?
While furrowing my brows, I gave an order.
“Send all the mages up.”
Our Aerial Mage Force stepped onto the rampart and flew up into the night sky.
The one thing aerial mages feared the most was fighting in the darkness of the night. However, it was fine for this occasion. The number of witches on their side was 20 and the mages on our side were nearly 30. We can overwhelm them.
A heated battle filled the sky. Witches were shot down by crossbows and screamed as they fell. The witches, who lost hold of their brooms, fell to the ground and had their heads crushed from the impact.
The sound of heads cracking echoed from below the rampart. Like pheasants would fall when killed by hunters, the witches descended one by one. Since there was no light source in the bottom where the witches fell, it appeared as dark as a pit to Hell. Corpses could not be seen and only the sound of heads breaking resonated one after the other. Despite being overwhelmed by military strength, the witches did not flee.
At that moment, a realization like an electric current passed through my body.
“……!”
Was that it.
They were setting up preparations to allow the main force to pull out right away.
In order for the enemy troops to withdraw, for the sole reason to gain more time to retreat, they had dispatched these witches. By throwing the deceased heads, they threatened us. While we were mingling with the witches and shrinking back from the threat, the enemy forces were most likely retreating on the other side of the night horizon.
“General!”
A captain shouted.
Two witches were rushing towards me.
Surprised by their sudden drop, the crossbowmen desperately fired the bolts that they had loaded previously. One of the witches’ heads was pierced by a bolt and met her end. However, the other witch was still alive and came towards me while pulling out a sword.
“Heub!”
Metal sharply collided against one another. I had raised my longsword and received the witch’s slash.
Although the witch’s physique was much smaller than me, so her strength was not that impressive, that single blow, which also contained the force accumulated from flying with her broom, was powerful.
Shifting the strength of the blow to my side, I rolled back. The witch immediately flung herself at me. Since the witch stuck close to me, while we exchanged blows with our blades, the soldiers around us could not approach.
“Ahahah! Aha, ahah hahahaha—!”
The witch let out an insane laughter.
Her appearance looked as if she was barely over 10-years-old.
There was an arrow already impaled into the chest of this girl with platinum blonde hair. Every time she swung her blade, blood flowed from her wound. That should be painful enough to drive one mad, and yet, the witch simply laughed. In order to not give the witch the opportunity to intonate a spell, I cornered her with my sword. And then, at the moment a gap was made, I struck the witch’s stomach with my left fist.
“—Pa, ha.”
Unable to withstand my strike, the witch was blown away.
The witch’s body went over the rampart and fell to the bottom of the wall.
The crossbowmen stuck to the edge of the rampart and started to fire downwards. The air was silent in the areas where the bolts passed through. The witch did not rise up once more. Since the sound of a head cracking was not heard, I conjectured that she was able to avoid death.
“General, are you alright!?”
“Can you not tell by looking at me? I have not aged to the point where I would get done in by a young girl.”
I sheathed my sword.
In the distant night sky, the witches that had survived were fleeing. It seemed six or seven of the 20 witches had died. Seeing that the escaping shadows were small in number, it was pitiable.
“All forces, open the fortress gates and sortie! The enemy troops are planning to escape while using the witches as a scapegoat in order to distract us. Blow the horns!”
After repelling the witches, the soldiers cried out. The mages shot fireballs into the night sky to celebrate our victory.
In this cloudy night, the explosion of the fireballs could be seen vividly. Influenced by that vivid light, our soldiers forgot about the cold, forgot about death, and went through the gates. The company commanders and adjutants ran around the dim grounds to organize the ranks. I mounted a white horse and went to the front.
There was no doubt.
After hearing that their main attack force was defeated, the Demon Lord was planning to evacuate back to the demon territory.
Since he had no confidence in facing us and also had no determination to hold out, by blaming it on the defeat of the other unit, he most likely intended to draw back entirely.
“Follow me!”
There was no time to lose.
If Dantalian is able to retreat safely, then that would not be my victory. The triumph will go solely to the Imperial Princess.
Because the Imperial Princess had won, the enemy troops had retreated. If I were to spectate here then I would descend into being a mere fool who had lost the Black Fortress and was only able to take it back thanks to the Imperial Princess. If that were to happen, then this war would be completely decorated as the Imperial Princess’ victory. That must not happen!
Someone must block the Imperial Princess’ lead. If it is not obstructed, then no one could know when that lead would turn into a flood. When the Imperial Princess dethrones her own father for the name of glory, and when she purges her own brother with the justification of victory, in these situations, who could possibly condemn her? If no one is able to do this, then there is no other choice but for me to step forward.
Since that is the duty of a noble.
Since that is my mission as a Rosenberg.
For the peace of the Empire, and for my vengeance, Demon Lord Dantalian, you shall fall in these Black Mountains tonight.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 3, Day 1 The Black Mountains, mountain pass
20 witches had gone out and 12 had returned. All 12 witches had their chests penetrated and were bleeding.
I could not see Humbaba among them.
“……”
Feeling wretched, I could not ask where Humbaba was. I could only ask if they could continue fighting. If the witches were to say that it would be difficult, then I planned to exclude them from the battle.
“Can you fly again?”
“We shall repay our master’s kindness with our lives.”
The witches knelt down in the snow with their bloody bodies. In the places where their blood dripped, holes were made in the snow. Glancing down at those red holes, I vowed. At any cost, I shall obtain victory in this battle.
Although our forces were in the possession of 50 witches, I had purposely sent only 20 in order to lure out the enemy. The 20 witches had accepted that irrational command without a word. And without a word, 9 of them had fallen to their demise. What the 9 had thought as they felt the cold winter air for the final time, and how solitary they must have felt as they descended to the boundlessly dark abyss by their lonesome, I could not dare measure that emotion. They had died for me.
I quietly commanded the captains.
“Rely on the wooden fences. The enemy will situate their cavalry at the front and charge at our forces. It will be over if you yield from those fences. The spearmen shall protect the crossbowmen, and the crossbowmen shall depend on the spearmen. Rely on one another and hold out together.”
The captains repeated the orders and ran out to the front lines.
From a distance, the sound of hooves reverberated and shook the earth. As the hooves raised clouds of snow from the ground, the enemy cavalry drew near. In this dark night, their figures could not be seen in detail but instead appeared as one huge mass, like a single giant shadow. Between the shadows, the sharp sound of horns was mixed. Hooves, snow dust, and horns were chaotically fused together, making it appear as if it was not a thousand, but ten thousand that were approaching us.
“Blow the horns.”
Our buglers blew their breaths into their horns. In the night sky, the respiration of the enemy soldiers and the breaths of our forces intermingled, and the witches flew up into that sky once more.
In the sky resonating the sound of horns, the witches and mages crossed paths. And on the ground trembling by the hooves, infantry and cavalry clashed. Blood that burst forth from the sky scattered downwards and the blood surging from the ground shot upwards. The world was soaked in blood.
A captain’s adjutant shouted.
— Your highness, it’s the enemy infantry!
The moonlight faintly displayed the enemy soldiers on the other side of the mountain pass. Although their faces could not be seen, the spears which they were holding shined brightly in the dim light. My center army consisted of 2,500 soldiers, but it appeared that the enemy soldiers reached around 5,000 if they added the cavalry together with the infantry.
Though the wooden fences, which our troops were relying on, were sturdy, the amount we had was low. There were large gaps placed between each fence. The enemy cavalry continuously pressed their horses towards those spots. Our spearmen were slowly being pushed back. A spear thrust out by an enemy cavalry pierced the head of one of our infantrymen. The spearhead went through their eye and came out from the back of their head.
After mounting a horse and staring out onto the battlefield, I spoke calmly.
“Endure. We will survive if you endure. If you yield, then we will all perish.”
I felt bitter about my helplessness. In this grim night, the soldiers were all respectively alone. On their own, our soldiers managed the shadows of the enemy which approached them like a flood. As battles were carried out by the soldiers and not myself, I could not die in their steads, and that task of dying was solely taken by the soldiers.
Our troops fell head first into the snow and died. As long as they were not allies, the enemy forces stepped on the corpses and buried them further into the snow. The hair of the half-buried corpses shook due to the wind. Since their corpses were firm, no type of flowery words could remain. Death was something that denied words.
I gazed at the pine forest to the left of the battlefield. Farnese was most likely hiding there while holding her breath. It felt like I could feel her breathing as she stared like a wolf at the battlefield with her green eyes.
Whether I fell first, whether the enemy soldiers could break through our defenses first, or whether Farnese enveloping the enemy soldiers from behind would come first, I could not grasp how the sequence was going to end up. Everyone was alone in this night battle. I repeated the same words I had said a moment ago.
“Endure. We will survive if you endure.”
▯The Northern Guardian, Margrave of Rosenberg, Georg von Rosenberg Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 3, Day 1 The Black Mountains, mountain pass
“Attack! Do not rest and continue to rage!”
Our infantry rushed forward one after the other. There was no time for rest. Until the night was over, there was going to be no breaks. Before we have destroyed the wooden pickets, massacred the enemy soldiers, and have achieved victory by taking the head of the Demon Lord, there will be no pause until then. Kill them, tear them, and rip them to pieces…… Commands that were not words, but were instead, nothing more than an explosion of sounds, came pouring out.
A blind arrow flew towards me and grazed my shoulder. Blood flowed and my body felt warm. The captains were unaware of my injury. Good. It was better off like this. It was much better that they did not know of my scratch. Is this not what night battles were? I shouted out the burning energy that was boiling inside me.
“Crush them!”
Words disappeared from the battlefield and only noise echoed throughout. Spear! Spear……! A knight who had dropped his weapon mid-charge started to call out. He grabbed a spear, unaware of who had given it to him, and resumed his assault. They were covered in the blizzard raised by the hooves of the horses, so the knights were not clearly visible. Once again, someone shouted, Spear……! Spear……! and was consumed by the snow. I could see something vividly on the backs of the mounted troops who were charging in to be consumed by the blizzard. Although I was unsure of what it was, I was certain that it was something that surpassed words. That was, perhaps, a part which was in the blind spot of life. The blindness of life.
The captains spoke.
“There are fewer enemy soldiers than predicted, general.”
“And we can’t see the enemy’s cavalry as well.”
I nodded my head.
“It appears to be less than 3,000. The Demon Lord must have run away with his Royal Guards beforehand. Those men are resisting in order to give the Demon Lord time to escape.”
My prediction was on the mark.
Dantalian responded quickly to the news of Marbas’ defeat. While sending out the witches to employ a smokescreen tactic, Dantalian retreated with his main force. If I had waited until dawn, then the Demon Lord’s main force would have gotten all the way back to the Black Fortress without receiving any harm.
Oh, how unfortunate, Dantalian.
Your anxiety has ruined you. Rather, if it were not for you having sent out your witches, then I would have most likely waited until dawn. This was most likely what it meant for the biter to be bitten.
Even if Dantalian were able to get away with his guards, it was fine.
Although it was regretful that we were going to be unable to fulfill the quota for Demon Lords
, just annihilating this main force of his would be quite the large exploit.
My biggest goal was to prevent the Imperial Princess from holding a monopoly on the laurels of victory. I was satisfied with achieving this.
“We have breached the wooden fences!”
“General, our infantry have broken through!”
The captains got excited.
Primarily, our forces overwhelmed the enemy with numbers. Like how a person would latch onto a log if they had fallen into a river, the enemy soldiers were relying on that feeble fence and holding out.
Since the enemy troops were in the middle of withdrawing, they were unable to properly set up their fences, and now, the already few amount of pickets they were able to put up had collapsed. What could the enemy rely on now? Be swept up in the flood of our soldiers and drown!
“Please give us the order to carry out an all-out attack, general!”
“Allow us to take part in the glory of a great victory!”
“Mm. Go.”
I nodded my head in approval.
Letting out a roar, the captains waved their flags. Finally, our reserve troops advanced to the front line as well. The sound of horns resonated.
Each company’s horn had a different tone, but the battlefield was too disorderly to distinguish the tones. This chaos will soon end once the battle was over.
— ……
Between the noise, a certain pitch came into my ear. Indeed, it was the sound of horns.
However, it felt like that sound was further and higher up than the others.
— Buuu……
I was at least certain that the sound was not coming from our troops. Was the sound coming from the demons? If that was so, then the noise should have been coming from up ahead, and yet, I was hearing the sound from the forest on the other side. Following the noise, I gazed at the pine tree grove.
— Buuuuu, buuu……
The sound drew closer. It was approaching faster than the speed of an average person’s gait. The horn was not being blown by infantry but by cavalry. The moonlight slipped between the gaps in the clouds. In the forest that was being faintly lit, the branches on the pine trees shook. The pine trees shuddered and brushed off the snow.
Receiving the snow falling from the branches, a girl emerged from the pine grove.
The girl was riding on a black horse. She lightly shook off the snow that had fallen onto her head. Following the movement of the girl, the black horse snorted. A blizzard was raging, but the flurry aimed away from the girl, making her the sole clear person in the center of the violent winter wind.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_03_02.txt
|
Chapter 3: The Mountain Range is Burning
“……”
The girl glanced towards this direction. It felt as if she had met my gaze, however, I did not feel her gaze with my eyes, but with my entire body instead. Her eyes were emotionless and indifferent like the winter. She simply held her position like the wind. The girl opened her mouth.
The words which she had uttered were most likely these.
— Slaughter them.
That was it.
The moment her words flowed into the air.
The sound of horns raged.
— Buuuuuuuu.
A countless number of demon cavalry emerged from the pine grove. Centaurs born with the faces of humans and the legs of horses let out a battle cry. The demon cavalry leaped over our rear, the wooden fences, and advanced further to lash the back of our troops.
Because they were suddenly caught from behind, our military personnel were thrown into confusion. Although they hastily attempted to set up a defense, there was no space. The wooden fences were interfering. Due to the immense shock, I could only watch the sight of my soldiers running about in confusion and drift further apart.
The captains whom I could command, and the captains who would listen to my orders and pass them on, were not at my side. Above all else, everything was already too late. Even if I were to run into that chaotic battlefield, even if I put my life on the line, I could never turn the progress of this battle now. The intuition which had been with me throughout my entire life declared.
That this was my defeat.
Aah.
Aaah—.
Our soldiers kept being pushed into a corner. Trying to hide behind the wooden pickets, the soldiers conflicted against one another. The wooden fences were unable to handle the struggle and had collapsed. The men tumbled onto the ground and sprayed out snow as they hit the earth. The soldiers flailed while on top of the snow.
The girl was still standing tall at the edge of the forest and looking down at the battle. The breath flowing from her lips rose upwards. She did not move. It felt as if the battleground was completely irrelevant to the girl.
Oh, Gods.
How could you have, to a Devil?
How could you have allowed a Devil to triumph?
Is it to fulfill your justice here on our land? Is the defeat of this old man proper in your righteousness? Is it your grand design to allow that Demon Lord, who had slaughtered, burned, and ridiculed innocent prisoners, to achieve victory?
“……”
I stared up at the sky.
The witches and mages were fighting intensely in the night sky. However, the intensity that the witches were once receiving had turned around at some point, and now the mages were enduring the ferocity. The witches, whose numbers were once lower than 20, now appeared as if there were over 30. Our mages fell. They fell with their heads cut and their arms severed. They had become a red winter flower and were plucked petal by petal.
So I was deceived.
I was deceived so I have lost.
And since I have lost, I should die.
“……”
I put on my helmet.
Frozen by the winter wind, the helmet was cold. The frigid sensation from the iron burrowed deep into my head and into my thoughts. While forgetting about the Gods and dismissing justice from my mind, I simply glared at the path to rush ahead.
The young lad grabbed my reigns.
“Your honor, where are you planning to go……?”
“I am afraid of the humiliation I will receive for returning alive. You can leave. Ride my reserve horse and go far away.”
The lad did not leave. He got on the reserve horse and pulled out a sword. I could not stop him.
After we turned the heads of our horses and rushed into the enemy forces, the lad was the first to fall due to being shot by arrows. He had endured 3 bolts. Subsequent to an arrow piercing his throat, the lad rolled off from his saddle. I had yet to fall so I continued my advance.
At that moment, someone shouted towards me.
“Why, is it not the margrave!”
“……!”
My eyes were dragged by the voice that I could not dare forget.
Over a wall of men and horses, Demon Lord Dantalian was mounted on a horse.
The Demon Lord widely grinned.
“Where are you going in such a rush, margrave! Is the night sky not beautiful and the snow marvelous? Is the blood of the soldiers sprayed across everything not splendid as well? If you are in such a hurry, then you may miss all of these sceneries. Go with more leisure!”
“……You, bastard.”
“Ah, the margrave may be a bit too old to enjoy the scenery. You may have shat and pissed yourself because of all the surprising events that have happened tonight. But do not worry. I am courteous to the elderly, after all. I shall receive all of your shit and piss.”
Dantalian burst out laughing towards the sky.
“Please do not decline. Do we not have a special tie between us, margrave?”
“You scoundrel—!”
I charged towards the location the Demon Lord was at with my horse.
The centaurs quickly came at me in order to protect the Demon Lord.
As I desperately slashed and beheaded centaurs, something powerful collided against the back of my head. My head throbbed and I lost my balance.
My face became enveloped by the cold snow. While feeling my face become cold and the back of my head become hot, I closed my eyes.
The sound of the Imperial Princess’ empty laugh brushed past my ear.
— Sir Rosenberg, Sir Rosenberg. Oh, Sir Rosenberg……
And then I lost consciousness.
▯The Northern Guardian, Margrave of Rosenberg, Georg von Rosenberg Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 3, Day 1 The Black Mountains, mountain pass
—The moment I opened my eyes, the sight of a man and multiple girls sitting down and leaning against one another came into my vision. The man was wearing black clothes. He was slowly stroking a girl with platinum blonde hair who was using his lap as a pillow.
I was unsure of what she was so ecstatic about, but the girl kept rubbing her cheek against the man’s lap. There was a bandage wrapped around the girl’s head.
On the man’s other side, there was another girl seated beside him. The sound of pages from a book being flipped could be heard.
I closed my eyes once and opened them again. Was this reality? Was this a hallucination? The world surrounding them was pure white as it was covered in snow. The sunlight was reflected irregularly so the border between reality and hallucination became faint.
— ……?
— ……
They whispered in words that I could not understand. The platinum blonde haired girl kept laughing, the man laughed occasionally, and the blonde girl did not laugh at all. In that location, they were all melted together as one.
From a distance, a pink haired girl approached while holding a platter. The man and the girls received a plate of food from the platter. At that moment, the pink haired girl pointed towards my direction and muttered something. The man looked at me.
Splash
Lukewarm water drenched my head. I coughed and raised my body. Blood was mixed into my coughs.
After spitting out some blood, my head became clear and my vision distinct. The man and the girls were not sitting in the center of sunlight. There was an endless number of corpses spread out around them.
“Margrave, I see you are alive.”
The man spoke.
“Consider it a fortune that your life line is long. If Humbaba here had died, then you would have died by my hands as well.”
“……”
I spat out the blood in my mouth and spoke.
“Why did you spare me?”
“I did not spare you. You survived absolutely on your own. Although we had used ropes to bind you, who had fallen on the battlefield, that was it. We did not cure or take care of you.”
You survived on your own.
My heart felt numbed by the Demon Lord’s words. What was I trying to accomplish by surviving? Exactly what hidden part of my mind struggled desperately to stay alive?
“……What do you plan to do with me?”
“I am your enemy, and you are also my enemy. Since there are no relations as tied together as ours, I give you my sympathy.”
The Demon Lord chuckled.
“Respecting one’s elders is an etiquette that surpasses both race and nationality. I shall release you.”
I was stifled.
The girls lined up beside the man were gazing this way with stoic faces.
It felt as if their expressionless faces were the naked face of death.
“……Kill me. Take my life instead.”
“Take a strong hold of your mind, margrave. Since you have survived on your own, should you not die on your own as well? Ah, it would be unwieldy to drag around an old man on my own. I shall place one of your horse attendants as your servant. Do not be so disappointed.”
“The soldiers…… what happened to my officers and men?”
“They all died.”
“Nonetheless, are there not fellows who had survived?”
Dantalian smiled.
“We killed them all.”
Aah.
I vomited out blood. My internal organs surged in reverse. After heaving out something soft and wet, I lost consciousness once more.
Oh Gods.
Oh Gods.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 3, Day 1 The Black Mountains, mountain pass
While glancing at the margrave being taken away on a stretcher, Lapis spoke.
“Your highness. Is there a reason why you are sparing that one’s life? Rosenberg is a prestigious family among prestigious families, that has fought against the Demon Lord armies for generations. If your highness takes that man’s neck then that grandeur will shake the entire world.”
“That is why I must not take his neck.”
I softly brushed the hair of Humbaba who was lying on my lap. Humbaba mewled while imitating the sound of a cat. A scout had discovered Humbaba, who had fallen in the snow near the White Fortress, and brought her back. Fortunately, her wounds were not severe. I asked if Humbaba had something she wished for. She answered immediately.
— A lap pillow!
I more than gladly accepted this modest request. Lapis as well did not say anything in criticism for this occasion. We all acknowledged the contributions made by the witches. One day, I shall console the witches with a true reward that is not something like a mere lap pillow. While smiling, I spoke.
“Marbas was defeated and even Barbatos has been pushed into a corner. How could I triumph so grandly on my own while the progress of the war is this tragic? I will stick out. A person who sticks out will be struck. Although we are sending Rosenberg back alive……”
Rosenberg will be driven to death by the Imperial Princess anyway.
I swallowed those words down. That was a line that I had no reason to go out of my way to say. I placed words that were less suspicious on my mouth.
“The territory which Rosenberg rules over shall soon be land occupied by us, anyway. If we were to take the life of the lord respected by his subjects, then we will only raise their anger. For the future when we rule over them, I must be tolerant.”
I wonder if she had accepted that answer. Lapis did not question further. I spoke.
“Inform Barbatos of our victory. Furthermore, include a calumny requesting that she should clean those lips of hers since I will be going to assist her.”
“……”
Lapis narrowed her eyes.
“Your highness, you always emphasize that you despise women with small chests, but in truth, is that not a lie? It seems as if quite the amount of your highness’ mind resides in Barbatos. This one is holding doubts.”
How noisy.
Farnese leaned against me and silently read her book, and Humbaba purred with her head placed on my lap. I reckoned I should indulge in the antics of these two for today.
▯The Northern Guardian, Margrave of Rosenberg, Georg von Rosenberg Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 3, Day 1 The Black Mountains vicinity
“……”
Once I opened my eyes again, I found myself lying on a bed.
According to the horse attendant, who had followed me as a valet, he claimed that the witches had taken and dropped us off at a nearby village. This was the village chief’s room, and after sleeping for half a day, I was barely able to regain my senses. When I asked him about what had happened to the rest of my men, the soldier lowered his head. I could not ask anything.
Supported by the attendant, I left the village chief’s house.
The village was at the foot of the mountains. Strangely, the town was quiet. At dawn, due to the sound of gunpowder exploding at the White Fortress, the village people had evacuated. Since the place of evacuation was incommodious to the old village chief, he said that he had stayed at home. It seemed the chief had realized that I was a lord.
Once we neared the entrance of the village, the Black Mountains could be seen clearly. The White Fortress was enveloped in an inferno. The flames from the fortress stuck fast to the foot of the mountain, and from the foot, a path of flames stretched upwards to the peak, making the Black Mountains become a burnt pitch black.
Putting these flames behind them, an army of thousands was leaving towards somewhere. They were truly leaving. Although I could not tell where they were going towards, it was certain that it was not to the demon territory but towards the humans’.
I sunk into the snow-covered ground and cried out for a long time. My knees trembled and my vocal cords became torn.
……Ah, is this life? Are you telling me that this is also life?
I am a human. However, I am a traitor who had made the humans fall. I was a traitor who was a thousand times more heinous than a turncoat who had sold out their own country. The land was now going to be trampled by the foreign enemies. Moreover, it was a land where countless more humans will be born and raised in. Because of this old man, the young ones, who were going to be born and raised from now on, were going to be trampled before they could bloom. What am I to do about this? What can I do……?
I was barely able to stand once night had arrived. Tearing the lower end of my clothes, I used that torn piece of clothing as parchment and borrowed a writing utensil from the village chief. I handed the report to the soldier and sent him away first. I told him to go first and inform the Imperial Princess of our defeat. The lines that I had written while enduring the trembling in my fingers were this.
— 3rd month, 1st day. Enemy forces have captured the White Fortress. Military strength approximately 4,000. Demon Lord Dantalian is the commander. Our forces were annihilated.
When I wrote the line that our troops were annihilated, my body shook.
I cursed my destiny that had allowed me to age until I was an old man. However, because I did not say the things I should have said, I was cornered this far, and since writing the things that I must write was the last task bestowed upon me, I wrote the rest.
— 3rd month, 1st day. Enemy forces have captured the White Fortress. Military strength approximately 4,000. Demon Lord Dantalian is the commander. Our forces were annihilated. The mountain range is burning.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_03_03.txt
|
Chapter 3: The Mountain Range is Burning
Translator's Notes
This is a rather important note. Up until now, the margrave had used a superior way of referring to himself. However, it’s a word that doesn’t exist in the English language and isn’t something as obnoxious as using the ‘Royal we’. It’s similar to how Lapis would always refers to herself as ‘this one’ when talking to people of authority. He used a word similar to ‘main body/center/duce’ instead of using the word ‘I’, and would always do it in his monologue too. If need be, I’ll go back on a later date to change all that, but for now, the reason why I’m telling you guys this is because of the final part of this chapter. When he monologue’d this line, “I was barely able to stand once night had arrived.”, he actually corrects himself from calling himself ‘main body’, and simply refers to himself as ‘I’. Meaning he has accepted the fact that he had lost and that he doesn’t deserve to be referred to in a high manner anymore.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_04_01.txt
|
Chapter 4: FOG OF WAR
We were given a single mission.
Go north.
Go north and rescue Barbatos.
The amount of rest given to our soldiers was half a day. We pillaged the supplies that were piled up like a mountain within the White Fortress, and since it would be beyond our capacity to pillage everything, we burned the rest. While we were burning the supplies, which we originally planned to use to feed and clothe the prisoners, we also decided to burn the captives as well.
Since that would be more efficient.
I ordered for cruelty.
“Set ablaze every single human village we see on our path.”
Flames and smoke were present wherever my army went. My soldiers marched as they set ablaze everything that lay in our path, and marched while placing the smoke behind them. We advanced strenuously in order to provide aid for Barbatos.
The humans desired to push the assault back to the demon territory. Since war was an occurrence that trampled over the land which they took place in, the humans wished for the land of the demons to be trampled instead of their own.
Now, during the current situation where the second army had completely fallen, the only person blocking the path of the massive human army was Demon Lord Barbatos. Barbatos was barely obstructing the human army of 40,000 with her own 20,000 soldiers. Providing aid for Barbatos was a major task. That way, the demon territory could avoid the terrible disaster of war. Barbatos and I will not become the renegades who had brought upon this war.
“Do not become obsessed with pillaging! Kill them if you wish to take their lives, but do not waste your energy in slaughter. We do not have the time to rape so manage your lower bodies fairly. Burn all the human towns and turn those villagers into the homeless.”
I did not have even a touch of hesitation. Burn everything. Set ablaze everything in sight. The villages and supplies which we do not burn will become the lifeline that will feed the enemy. I was executing a cheongya[1] tactic in reverse.
Occasionally, the elders of the villages would be driven mad by the pent-up frustration and beg to us. The elders pleaded that they at least needed the seeds if they wished to carry out the first tilling during the upcoming spring, so they begged for us to not tear out their hopes to survive by the roots. I did not have the time to explain to the elders the urgency of our situation. Their circumstances should not be mine and my circumstances should not be theirs, so I did not have the time to make our misaligned circumstances interlock. Even if I did have enough time, that was a difficult dislocation to fix. I browbeat the elders.
“Then will you die? Would you rather die instead? Listen to me carefully, humans. Until the winter is over, run away to the mountains and do not come down. The farming this year has come to an end, so do not hold any lingering attachment. Do not return from the mountain valleys!”
With tears in their eyes, the old men and women departed to find refuge.
The smoke rising from the Black Mountains was moving ever so slightly, but with certainty, towards the north. As each day passed, the villages that laid on our northward path were turned into flames.
People overflowed from the towns where only ashes remained. The humans who had lost their homes escaped towards the south or hid in the mountains. The smoke was dense on all sides. The sound of crying and weeping echoed throughout the areas where the fumes were thick. They should consider it a fortune that the snow and rain that fell during our march of arson was light. If it had become difficult to set things ablaze because of the weather, then I would have killed every single human.
The refugees sang as they departed.
If we go now, when will we return
If we go now, when will we return
Our villages are burning and our sons are burning
Aha, if we go now, then when will we return……
When they had no path to tread and no destination to arrive at, it seemed humans relied on songs on their road of departure. Although the song was sorrowful and foolish, I did not stop them. If anything, I shoved the backs of the humans. Run away, spread it, spread the song wide, inform the people with a song that we have arrived as your plague……
En route, the army of the dukes blocked our path. They were soldiers who had ran away from their strongholds because they were unable to endure the bitter song of the people. However, this was after the dukes had offered the majority of their military personnel to the Imperial family in order to provide military assistance. Although their spirit was praiseworthy, solely their spirit was what could be complimented. While slightly glancing at the enemy forces that barely reached 50 soldiers, Farnese asked.
“What should we do, lord?”
“Trample over them.”
“Understood. ……How tiresome.”
While muttering about how bothersome it was, Farnese commanded our troops.
Since our victory was much too apparent, Farnese devised a game. It was a play to see how she could kill all 50 enemy soldiers without missing a single one. While testing all kinds of tactics, Farnese taunted the enemy. The game was a success. The soldiers were wiped out completely.
We severed the heads of the so-called soldiers and dangled them on poles. Every time we burned a village down, we threw in about 15 heads. After seeing those heads, the elderly folks listened to our words a slight bit better. Without having the need for us to verbally threaten them, they packed their stuff on their own discretion in order to find refuge. It was straight forward. I should have done this sooner.
We were without a doubt a Demon Lord’s army.
If one were to express it a bit more accurately, then we were an army of bastards.
Our military personnel considered the fact that they were bastards as something to be proud of. As we pillaged more, our soldiers formed a stronger army. Marching was not painful.
Our own soldiers would give our army titles, such as ‘The Harbingers of Winter’, ‘The Human’s Plague’, and ‘The Pillagers of Mountains’. Since the winter was something that was damned, the plague was something to be sworn at, and pillaging was a vile thing to do, one could know how dastardly my army was. How cheer-worthy. Aha, how anarchistic. It was a good season.
My life was more than just miserable, so I would sing about my forlornness. The refugees sang because they did not know where to go, and I sang because I did not know where I had come from. The song of a person who had nowhere to go and the song of a person who had nowhere to return were completely different.
“What shall it be: this or that–? The walls behind the temple of the city’s deity have fallen – shall it be this–? When they die and die again a hundred times–. Or if we die and die together nonetheless – shall it be that–?”[2]
“……What in the world is that song? It is bizarre.”
Farnese furrowed her brows. Lapis, who was riding beside me on her horse, also gave me a weird look. I made up a lie.
“These are the lyrics from a melody which I had heard in my dream last night. The beat twines around my tongue so well that the song flows naturally. Would this not be a tune blessed to us by the Goddess?”
“Hm.”
“Try singing along. It is a song that casually unburdens one’s life. Songs are sung to savor the taste of doing something that is heavy but with lightheartedness. What shall everything in the world be: this or that?”
The song instantly circulated among the soldiers. ‘They say that this is a song that Our Liege the Demon Lord made after personally hearing it from the Goddess herself’, a premium attached to this groundless rumor. Once I included a trot-like[3] rhythm to the song and recited it, our soldiers tossed away military songs and giggled at the trot. Our troops altered the lyrics to match their taste.
Badum tat badum tat what shall it be: this or that?
Badum tatat tat burn the temples and slaughter the people – shall it be this?
When they die and die again a hundred times
Or if we die and die together nonetheless – shall it be that?[4]
Our officers and men chanted, slaughtered, pillaged, and committed arson. With a ‘koong chuck’, an excited air blew as they swung their blades, and with another ‘koong chuck’, they hummed as they put down the flames. Every time the chant was sung, blood was splattered.
As we advanced further north, the four-beat drum tune became convivial. The witches were the ones most giddy about the trot and let out a whimsical vibe. While riding on their brooms, the witches flew low and sang the chorus. Below the witches, the soldiers sang along while treading the ground. As the chorus and repetition were going back and forth, our march proceeded quickly.
The song of refugees spread to the south. The song of invaders dug its way into the north. The anthem of refugees was the weeping of the people, and the anthem of pillagers was the gaiety of the people, so I did not differentiate the two. I simply considered them all as the people. While being enshrouded by the smoke rising from the flames, we spread the melody.
While all of our troops were going along with the rhythm, solely Lapis remained cold. Lapis firmly refused to sing.
“That is a bad habit.”
It was honestly an accurate discernment.
3rd month, 11th day.
Before the 13th day that Barbatos had made us vow.
We had grabbed the enemy’s blockade by the nape.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 3, Day 11 Neris Plains
“—Break through them.”
I spoke while pointing towards the enemy encirclement.
To the people, words followed the world and were changed according to their lives. However, for the individuals in power, the world followed words, and the lives of others changed according to the words spoken by the figures of authority. I was a man of influence. I ordered them to break through, thus it happened.
Humbaba led the other witches and carpet-bombed the enemy. We had plundered so much gunpowder from the White Fortress that we were now nearly overflowing with it. The witches scattered the pouches of gunpowder without reserve. Soon after, the mages on the enemy forces’ side flew up into the air to retaliate.
The enemy troops were many and our forces were few. Regardless, the enemy soldiers were spread out vastly in order to form an encirclement. Our forces retracted and stabbed into a single point. The enemy was dispersed and we were focused. The enemy forces had to keep an eye out for both the outside and inside of their encirclement, while all we had to do was rush forward while only looking ahead. As if hammering a nail into a plank of wood, Farnese hammered our soldiers into the blockade. Excluding this, there was no other plot or unusual wit. It was a powerful frontal attack.
Farnese uttered.
“An army that wins through a frontal assault is a happy army.”
Her words became few when she was commanding. She would only embed the tactics into the other captains during the strategy meetings, but during actual combat, she watched the battlefield with a flickering gaze.
Farnese would read battlefields as if she was looking at a book. It felt as if the soldiers’ shouts, the movement of the unit, and the sound of horns all had a fixed meaning to her, and that meaning alluded to words and lines. When our soldiers’ movements were vague, she spoke.
“Do not falter and go forth.”
When the enemy forces endured tenaciously, she spoke.
“Hold out as well, and be resolute to shed your blood.”
Once the enemy encirclement started to fall apart, she spoke again.
“Attack there.”
Farnese read the battlefield as if it were a book, and as if she were correcting all the misprints within a paperback, she amended the errors on a battlefield with her orders. Her commands were precise, and therefore engraved deeply into our officers and men.
Without uttering a word, the captains held Laura De Farnese, who was gazing down at the back of their heads, with high esteem. They boasted that they were able to feel the acting general’s gaze while they were fighting. From the captains to the privates, there was not a single person who doubted the general’s words. I recalled the words of a genius mathematician who claimed that the entire world appeared as numbers to him. To Farnese, the battlefield most likely appeared as words and sentences to her. A natural talent.
Before the 2-hour mark had passed since we had begun our assault on the blockade, Farnese nodded.
“It is over.”
A crooked smile drifted over Farnese’s lips.
♦
5 minutes later, as she had stated, the encirclement collapsed. The enemy forces raised their flags and fled. Since their retreat appeared to be deliberate, Farnese forbade our troops from pursuing them thoughtlessly.
“Do not go after them. We will end up suffering instead.”
The captains kept silent and obeyed the order. It was a captain’s joy to chase after remnant enemy troops, hit them from behind, and empty their pockets. Bewitched by that interest, the number of soldiers who preferred plundering over fighting was countless. However, Farnese was not a general who was stingy about looting. The captains, who had pillaged as much as they wanted to during our forced march here, understood the general’s nature well. If Farnese told them to not pursue, then they must not pursue. It was a solemn rule.
After the enemy soldiers had withdrawn, as if curtains were being pulled aside, Barbatos’ encampment was revealed. The person in charge of the campsite came out.
“Welcome, Dantalian. Thanks to you, we are able to survive another day.”
“I can only apologize for my belated arrival.”
“To say that you are late…… We did not have any expectation that someone would arrive in the first place.”
The supervisor smiled bitterly. There was blood smeared on the supervisor’s pure white beard. This man with the appearance of an old man was a Demon Lord, rank 16th Zepar.
“Although it would only be proper etiquette to treat you and your men to a banquet for having allowed us to escape death, disconcertingly, our current situation is unfavorable. I apologize. Nevertheless, if you had arrived a day later, we would have greeted you as blind corpses.”
“How could etiquette in war be the same as common civility? Let us not be concerned about such matters. There is not even the slightest reason for you to feel disconcerted, Duke Zepar.”
Rank 16th Zepar and I, who was rank 71st, conversed with one another while using a half-polite language. It may have gone against courtesy, but Zepar was the lord who had received salvation, and I was the lord who had given him that redemption. I was indirectly suggesting to him that this was what front line decorum was. Zepar must have understood my implication as he had nodded his head.
“Nevertheless, I feel quite ashamed to be welcoming you like this. What have we been doing while you, who possesses a low rank, were breaching through the mountain range and arriving to rescue us……?”
“Duke Zepar, what part of that is your mistake? Since the lords of the Plains Faction have protected the demon continent, which had risen to extremities, the people will most definitely praise your efforts. All I have merely done was to very slightly assist the lords in helping their subjects. Now then, let us go.”
While exchanging words of blessing, Zepar guided us to the campsite.
The encampment was solitary. It was a campsite that relied solely on wooden fences and trenches. The fences had broken apart due to the repeated attacks which had unfolded for the past several days. On the wooden pickets, corpses were impaled through the abdomen and were hanging like laundry. Birds of prey landed on the corpses and feasted on the most tender part of their flesh; the eyes. The blood oozed from the empty eye sockets of the blinded corpses. The moment we drew near, the birds flew away in alarm. As the birds fled, they dropped the torn apart eyeballs onto the earth. Zepar did not utter a word while going past the corpses of his men.
Witnessing my troops entering the camp, the soldiers who were still alive gathered. They cheered while raising their spears.
— Hoorah for His Highness Dantalian! Hoorah!
— Blessings to our savior!
The soldiers blocked our path so we were unable to move here or there. It was unimaginable for the faces of the soldiers who had survived purgatory to be beautiful. They were missing limbs and teeth and were dirty because of the grime which was smeared all over them. If there was something about them that was beautiful, then it was the bright smile that had formed on their faces. Zepar scolded the officers and men.
“What is this? No matter how delighted you all are, it is custom to not block the path of a king. Quickly……”
“No, that is fine, Duke Zepar.”
I stopped him.
“It is a rule that a king who steps on the path of his people does not exist.”
I stepped down from my horse and embraced one of the soldiers. The soldier was a young orc. A strong pungent smell of horse feces, blood, and urine emanated from his body. I held the young orc close and kissed his forehead.
“You are all admirable. You are all praiseworthy. You all did a good job standing your ground. I am sorry that I was not able to arrive sooner. You did well……”
The soldier burst into tears. After hearing my words, the other soldiers around me started to shed tears as well. They knelt around me and drenched the ends of my clothes with their tears. They cried profusely while muttering ‘your…… highness……’. Zepar could not interfere with the soldiers who were crying because they had survived. That was something that one could not dare impede in.
While the sound of crying was overflowing from the camp, a sharp voice cut in.
“Hey! Tall and feeble!”
It was Barbatos. She was standing beyond the lowered backs of the soldiers.
Barbatos jumped. As if she was crossing over stepping stones, she stepped on the backs of her soldiers and ran all the way to me. Because her behavior had no face or dignity, I was taken aback and my mouth hung agape. Barbatos embraced the me who was like that.
“I’m fucking thankful, you son of a bitch!”
“Uwaack!”
I lost my balance and nearly fell over. Barbatos chortled as she hung onto my shoulders and dangled.
“You crazy bastard, you dog-like bastard! You bastard who really arrives within six days because he was told to come within six days! You, you! Did you crawl here within six days because the mountains are like your front yard? You pretty bastard!”
“Uaaaack!”
I was forcefully kissed. In truth, this was not kissing but suckling. There was no possibility that this was something beside suckling.
I, who had performed quite the romantic and dignified scene, was now twisting his neck in order to avoid displaying a public suckling exhibition. Barbatos’ lips frequently missed. Once that happened, this girl got upset for some reason.
“Ah, damn it. Stay still.”
“Euub!?”
Barbatos grabbed my head with both her hands. Finally, she was able to shove her tongue into my mouth. That was the moment where the suckling had turned into a deep kiss. For someone who had the appearance of that of a child, her kissing capability was extraordinarily peerless. First, she took my breath and made the inside of my mouth into a vacuum. Having been smothered, I lost the strength in my tongue. Barbatos then enveloped her tongue around mine and sucked on it. Our lips went astray for an instant. In that moment, I inhaled sharply while letting out the sound ‘Heub… ha…!’. This was also for an instant. Soon after, Barbatos plugged my mouth once more, and this time, she pressed the center of my tongue with hers and stimulated it. Strength drained from my joints. Barbatos lightly caught and supported my body which was about to collapse since my knees had buckled. I’m going to be raped. These words went through my head. Truly. I’m going to be raped today. I honestly believed that I was going to be violated just like this. Barbatos, who was pressing the center of my tongue with hers, then wrapped her tongue around both sides of my own. Letting out a ‘Eub…’, I moaned. Did I just utter that moan? Did I truly? Was I going to be done in by a single tongue? No matter how much I moved both of my arms in order to push the other party away, it was pointless. Because I was unable to put strength into my arms, my flailing slipped. Barbatos smirked with her eyes. ‘How cute’. It felt like Barbatos was saying that. As if telling me to stop fussing, Barbatos lightly gripped my lower body with her left hand. Dear God. My vision became white. My final line of resistance had disappeared without a trace as well. There was no way to struggle here. My knees trembled in fear from the technique of this perverted Demon Lord who had lived for hundreds of years. I could feel with my entire body what the term ‘being eaten’ meant. I am going to be eaten. That was a basic fear that humans retained towards beasts since the beginning of all things. I primitively trembled. God, please, just, seriously. Barbatos then mixed the techniques of pushing her tongue like a drill and capturing my tongue with hers like a rope together and stirred the inside of my mouth. It felt like a blender was whisking my brain.
“—Paha.”
At last, Barbatos removed her lips. A thin line of saliva hung loosely like a suspension bridge between my and Barbatos’ tongue. While gasping heavily, I glared ferociously at Barbatos.
“You……you really……”
“Don’t try to shrewdly steal the hearts of my men.”
Barbatos bit my earlobe and whispered.
“I’m thankful that you saved me, but that’s it. Listen well. My soldiers are mine. The thing I despise the most are wastrels who mess with the things that are mine. Although this time, I’m letting you off with just this, but if you try to entice my subordinates ever again……”
Barbatos’ tongue licked the inner portion of my ear. That cold moist sensation sent a chill down my spine.
“Dantalian. At that moment, I’ll really violate you while in front of the watchful eyes of the soldiers.”
“……”
Hiccup.
“Your response?”
“I-I’ll be careful.”
“Your plans tonight?”
Barbatos’ voice, which had asked me about my plans for tonight, was dripping with lust. If there was a color to one’s breath, then Barbatos’ breath would most likely be a light pink color right now. I hiccuped.
“Uh…… None?”
“Heeh. Then would you look at that? One was made just now.”
“Please wait a moment. Although I am unsure whether you are exhausted after having blocked the enemy’s continuous attack or not, how about getting some proper rest today?”
“Then since I’m tired, I guess I should improve my health by taking tonics?”
Gyaaaack.
“Every rational being in the world has the right of decision-making regarding their sexual behaviors within society. Barbatos, to your temptation, I shall adamantly refuse……”
“Deny all you want. I’ll just refuse your refusal.”
This was not right.
Barbatos grabbed my right hand and started to drag me along. As I was being dragged, it felt as if I had become a slave who was being sold to another household due to a bad harvest. It was miserable and miserable again.
Thousands of soldiers vacantly watched the sight of me being dragged away. It was obvious what was going to remain in the minds of the soldiers today. The scene of His Highness Dantalian embracing the dirty bodies of the soldiers and crying for them had already fluttered away and evaporated. Only a single scene will remain within the soldiers and they will laugh and talk about it all night.
‘Her Highness Barbatos had devoured His Highness Dantalian!’
Like so.
With my final bit of hope, I gazed at Lapis, Farnese, and the witches. All of them disregarded my gaze. The witches even waved their arms as if they were the people of Pyeongyang and were passionately seeing off their leader. The witches were beaming brightly.
— Be eaten well, your highness!
If my ear holes were still working correctly, then that was what the witches had distinctly shouted. Damn it. Just what country’s custom and what world’s moral principle was the courtesy of selling off one’s master and telling him to be eaten well. Since the three fundamental principles in human relations had collapsed and the Olympic rings have vanished, I shall see it as something you all had committed. Confucius and Mencius shall curse you all. Go die. All of you go die……
▯The Northern Guardian, Margrave of Rosenberg, Georg von Rosenberg Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 3, Day 11 Neris Plains
The officers and men were unable to recognize me who had approached while walking with a cane. Even after I had shown the ring of the House of Rosenberg, the gatekeeper was still half in doubt. My appearance was dirty and shabby. Although I’m going to go and ask, don’t expect too much, the gatekeeper uttered this and went to inform the people above of my arrival.
After a long time, a captain arrived while holding a rope used to bind criminals. It was a captain who I was an acquaintance with. Unable to treat me as a criminal, the captain stammered.
“They said the crime of bringing us defeat was atrocious……”
“Did Her Highness the Imperial Princess order you to bind me?”
“My apologies, your honor.”
My throat was parched. I let out a dry cough. Ever since I was struck on the back of the head and had fallen into the snow, my coughs had become more frequent. This hacking cough which had found me after the age of 60 informed me of my age. The agedness I faced because I was old, was painful.
“What is there to apologize for. Tie me.”
“Please resent this captain.”
The captain bound both of my arms and guided me into the base. During the midday, the areas that the sunlight filled in the military base was vast. In each location where the sun shined down upon, soldiers were gathered and sharing small-talk. Once a captain started leading an elderly man bound by rope, the soldiers turned to look this way. Someone must have recognized my old bones since my name had started to spread immediately.
— That’s the Margrave of Rosenberg.
— Well, the reason our position was taken the other day……
The officers and men whispered. It felt as if my body was completely in the open and my inner flesh was being revealed. The captain guided me not to the quarters used for war councils, but to the Imperial Princess’ personal tent instead.
“I have brought the defeated general, your highness.”
Defeated general.
I shuddered. The disgrace I felt now sunk into a deeper corner of my psyche than it did while walking in front of the soldiers.
The Imperial Princess did not respond. Her shadow could be faintly seen through the white tent fabric.
“Your highness.”
The captain called out once more. No response. Feeling perplexed, the captain turned to look at me. It appeared the captain did not have the courage to press on and call for Her Highness the Imperial Princess, who was like the sky, for the third time. I cleared my throat.
“Your highness, this one is here to bow his head.”
“Enter.”
A refined voice flowed out from the tent.
With the steps of a criminal, I entered the quarters. The Imperial Princess was sitting at a desk and dealing with documents. At the center of the tent, steam was rising from a bucket full of hot water.
Even after we had entered, the Imperial Princess continued to only touch the documents. It appeared that being in her highness’ tent for a long period of time was putting the captain under immense distress. Only the sound of a quill writing on parchment resonated throughout the tent. Even though time should be the same no matter what type of space you were in, the captain was unable to handle the time within this isolated space. The Imperial Princess spoke.
“You may leave now, captain.”
The captain quickly departed.
Only then, did the Imperial Princess stand up. Eyes that were as red as blood gazed at my face. There were no emotions there.
“Sir Rosenberg.”
“Yes, please speak, your highness.”
“Thou has lost.”
I dropped down to my knees.
“Do not forgive this one, your highness.”
“That is right. That is how you should behave. However, if I do not forgive you, then would the soldiers who have fallen come back to life? Would the penetrated mountain range be blocked once more? Our subjects, who have been burned to death, are still the people who have burned, and the soldiers, who have released the encirclement and have retreated, are still our soldiers who have fled.”
“……”
“Why did you lose?”
In full detail, I told her about everything that I knew.
The Imperial Princess silently listened to my words. After hearing everything, she uttered.
“I see, so that man is Dantalian.”
“How does your highness know of such……”
“An acquaintance of mine sent me some information. Have a look as well.”
The Imperial Princess pulled out a pocket watch from the inside of her clothes. Once she turned the hour hand of the clock, smoke started to leak out. A transparent screen was faintly displayed on the smoke. Memory Play artifact. It was a tool with an exorbitant price.
— Turn this place into Hell.
— Aha? By ‘Hell’, does master mean?
— I can smell a scent somewhere. It is the smell of fat emanating from disgusting masses of flesh. It is the smell of greed and hypocrisy.
My eyes shot open. Dantalian’s figure appeared on the screen. He ordered for a slaughter and a countless number of humans were killed off. I held my breath. The Imperial Princess turned the artifact off and questioned me.
“How is it? You must have seen this Demon Lord in person.”
“Yes…… Without a doubt, that is Demon Lord Dantalian.”
“Is there no possibility that they had acquired a man with the same face as Dantalian and made him act as the Demon Lord? Also, is there no chance that they had hired a large group of mages to enact this performance while having disguised themselves?”
“The possibility of that being so is incredibly low. Your highness, this one recognizes the witch that appeared with the Demon Lord.”
“Who is it?”
“We had crossed swords several days ago. This one had even cut that girl down. If it were a performance, then it would be difficult to have a near identical appearance like that. Furthermore, the girl held within Dantalian’s arms is the Demon Lord’s general.”
The Imperial Princess placed her hand on her chin and went into thought.
“I had sent a person to Pavia to confirm this occurrence. Apparently, there was indeed an incident where the slave market was assaulted last autumn. The people of Pavia believe that it was the act of a wild demonic beast.”
“Your highness.”
“Demon Lord Dantalian most likely slaughtered the people deliberately, regardless of their race, in order to disguise the assault on the marketplace as an attack by beasts. Since both humans and demons had died indiscriminately, there was no other choice but to naturally see it as an act committed by demonic beasts.”
“……”
“He is a cruel man, Sir Rosenberg.”
Cruel.
The Imperial Princess’ judgment was infinitely correct. Demon Lord Dantalian was a heartless man. There was no occasion of him having spared the lives of the humans he had captured as prisoners. If it were for victory, then he would calmly corner his subordinates into a deadly situation. Surely, without any room for doubt, Dantalian was a villain who was most suited for the title ‘Demon Lord’.
But why? Why did the scene I had witnessed, after having awoken from being unconscious, feel so sentimental? The scenery which I was uncertain on whether it was reality or a hallucination. Within the sunlight that was similar to fog, Dantalian and the girls were blended together like glares of light. That scene had become a single mystery and was imprinted into my cornea. The further I tried to push that scenery away from my head, the closer it got. However, even that closeness was too far for me to cross over. It felt as if that spot was nirvana.
“Rosenberg.”
“Yes, your highness.”
“Habsburg has already given you their faith once.”
The Imperial Princess lifted a dagger.
I slowly closed my eyes. I had come here resolute. The reason why I had not committed suicide was because my individuality considered suicide as an inviolable act. As dying voluntarily was one’s own duty, it was something tremendously extravagant for a traitor who had disgraced his race and ruined his country. My death was no longer my own, and must be the punishment from the country. I have come here to die.
“Your Highness. Enact your justice.”
“……”
Unexpectedly, the sound of empty laughter reached my ears.
The blade sliced into the air and cut the rope, freeing both of my hands. Feeling strange that my neck had not been severed yet, I opened my eyes. In front of me, the Imperial Princess was smiling.
“I am not going to take your life.”
“Your highness……?”
“Your body is exceedingly dirty. Why is the margrave, which we only have four of in our empire, not properly maintaining his garment? The basis of one’s mind is in their body, and the basis of one’s body is in their clothes, so if the clothes are messy, then that reveals that the person’s mind is disorderly as well.”
The Imperial Princess undid my collar. Although I tried to back away, the Imperial Princess firmly gripped the edge of my clothes. It was disconcerting. There was no possibility that the Imperial Princess would desire for this old body, so I could not figure out the reason behind her current action.
“It is an order.”
“As a vassal, how could……”
“Were you ever my vassal? Regardless, since you are a criminal of the empire, it would be difficult for you to oppose my words. Or perhaps, will you refuse the words of a lord with the body of a criminal?”
“……”
I could not resist.
The Imperial Princess’ white hands went over my chest. As the buttons came undone, my coat slipped off.
Unbefitting of a lady who was born in the Royal Palace, the Imperial Princess’ hands were rough. I vaguely recalled the rumor that from a young age the Imperial Princess had learned how to catch fish from a fisherman, was taught how to hunt birds from a hunter, and learned how to plow fields from a farmer. The aristocrats talked in whispers that it was the Imperial Princess’ eccentric behaviors. The Imperial Princess’ fingers were coarse. This rough sensation proved that the Imperial Princess’ eccentric behaviors were not simply an act of delinquency because of a young age. While enduring the luxury of the Imperial Princess unclothing me, which was not a luxury, I spoke.
“Your highness, the alligator……”
“Mm?”
“How did your highness learn how to butcher an alligator?”
“I saw the chef doing it in the Royal Palace.”
“Did the head cook teach your highness?”
“No. I did not receive any lessons. I merely watched.”
The Imperial Princesse pulled the wooden bucket close and dipped a washcloth into it. I was dumbstruck.
“Is your highness telling this one that you had learned the method of wielding the blade to skin leather through observation alone?”
“It is generally like that for me.”
With a splash, the Imperial Princess washed my body with the washcloth. My skin was arid and dry so it received the hot water well. I felt my skin breathing with gasps. As it continued to breathe, my mind became relaxed. The Imperial Princess comforted my exhausted back and shoulders with the towel.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_04_02.txt
|
Chapter 4: FOG OF WAR
Behind my back, the Imperial Princess spoke.
“Your body tells me of your life. It is proof that you have lived not with your head, but with your body.”
“That is something indecent for a criminal to hear. Please refrain from speaking such words, your highness.”
“Where did you acquire this stab wound on your back?”
“That is a scar this one had gained when this one was 18-years-old and had gone to a battlefield for the first time. While this one was running away in fear, this one was cut by a nameless person.”
“Aha. If it is 18-years-old, then that is the same as my current age.”
Although it was impious, a small laughter flowed from my lips. It was surprising that the Imperial Princess was 18-years-old and strange that I was already past the age of 60. Since the legacy I had walked down from the age of 18 to 60 was so distant, I laughed obscurely. This was something which I could only laugh vaguely about.
“Though the numbers could be nearly the same, this one does not believe that your highness’ feats can be approached by others.”
“You have yielded your allegiance to the Imperial Family for the past 60 years and have been faithful to your people for that long as well, but it seems merely being defeated twice is enough to ruin you. I will console your body.”
“……”
“Your humiliation is your own and is something which I cannot cleanse. Therefore, since I cannot clean your mind, consider the thought that I am consoling you by cleansing your body. The path of consideration will at least not be solitary.”
I narrowed my eyes.
As the water flowed, hot steam rose upwards. The steam filled the tent like smoke. The smell of skin emanated from the steam. Whether the alligator, which had its skin peeled off personally by the Imperial Princess’ hands, had enjoyed a deep luxury as an animal, or if I was enjoying a deeper luxury for having my body cleaned by the Imperial Princess as a vassal. I could not decide on which of those two were superior. While receiving the warm steam, I spoke.
“What should this one do?”
“I will lead the knights and withdraw. It is highly unlikely that Barbatos will leave us alone as we retreat. Her viciousness has most likely piled up to the point where she wishes to return to us all the beatings her forces had received up till now in full. You will block our rear.”
“Is your highness telling this one to die while defending?”
“I will not stop you.”
My body trembled.
The Imperial Princess brushed my shoulders with her bare hands. Because her coarse palms had grazed my skin, my inner flesh itched as well.
“However, it will not only be you. My brother shall be there as well. If you let the Crown Prince of the Empire die,
then you will most likely become known as a traitor for all of eternity
. But, if you are able to safely bring the Crown Prince southwards, then would that not also be a great meritorious deed?”
“……Is your highness giving this one an opportunity?”
“I simply wish to give you an appropriate location.”
The Imperial Princess remarked.
“Even if you are to lose this time as well, I shall not punish the northern region. I swear on the name of Habsburg, so leave while bearing all of your humiliation alone.”
This was an extravagance that a criminal could not hope more for.
I lowered my head.
“These old bones will carry out your order, your highness.”
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 3, Day 11 Neris Plains, Plains Army Encampment
“Shh.”
Barbatos woke me up.
“Quietly.”
My body had become exhausted after having played with Barbatos since midday, thus I had fallen asleep. Barbatos should also not be completely fine due to the exhaustion, but during the night, during this ambitious night where even the sound of birds could not be heard, she had woken me up. For reference, the people I despise the most in the world are the ones who wake me up while I am asleep. People who wake up others are all psychopaths and mental patients. I will accept no arguments.
“Is something the matter?”
“Follow me quietly.”
Barbatos lowered her voice and giggled. Although she had told me to follow her, she abruptly grabbed my hand and started to drag me along. Barbatos and I were currently in the state where we did not have even a single scrap of thread on us, thus meaning, we were naked. My God. Barbatos was trying to drag me outside the quarters while we were in the nude. I had no choice but to be shocked here.
“Hey, are you insane?”
“I’ll show you something good.”
“I don’t know what it is, but I can’t go outside while naked!”
“I told you to be quiet, you idiot.”
Barbatos continued to chuckle. She was a girl without a grain of sense. The heinous part about this girl was the fact that while she was senseless, her grip strength was also needlessly powerful. Where in that small physique of hers did this strength come from? When Barbatos dragged me along, I would helplessly be pulled along like a piece of straw drifting down a river. Oh Lord. This crazy bitch really did drag me outside the tent!
It was late into the night, so the encampment was quiet. Only the sparsely spread out torches held by the guards on patrol flickered in the distance. I let out a shriek.
“Save me, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy!”
“Sheesh, shut up a bit, will you? You really do disregard what other people say, don’t you?”
“Are you saying that to me? Aang? Is that something you’re saying to me right now?”
“Oh, Embers of Solace.”
Barbatos blew her breath into her palm. Barbatos then touched my face, neck, shoulder, chest, and bottom, with her right hand. The moment she did so, a warm heat spread from the areas which Barbatos had touched. The savagely cold winter night had become as warm as the evening during the early autumn. The sleet that was fluttering through the air all melted before they could reach my skin.
“Now, is that better?”
“Thanks, you have my gratitude. I’m really thankful, but a more fundamental problem, do you not think that there’s perhaps a more fundamental problem?”
“The fact that you’re ugly?”
“This fucker……”
“Shit, I’m bringing you along to show you something good, so just follow me. It’d be fine if only your lower tool was long, but your mouth is fucking long too. Your tongue is so lengthy that you could probably make a farm on it, you limp dick bastard. Should I tear your trap out and shove it up your ass, you inept shit? The bastard who’d flap his asshole every time he opens his mouth and also make the smell of feces drift from the North Sea to the White Sea is you, you son of a bitch. Hm? Don’t make me turn that shit hole into a diarrhea hole and make you leak shitty water every time you walk, you amateur. Fucking shut your mouth and follow me.”
“……”
Going head on against Barbatos in a battle of curses was an incredibly foolish thing to do.
Since I was an individual who had acquainted myself with proper education and beautiful refinement since the earliest days of my life, furthermore, because profanity was another world’s language, I could only helplessly be dragged away by the hands of the villainess known as Barbatos. What am I to do against Barbatos’ divine grace of profanities that contained 500 years of her labor. If it was a sin to have been born kind, then I was that sinner. I treated my crime with sympathy.
Barbatos led me to the outside of the military base. We were nearly caught by the patrols several times. While avoiding the guards, we had made twists and turns through the military camp. During that time, Barbatos would occasionally turn around and kiss me for absolutely no reason. Barbatos was a girl who kissed when she felt like kissing. I could only surrender.
Due to the snow, the outside of the encampment had become a white field. Corpses were buried in the snow field, and above those bodies, more snow fell and pushed them a layer deeper into the ground. After we had reached this spot, Barbatos let go of my hand.
“Okay. What do you plan to do here……?”
Barbatos walked towards the snow-covered field by herself.
Towards the night sky where the snow drifted down from, Barbatos spread out her arms. She started to sing. Wondering what sort of action that was during the middle of the night, I stared at the girl.
It was a song that flowed with no lyrics but only sound.
Barbatos gazed up at the sky as if she was a saintess receiving the epiphany of God, and as she walked out towards the boundlessly vast snowy fields, she pulled the blizzard into her arms as if she was going to disappear forever.
It was difficult to distinguish the snow-covered field with Barbatos’ pure white naked body.
Her song felt as if it were coming from the blizzard and not her vocal cords, and the blizzard felt as it was weeping in the distant winter sky.
—.
Winter was wailing in that spot. The cold cries of winter easily pierced through the warmth that was covering my skin. My neck became cold.
Putting more strength into her vocal cords, Barbatos’ song slowly became more powerful. Barbatos opened her mouth wide and kept her eyes narrowed. She received the blizzard that came down from above with her melody, and made the wind surge back upwards. It felt as if her voice had entered a vocal range that my ears could not handle.
Ah–…… the snowy wind carried this noise. Carried by the wind, from this side of the snowy earth to the other side, to the edge of the forest of hyun poplars, to the wolf that had poked its head out of the woods and was silently watching us, to the gaps between the wolf’s teeth, to the corpses that had their faces shoved into the frozen earth, to the eyes of the bodies where the blood had froze, from there to here, and to even the areas that were further than those places and were isolated, the blizzard crawled into those locations and the melody seeped into them as well.
Thuck.
From below the snowy earth, the rotten arm of a corpse rose up. Pieces of flesh were torn from the arm revealing the bone. Even the speck of snow that was on the bone could be seen. With a ‘thuck’, the sound made when one stepped on snow echoed low throughout the area. Thuck, thuck, each time this sound resonated, arms surged up from the snow. As if they were trying to grab something, the frozen hands waved through the empty air. Hundreds, thousands of hands clawed at the sky.
Barbatos’ song slowly came to an end. With her at the center, a countless number of dead arms had erupted from the snow. Gazing around at the skeletons, Barbatos spoke.
—All of you. Return to life.
Were they waiting for that single line?
The arm movements of the corpses stopped. In the empty space where there was nothing, the arms clenched their fists. As the corpses stood up, puffs of snow scattered as well. Once thousands of piles of snow scattered at the same time, the blizzard became more severe, and then, it slowly settled down. Once it had calmed down, there were thousands of corpses standing on the snow-covered field.
Barbatos let out a breath. Her visible white breath flowed from between her lips. I gawked at her.
“How was it?”
Barbatos remarked.
“Despite the slight cold, it was a good idea to follow me, right?”
“……What did you do just now?”
“Hm? Replenishing troops.”
Barbatos answered immediately.
Replenishing troops? How could this be supplementing troops!? Was this not an utterly insane girl?
I had just now witnessed the certain point in ability that I will never be able to reach no matter how much I struggle. I had also witnessed the reason behind why the social system, that was similar to that of tribes, had not collapsed within the demon world yet. Demon Lords were not only lords, but they were priests, shamans, and saints. Other demons were obedient because of that terrifying force contained within that divine name.
One day, my authority may become great enough to allow me to control the lives of others as I desire. However, I will be unable to control the things which have no lives. My political ability would suddenly become courteous when within the presence of Barbatos’ own capabilities. How was I to take this? How was I to conquer this? Unsure of how I was going to accept you, I asked.
“Barbatos, who are you?”
Barbatos placed her lips on the corpses. She did not distinguish the corpses with torn flesh and the skeletons that had lost their flesh. She blessed all the corpses with a kiss. A gust of snow blew through the field. With a corpse’s head held in her hands, Barbatos turned only her head to look at me.
She grinned.
“A bitch.”
And thus, the army of skeletons advanced.
▯The Northern Guardian, Margrave of Rosenberg, Georg von Rosenberg Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 3, Day 12 Neris Plains, Imperial Army Encampment
The enemy had arrived at the end of the field which was enshrouded by a fog of snow.
It was night. Hearing that the scout had arrived to give their report, I walked outside. The blizzard and fog had mixed together making it difficult to distinguish anything in front of me. The scout was breathing heavily.
“I saw it. General, I have witnessed it. I am certain. Corpses, frozen corpses were approaching like a swarm. Aah, I saw it……”
I brushed the snow off of the scout’s shoulder. Within the House of Rosenberg, the records of war written by our ancestors were passed down throughout the generations. The report that the scout had briefed was accurate to the characteristic which described Demon Lord Barbatos. There was nothing strange about it.
“Do not worry. I believe you.”
“You believe that, Sir Rosenberg? Do you truly believe those foolish words?”
The Crown Prince, who had quickly arrived after hearing about the urgent report, laughed in ridicule. The Crown Prince was currently wearing his sleepwear and had a fur cloak draped over his shoulders. I wonder if he had spent the entire evening drinking since his neck and his cheeks were red.
“I see that due to your age, the praise of you being a great commander is an antique now. Put yourself together, Rosenberg. How could corpses possibly move?”
“The enemy leader is Demon Lord Barbatos. In the records of the previous holy war, there are many passages of Barbatos having used black arts to control the dead.”
“Ah, those records are probably wrong. You should think using common sense. This great one may be drunk, but I am looking at the world properly, while it seems you are sober, and yet, looking at the world in reverse. It is a problem that occurs when you have not drunk alcohol. Now then, some alcohol. Let us go and enjoy a drink together.”
“Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Oho? Are you saying that you won’t receive a glass from me?”
“How could this one possibly……? I merely wish to protect the Crown Prince from the enemy demons.”
“Can a person who was unable to defend a single wall, be able to protect me?”
The Crown Prince made an invidious remark. I closed my mouth.
“I am joking. Do not be upset.”
“Your words are immeasurable, your honor.”
“Oh dear, you really do plan to not drink with me. Even though you, Sir Rosenberg, are the person who needs alcohol the most. This great one is worried. I am sincerely concerned, Sir Rosenberg. How could you possibly endure your world without alcohol?”
“This one plans to persevere through what must be endured.”
The Crown Prince took a bottle of alcohol out from his fur coat. Due to the Crown Prince being intoxicated, the bottle slipped from his hands. The bottle fell into the snow, so it did not break. Oh dear, this precious thing…… the Crown Prince uttered and made a fuss. He blew away the snow that had stuck onto the bottle. This precious precious thing…
I tried to glare through the blizzard, but I could see nothing. Although I was unable to see anything, I ordered the captains to organize the troops. The soldiers that the Imperial Princess had left behind were all either old and frail or were individuals who were so tired and sick that they were unable to overcome the cold night. The officers and men had put their crossbows on the ground and were rubbing their palms against their legs. Ah, it’s so cold that I could die…… the old soldiers whined. The sound of ah…… ah…… mixed together with the noise made by the snowy wind.
The Crown Prince asked.
“So, did Elizabeth tell you to die as well?”
“Her Highness the Imperial Princess had told this one that she would provide this one an appropriate location.”
“Oh? Is that location within the Imperial Family?”
“This one does not know.”
“Then you’ll die not knowing.”
The Crown Prince spoke flatly.
“Elizabeth is a devil. I know that she is a devil. Have you ever stared into those pure red eyes of hers for a long time? I have. I could smell blood. She’s a girl who makes the smell of blood flow wherever she gazes……”
I abruptly became curious. How was the Imperial Princess’ childhood? Was the Imperial Princess still the Imperial Princess when she was young? Was she like this since the beginning? I coughed. There was a wet sensation to that cough. Due to my experience, I knew that it was a bad omen when a dry cough would suddenly turn into a wet cough.
“Your honor, did something happen in the palace?”
“……”
The Crown Prince gulped down his alcohol without a word. Although the Crown Prince was looking towards the same direction as myself, it did not feel as if we were looking at the same location. It seemed that to the Crown Prince, the blizzard that was raging before us appeared like an illusion. The Crown Prince spoke.
“It’s my sin.”
The Crown Prince said nothing more after that.
The Crown Prince, Rudolf von Habsburg, was inferior to his little sister on all sides. The rebellion that the Crown Prince was unable to suppress for 7 months with an army of 5,000, was swept away within 15 days by the Imperial Princess’ army of 1,000. The ancient language, that the Crown Prince had become proficient with at the age of 14, was mastered by the Imperial Princess by the age of 5. As the misgovernment of His Majesty the Emperor continued, the nobles started to wish for a competent monarch. The Crown Prince was ideal.
“Do you see it?”
The Crown Prince muttered.
Unsure of what I was supposed to be seeing, I looked at the Crown Prince. He was glancing down obliquely at the blizzard which was raging at the bottom of the hill.
“Someone has come.”
The haze of dawn barely touched the lower region of the hill. A skeletal leg came out from within the blizzard. The skeleton’s feet lightly stepped on the sloping path enshrouded by haze. As it took another step forward, the shape of a bone foot was left imprinted into the snow in the spot where the foot was previously at.
—……
At the bottom of the slope, the skeleton looked up at us. It appeared as if it had the gaze of a wanderer who was carefully examining the mountain range which they now had to climb. Though the skeleton had no eyes, I could feel its gaze. It was a cold and transparent gaze. The Crown Prince let a laugh flow into the snowy wind.
“A lot has arrived, huh?”
From the fog mixed with snow, thousands of corpses started to pour out. Aiming for our forces’ encampment, the corpses slowly ascended the hill. The sound of a horn echoed from our base. The roosters were startled by the horns and started to crow. Once the crying of the birds, which seemed as if it would never stop, had finally ceased, the blizzard raged powerfully once more and concealed the skeletons. Nothing was visible through the flurry of snow. Nothing could be seen, and yet, our troops raised their spears and crossbows.
“It’s winter, I see!”
The Crown Prince bellowed loudly. He cupped his hand around his mouth to amplify the sound and shouted in a loud voice.
“It’s winter! Winter is coming!”
Our soldiers feared the Crown Prince’s lunacy. It felt as if the Crown Prince was not informing the soldiers that the corpses have arrived, but instead, he was calling for those corpses to approach us with haste. The Crown Prince tipsily pulled out a long sword and raised it into the air.
“All forces, charge! Chaaaaarge!”
The Crown Prince leaped over the wooden fence and started to run. All forces, follow meeee… this sound of the Crown Prince echoed widely. Do not fear death, men–… The soldiers stayed in place. Uncertain of what they were supposed to do, they glanced at one another and then turned to look at me. The Crown Prince’s figure disappeared into the snowy fog.
Shortly after.
The Crown Prince returned from the fog. He was breathing heavily. After pushing himself through the crevice in the wooden fences with difficulty, he walked to where I was. Lowering his sword down, the Crown Prince raised his shoulders conceitedly.
“Wow, not a single person came. It seems they don’t have any intention to fight.”
“……”
“Let us just withdraw, general.”
Turning back to the captains, I ordered.
“Roll the boulders!”
The captains repeated the order. The boulders, which we had prepared beforehand, started to roll downwards. Due to the fact that the boulders were unable to roll properly, they often tumbled down towards a completely random direction, however, since there were plenty of undead in those random locations anyway, the directions they rolled could not be called entirely random. The stones collided against the skeletons and shattered their bones into pieces.
“What. Why do they listen to the general’s words but disregard the commands of a lord? These guys are really discriminating people. Once I return to the capital, I’ll punish them as rebels.”
The battle was heated since dawn.
Though our soldiers were old, they had that much experience as well. Since they had seen more surprising things during their lives, the veteran soldiers were not alarmed by the march of skeletons. Although there was a soldier who had run away, no one tried to stop them. The veteran soldiers seemed to have understood that even if one were to flee on their own out into the lonely snowy plains, they would either die from hunger, freeze to death or be eaten by beasts. The old soldiers chewed on the stale bread, which was distributed as breakfast, for a long time and swallowed it down with water.
Once all the boulders had fallen, the old soldiers drew their crossbows. Crossbows were ranged weapons that absorbed the magical energy from their surroundings and fired out bolts using that energy. The projectiles flew unnaturally if the weapon was fired too quickly, and would recoil heavily and cause the bolt to go astray if fired too late. The captains did not have to separately give instructions to fire since the veteran soldiers could shoot the crossbows while making rough assumptions of the timing in their heads. The bolts fired by the old soldiers flew quickly and firmly pierced their targets.
As they had lived according to their own discretion, they fought according to their discretion as well. The way they fought was similar to the natural physiology of the people. ……So the people are fighting. The ones who are fighting are the people. I deeply inhaled the cold winter air.
“Heed my words, captains!”
The captains immediately stood in a close single file line. They were aged captains. They were old soldiers who had grown old in low-grade military bases because they either had a humble status, had insignificant capabilities, or were unable to stand in a line properly. As the majority of them were people born in the north, they were also thrown away here due to the reason that they were born in the north. Since their spines had not rusted yet, they held their backs up straight.
“Schleiermacher.”
“Yes, your honor.”
I called out each of the captain’s name. A captain whose beard was still brown stood forward and raised military rites. He was the second little brother to the minor official that managed the mill which was in my territory. During my youth, back when I was sharing a childhood crush with a maiden in the village, I stood guard at the mill.
“Currently, the military strength of our central force is no more than 2,000. No matter what the cost, you must not allow the front to be breached by those corpses. Do you understand? Defend your position till your last breath.”
“As you command, margrave.”
“Hold on for as long as possible. The chances of our retreating comrades being able to survive will increase the longer we withstand. The North shall not send your death to oblivion.”
“Understood.”
The captain headed out with his servants in tow. In the distance, we could hear the faint sound of the captain shouting at his soldiers through the snow. The other remaining captains had their ears turned to that voice.
“Sir Roenbach.”
“Yes, general.”
A middle-aged man wearing silver armor walked forward. In this location, this man was the only one to have not been born in the North. Although his name was all he had left, he was once the leader of the Royal Knight Guards for the Emperor. There were 6 knights in our current forces and they had 20 valets following them. They were the last remaining knights here.
“While leading the knights, skim over the slope and sweep away any undead that protrudes excessively. Your duty is to prevent the corpses from reaching even 50 meters from our fences. Defend the front line with your lives, and fall at the front line.”
“I shall carry out your orders, general.”
“The North shall not forget your death.”
“I, Roenbach, shall achieve glory.”
The knight leader adjusted his helmet on his head and mounted his horse. The other knights gathered around their leader. The warhorses, which belonged to a good descent, were letting out heated breaths even within this cold wind. The knights lowered their heads towards my direction once, and then they did it once more towards the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince bobbed his head. He did not utter a single word of complaint about me using the knights as I pleased. The Crown Prince merely stared at the blizzard with drunk eyes. One by one, I called each captain’s name.
“Bergmann, I shall put 20 heavy infantries under your command. If there is a portion of our defenses that seems to be in danger, go there and fight.”
“Yes, your honor!”
Decades ago, during the year of famine, the young boy who had once displayed his innocence by shyly claiming that he had hunted a pheasant in worry that the young master was starving, had now turned into an old captain and responded.
“Gebauer, gather the servants and distribute projectiles to all of our soldiers. Furthermore, hand out the rest of our provisions to our officers and men. People fight with the strength provided by food.”
“I shall serve as needed, your honor.”
The girl who had enlisted in the military despite her gender, the girl who was frequently mocked by the men, and at one time, had retorted in a loud voice questioning where the males and females of the North were, was now replying to my commands here in this location after many decades had passed.
“Mighty soldiers of Habsburg, listen to my words.”
I turned towards the troops.
“I do not know who you all have sworn your loyalty to, and I do not believe that loyalty is required when your meals are on the line. However, all of you should know. The duty of a person and the task of a soldier, these are things that you all should know well. If we flee, then the youths of our country will die. If we yield, then our country’s land will be set ablaze. Oh, great soldiers of Habsburg, who were once young and have always lived in these lands, it is time for us to pass down the things which we have enjoyed to our sons and daughters.”
I unsheathed my sword and raised it to the sky. The formal dress-sword, which had been passed down for generations within my family, was lost in the previous battle. But why did that matter? I lived on the battlefield. This was my home. This was where the House of Rosenberg was at.
I cried out. The heat from my gut surged upwards, burning and piercing through my wet coughs, and exploded in the winter atmosphere.
“For the Empire!”
The soldiers raised their crossbows and spears and shouted back fervently.
— For the Empire!
While hoping for my voice to reach the other side of ranks, that could not be seen due to the fog and snow, I roared.
“For the Empire!”
The soldiers reciprocated.
— For the Empire!
The voices from the other side of the base, which was concealed by the flurry, reached where I stood as well. The aged soldiers, who were born from different places and lived their lives differently, were going to die together at the end of their lives in the same location. The snowflakes, which had all respectively formed within different temperatures and were carried by diverse winds, all fell to the same floor and subsided. To live like a snowflake and to, at last, die like a snowflake. The snow that melted first in order to prevent the snow, which was going to stack on top of them, from melting. I gladly accepted all the snow with similar lives and all the snow with similar deaths. The North was a country of snow. A home that was established for the people who were unable to go south. Turning my face towards the sky, I let out a sigh. This was a day well suited for wailing. A good day to wail……
At forenoon, a captain came running to me.
“Your honor, the first line has been breached. The remnant soldiers of the first line have joined the second line. Fortunately, there was little confusion during the momentary retreat. Although many were injured, few were killed.”
“Good. Continue to defend as so.”
While glancing down at the map, I gave the order. The blizzard was fierce so it was impossible to perceive the military camp with one’s eyes alone. While drawing the things that could be seen and could not be seen on the map, I felt my way towards a direction and made assumptions as to where our soldiers had to go.
“We are already winning just by being able to hold out like this. Do not fight hastily, and do not die quickly. Endure for as long as you can. Instruct this to the troops once more.”
“Understood!”
After a while, an orderly ran in. The orderly was the captain’s adjutant. Since the captain had fallen in battle, the adjutant was doing the captain’s task in their stead. I did not ask where the captain had fallen, and the adjutant did not tell me as well.
“General, the second group has been breached. The second and third line have joined together and are resisting the enemy. Our morale has yet to diminish. The leader of the knight corps has fallen.”
“Very well. On your way back, inform company commander Gebauer to abandon her given task and participate on the front line. Fight while abiding your time, but move with haste. By moving quickly, you will be able to fight less.”
“Understood, general!”
Once it had become midday, around the time the blizzard had ceased, an orderly ran in. Once again, it was a completely different person. On the next occasion, the orderly had died and nearly all of the other captains had fallen, so the only ones who could run in to report were now the adjutant’s servants. The messenger gave a very punctual salute and gave the situation report.
“The third line has been breached. Our whole army is fighting back at the final wooden barricade. Although the ranks of the unit are disorderly and assimilated, there are no issues in fighting together as a group.”
“Good. I command the remaining knights to charge. If you utilize the narrow pathway between the fences, then the charge should be easy to carry out. Strike the flanks of the enemy who are engrossed in our side.”
“Understood, your honor. May we achieve fortune in war.”
Then a different soldier, and a different soldier……
Finally.
Everything had become still because there was no longer anyone in my surrounding.
Like a person of the North, the captains had struggled till their very last moments. We did not capture the soldiers who fled, and since we did not catch them, I believed that more had stayed. In the Royal Knight Guard, from the royal knights to the knight servants, all of them had died in battle heroically. During the final assault, the Crown Prince went forward with the troops without a word. I did not ask how the Crown Prince had died, and no one had told me how he had died either. The final messenger to give me the battle report was not a captain, not an adjutant, and was not even an adjutant’s servant. The last report was given by a soldier who did not have a rank. The soldier informed me that the final line had been breached and immediately headed back out to the front.
“……”
While receiving the serene midday sun on my back, I stared down at the map.
The sunlight melted the frozen waste, spreading a foul damp smell throughout the camp. It was the breath that had flowed from the Heavens. Since snow descended from the sky, and this was the scent that was emitted when that snow had melted, it felt as if this was the smell of the sky. ……Was the country of snow the country of the sky? Were the people of the snow the people of the sky? Was that the reason why the people of snow returned to the sky so easily?
My back became heated because of the sunlight. While taking in the damp scent, I recalled the time the Imperial Princess had washed my body. I was not completely ignorant in regards to the reason behind why the Imperial Princess had discarded both the Crown Prince and myself in this location.
— What should this one do?
— You will block our rear.
— Is your highness telling this one to die while defending?
— I will not stop you. However, it will not only be you. My brother shall be there as well. If you let the Crown Prince of the Empire die, then you will most likely become known as a traitor for all of eternity.
Become an eternal traitor.
The Imperial Princess was saying that.
People whispered among one another that Margrave Georg von Rosenberg was the origin to the start of this war. Margrave Rosenberg lost the Black Mountains and ruined the Empire’s plan to end this battle with a short war. Furthermore, Rosenberg was now unable to protect the Crown Prince from death and will thus shake the courtroom of the Empire. Therefore, while shouldering all the crimes and tasks by himself, Georg will collapse and be submerged in the frozen waste, that is how you will contribute greatly; this was the Imperial Princess’ true words. Feeling blinded by that immense Imperial grace, I asked the Imperial Princess.
— Is your highness giving this one an opportunity?
— I simply wish to give you an appropriate location. Leave while bearing all of your humiliation alone.
Although it was a devil’s offer, at the same time, it was the only path to saving the Empire so it was an undeniable offer.
……The Imperial Princess has truly given an appropriate place to this old bag of bones. As this region was my home and my country and was the place where the people will reside and reside again, her highness had seen through this.
A shadow entered from behind my back. The shadow stepped on the snow. While making an indistinct sound, the snow received the weight of the life which stepped on them.
“Hm. Are you Georg von Rosenberg?”
“That is so.”
I continued to stare at the map. Each map was a place where people had died. I thought of the people who had fought similar to the ways they had lived. I thought of their coarse and firm hands that pulled the triggers on the crossbows. Even after they had fired the bolt, they continued to pull the wire. Shoot and pull again, they continued to pull. The battle continued on as long as life persisted, and it felt as if I was nothing more than the single instant that proved that endless continuation.
“The battle is over, human child. What are you looking at?”
“The battle.”
“And if that battle is over as well, what will you look at?”
“The battle.”
The sound of metal approached and severed the winter air.
……So this is the sound of my life being cut.
I thought as so. I wonder if the flesh diverged more delicately than the air since I could not hear the sound of it being severed. My vision was flipped and flipped several more times until I was eventually staring up towards the sky. That was the place where I will turn to. I closed my eyes.
— Since I cannot cleanse your mind, consider the thought that I am consoling you by cleansing your body. The path of consideration will at least not be solitary.
I shall contemplate the meaning and contemplate once more. However, since the country of snow was the country of the sky, one day, they will return to the earth and pile up once again, thus continuing their pitiful lives. The thing which consoled me were those poor lives and was immensely more comforting than your highness’ consideration.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_04_03.txt
|
Chapter 4: FOG OF WAR
Your Imperial grace is immeasurable, your highness.
Please treat us subjects with sympathy.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 3, Day 12 Neris Plains, Imperial Army Encampment
“……”
I gazed down at the head of Rosenberg which had fallen to the snow-covered ground.
Rosenberg was still looking forward with narrowed eyes. Things were most likely no longer visible in those eyes and things were most likely unable to be appreciated by those eyes anymore. Regardless, Rosenberg will forever point towards a direction with that frozen gaze. After I turned my head to follow his eyes, I saw the sky. I muttered.
“Go to a good place, margrave.”
I lifted up Rosenberg’s head from the snow. I brushed off the snow that was in his hair and wiped off the liquid which was flowing from his neck with a washcloth. Barbatos had beheaded Rosenberg.
Thus, our plan was a success. Although there was a variable where Marbas’ second army was defeated by the Imperial Princess, considering the Imperial Princess’ capabilities, if anything, that was an acceptable result. It would be better to consider it a relief that Barbatos had not lost. Additionally, it was thanks to the Imperial Princess winning that I was also able to acquire victory. A tie. It was still a tie……
For quite a while, the war had reached a state of lull.
Marbas had to recruit troops once more and Barbatos had to reorganize her army as well. The ones that needed time was not only the Demon Lord Allied Forces but the Human Alliance, which required time to form a new strategy, as well.
Though it seemed the humans were hoping for the war to end with a short battle, I apologize. This is still much too soon. Please partake in my waltz a little longer. While looking at Rosenberg’s face, I beamed.
“What are you trying to see even after death? Close your eyes and rest well, margrave.”
I lowered Rosenberg’s eyelids with my palm. Thus, Rosenberg had finally closed his eyes. I did not know what great cause and what sense of justice this old man was trying to look at in his final moment. It was probably something tedious.
A captain approached and informed me that Barbatos had called for me. I ordered the captain to hold onto Rosenberg’s head. I intentionally intimidated him.
“I plan to gift this to General Farnese. Hold onto it well since the general will like it very much. If you were to, perhaps, lose it, then the general would be quite upset at you. At that time, even I will be unable to stop the general.”
The captain’s face turned pale and he carefully bundled Rosenberg’s head. The way his fingers trembled made it seem like he was handling his own head. I chuckled and made my way towards Barbatos. Within the empty enemy quarters, Barbatos was filing her nails.
“Oh, you’re here?”
“I am here to congratulate you for the great victory, your highness–.”
I uttered while kneeling down. I was the type of person who would even kneel if it was for a joke. Barbatos snorted.
“All right. It’s quite nice to see that your bullshit is ascending. Follow me.”
“Are you going to show me something good again? Your good things are lined up for each day, so I’m unsure when I’ll be able to get some proper sleep.”
Barbatos grinned.
“Can you just follow me without a word?”
If you make a fuss, then I’ll pour profanities on you by the bucketload again.
That was what Barbatos’ gentle smile was suggesting.
As an individual who believed in common sense and refinement, I followed Barbatos. A prisoner was bound in one of the corners of the military camp. His armor was quite thick. His social standing was most likely a high noble. Barbatos whispered into my ear.
“That’s the Crown Prince of the Habsburg Empire.”
“……”
Surely.
This was something truly great.
Barbatos slightly bit my earlobe with her front teeth.
“Dantalian, you won’t swear your loyalty to me. That is a tragedy that I consider to be quite regrettable. However, although you haven’t sworn your loyalty, you are still faithful to me. I don’t plan to accept that without a price.”
“Oh? And what do you mean by that?”
“I will give him to you.”
Barbatos brushed my chest with her hand. It felt as if each of her fingers contained an organic function. So this was what the touch of a hand, that could resurrect the dead from the earth, felt like. That was how I thought. If it was this much, then even I would have gladly stood up immediately if I were a skeleton.
“You can use that prisoner as you wish.”
“Barbatos……”
I gently raised Barbatos’ chin. Barbatos did not refuse my discourteous touch. Our lips drew near.
“You may know this already, but I despise women with small bodies.”
“Hm, so?”
“But you alone, I cannot refuse.”
“I know, you idiot.”
We kissed for a long time. It was a kiss that contained gratitude instead of lust. Barbatos, for the reason that I had forced march northwards in order to save her, and myself, for the reason that she did not disregard my standing and presented me with a proper reward. How beautiful is a partner who knows how to be honestly grateful for what they had received, and reward the other party soon after? We were beautiful business partners. I removed my lips and whispered.
“—Although it feels like the desire to take this to the end right here and now, has piled up.”
“It’s fine. We already had our fucking fun yesterday. Go and take care of your business.”
Barbatos gestured towards the Crown Prince with her chin. I nodded my head and approached the Crown Prince of the Empire.
I wonder if the Crown Prince had rolled around on the ground a bunch since his appearance was dirtier than that of a mongrel. His hair was silver, and yet, due to the mud, it was crudely mixed together with a brown color. With a face full of dirt, the Crown Prince looked up at me. His eyes were sunken like a drunkard who had just woken up from being intoxicated.
“Who are you……?”
“Elizabeth’s enemy.”
“……”
“Do you not wish to hear my proposal, oh Crown Prince?”
I grinned smoothly.
Sir older brother.
I am here to inform you of something nice.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_04_04.txt
|
Chapter 4: FOG OF WAR
Translator's Notes
[↑] Cheongya Tactic [청야 전술] – A tactic where the defending army would retreat while burning every supply that could possibly be used by the enemy forces.
[↑] This is a fusion of two poems Hayeoga[하여가] and Dansimga[단심가]. Hayeoga was created in order to declare the death of an era. [Wikipedia]
[↑] Trot is a Korean music genre. [Wikipedia]
[↑] It’s an old Korean style of music that voices the sound of drums instead of actually playing drums. [Wikipedia]
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_05_01.txt
|
Chapter 5: Soundless Words
My chastity was in peril.
Severely, at that.
This was not a joke.
I could feel the witches drooling as they stared at me.
Despite the fact that nothing in particular had occurred, the witches would invite me to their self-established red-light district while uttering, ‘Master, something big has happened. Master, something small has happened…’. If I were to go in there, then those fellows would smoke opium and viscously leer at me. They were all in the nude. Truly, they were beast-like fellows. So this was why witches lived while being mistreated. My vision felt blurred because of this crude temptation.
“Have you all gone insane?”
“Aha. Is master saying that he wants to do it with all of us at once?”
“Why is it that when I pour my words into your ears, you girls hear it through your asses?”
“Ara? Would it be better for the lord’s body to do it through our rear holes?”
“Are we truly conversing in the same language?”
“Just close your eyes once and—owie.”
I hit the top of Humbaba’s head with my knuckles.
“Listen well, you girls with scanty chests. I do not consider individuals such as yourselves as potential sex partners. If you are flat, then you should behave as so and live modestly, and yet, you are trying to reach out for more. You are not in the position to be taken in by the world, but rather, you are in the circumstance where you must take in the world yourselves.”
“Ahahah? It is a bit troubling for us, when our master, who was obediently devoured by Miss Barbatos, brings up the flatness of breasts as a rebuttal, though?”
“……”
These misdirected fellows. They really do just dig into another person’s weakness recklessly.
Whenever the witches went around outside, they would always wear a thick layer of clothes. Even during the late winter, where the putrid smell of water emanated from the surroundings, and the early spring, where the foul smell of water seeped into one’s intestines, the witches were unaware of the seasons due to their heavy clothes. Humbaba had told me that due to the fact that a soulless body was something to be cursed at, they should not show it to others. Every time the witches would lower their cone hats deeply on their heads, I recalled the white gloves which Lapis would always wear. The basis of the witches’ cone hats and Lapis’ gloves were the same. Birds of a feather were playing together.
Seeing how they had walked to my side of all places, it was clear that they had not gathered here on purpose. This spot was most likely the place where they had finally arrived at after being chased and chased away by other people. Although there was an inevitability in life, and the path of a person going towards a destination was beautiful, the path of a person being sent to a place of exile, due to their lives being dependent on a certain inevitability, was not marvelous. In that place of exile, I believed that I should get rid of the social status of the lowest class and allow everyone to be commoners.
Within a single night, I drew a pattern. The symbol was three white circles on a black background. While showing this to the witches, I spoke.
“From this day forth, this shall be the symbol of Demon Lord Dantalian. Since you all are my royal guards, it is only natural for you to go around while bearing my mark on your cloaks.”
To the witches, clothes were a prison that was constantly wrapped around their bodies. As people who were ousted because they had no affiliation or home, to the witches, those clothes were their place of exile. By putting my emblem onto their cloaks, I was releasing them from their banishment. The witches understood my intention. At first, they were unable to open their mouths, until eventually, their eyes were brimming with tears.
“M-Maaaaaaster–……”
“Shut it. If you don’t want to wear it, then don’t.”
“No matter what, we will only strip in front of our master!”
While weeping, the witches clung onto me. Sheesh. Only sighs could come out. If possible, I wanted to request for them to not strip while in front of me, but what could I do in this situation? I patted the backs of the witches. ……I have to live with these fellows, I see. In the end, it is my fate to live with them. This damned fate.
“Sniffle. So, when will Master take our undergarments off?”
“……”
Wake up from your wild dreams, you pieces of gum.
Excluding the witches, the only ones allowed to bear my emblem were solely Lapis and Farnese. While having black mantles draped over each of our shoulders, we frequently crossed through the Demon Lord Allied Forces’ military camp. Having seen us from afar, the soldiers would whisper to one another.
— The King of Peasants……
— The king’s whore and slaves……
— Why would such vulgar handmaidens……
We considered the whispers of the soldiers as something more trivial than the cries of a morning rooster. While squealing ‘kya— kya—’, the witches hung on my shoulders. It seemed my shoulders were a playground to them. Even while we were walking, Farnese read a book with one hand, while furtively grabbing the edge of my clothes with the other. Ah, I shouted for these troublesome fellows to please get off of me. Lapis silently followed the us who were like that.
Suddenly, it felt as if I had come to this world and made a family.
♦
The land, which was frozen in winter, had become undone.
The frozen waste melted in patches. The sunlight hugged the thawed earth more closely. As if trying to accept the rays more vastly, the snow-covered fields opened their gaps a little bit at a time. Glimpses of the dirt floor could be seen through the gaps. The shallowly opened ground of snow appeared like the gills of a white fish. The earth breathed heavily with the gills and took in more of the sunlight, until eventually, the snow-covered fields had melted and flowed into a brook. Although freshwater fishes, bugs, and other livings beings were unable to live there since the brook water was still cold, the hurried sound of flowing water called out to other living beings. One day, a reindeer with antlers came to the brook and put its hooves in the water. After noticing me, the reindeer hastily jumped out from the stream and ran away. Spring was in the spot by the brook where the reindeer had vanished from.
While withstanding the winter, the Demon Lord Allied Forces increased their bulk.
The rumor that we had burned the Black Mountains and took the head of the Margrave of Rosenberg surged throughout the demon continent. The people of the demon race whispered among one another, that maybe, this time, we can…. This time, the land where the winter is short, we can drive out the humans and regain our homes…… The demons took up their spears. Hired soldiers gathered. Volunteer soldiers were formed. Several Demon Lords, who were once skeptical about war, raised their heavy bottoms. During the spring where beings came to life, the demons prepared for war in order to take the lives of the enemy. This year’s spring will be a brutal season.
Throughout the winter, the humans moved busily. Once it had become certain that the short-term battle would develop into a prolonged war, every kingdom ruled over by the humans put down a draft order. The youngsters, who were preparing for the first tilling of the year back in their farm villages, were gathered onto the battlefield. Occasionally, whenever the rumors about the human armies would reach us, they were all rumors about the Demon Lords, who lived near the human territory, suffering a disastrous tragedy.
— His Highness, Rank 49th Crocell, had lost his Demon Lord Castle and is seeking asylum in Niflheim……
— They say that Rank 70th, Demon Lord Seere, died in battle.
— Those rotten human assholes.
The sound of voices was rampant. While the Demon Lord Allied Forces were catching their breath, and the Human Alliance was developing its breath, the Allied Forces and the Alliance hastily delivered their voices to one another through envoys.
A certain human king had sent a report which claimed that since the demons were the first to cross over the Black Mountains and invade the other’s race, this was considered an invasion.
Since the one to have plundered and destroyed Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle first was the Margrave of Rosenberg, and since Rosenberg is a human, you humans are the ones to have invaded. We are not the invaders, we are the victims, was the report that the Demon Lords sent back.
In the first place, you demons are the ones to have spread the Black Death throughout the world, and since Rosenberg had plundered that castle with the mere intention to cure his people of that disease, ah, if we are to distinguish the order of affairs, then are you demons, not the ones that deserve to die? The human king sent a slightly more harsh report.
For people who have no proof that we had first spread the plague, and yet, are insisting on it so fervently, I understand that you humans have dumb fucking heads on your shoulders, was the response that Barbatos had written. However, the other Demon Lords adamantly prevented her from sending that message, and instead, interpreted her words in a more mild style of writing.
Once they had begun to quibble over who had done wrong first, a countless number of unverifiable criticisms started to pour out without end. The letters did not have any actual evidence, but instead, provided support through fancy rhetorics. Throughout the winter, although the Demon Lord Allied Forces and the Human Alliance quarreled over who was the initiator, in truth, everyone was already well aware of the fact that, at this point, who was first did not matter at all. Despite the fact that everyone had already perceived this, no one showed any signs of knowing. According to the words conveyed by the envoys, the humans became the victims and the demons became the victims, making the universe full of only injured parties. Therefore, everyone most likely understood that in a world where the heaven and earth had become victims, that that world could not truly be a world which belonged to the people who were wronged. It was a self-evident truth. If one were to go out of their way to speak this self-evident truth out of their mouth, then people would touch, fumble, and rub that obviousness, coating it with the dead skin of their hands, until eventually, the self-evident truth becomes a crude truth covered in dirt, thus the lords did not utter these words. The first to speak would be the first to lose.
And no one desires to lose.
Nobody.
♦
I hired more mercenaries and increased the mass of my army to 7,000 men.
Having heard the rumor that ‘His Highness Dantalian gives good wages’, mercenary captains came looking for me on their own two feet. The captains watched my countenance when before me.
“The word that a massive war is going to occur soon, is growing thick……”
“The rumors are correct. Will you all follow me to the front as well?”
“If anything, if us humble ones were to go to the front line, then would your honor not appear sordid……?”
“This is not a war that follows a great cause, it is a battle where we strike while making use of the enemy’s destitution. How could it be more sordid than this?”
“Would defeating the humans not thus be a great cause?”
“Even if that was a great cause, would that be your cause? Even if we were to get rid of the human empire and establish a millennium, would that place be your kingdom?”
“Your words are immeasurable, your honor. Please be discerning.”
“Pay is provided every 10 days within my army. Infantrymen will receive 1 gold, and cavalrymen will receive 3 gold. As for food, it would be fine to leave half of your salary with me and solve it with that, or you can buy from the peddlers that follow behind our unit. As we do not provide arms separately, manage those yourselves. Since it operates as so, understand it as so. Do not worry about a great cause, and only consider the personal profit that you can gain. I shall be the person to be concerned with the great cause.”
The captains nodded. They had eyes that showed that they understood my words.
“Please tell us humble ones the military regulations which we must follow.”
“Do not discriminate one’s race or birthplace and only follow rank.”
The captains stood up and bowed their heads to the ground.
“We have received your honor’s orders.”
During the late winter, Farnese trained the newly enlisted hired soldiers once more. Since there was already a numerous number of soldiers who were loyal to Farnese, it was not as difficult as it was previously in order to train the new recruits. 2 soldiers who had beaten a prostitute to death, 1 soldier who had threatened a merchant, and 4 soldiers who had practiced usury, these soldiers were all caught and forced to disembowel themselves. Farnese had personally pulled out their internal organs and boiled some blood soup. Farnese spoke after spitting out a chunk of an intestine.
“Even the insides of these fools are rotten so the taste of the meat is spoiled. Truly, they were people that one should not be associated with. Behead them and feed them to the hounds.”
Even as winter passed and spring approached, to the soldiers, Farnese would always remain in their minds as winter, so whenever they saw the general’s face, their shoulders trembled. Although the ground that was frozen throughout the winter had thawed, the discipline within the military remained as cold as a blade.
The soldiers did not get excited by the spring sun, and instead, trained vigorously. While giving shouts, the soldiers adjusted their ranks and held out their spears. The soldiers’ sweat fell down onto the ground where the snow had melted.
Once the fourth month had arrived, the Demon Lord Allied Forces moved south, the Human Alliance marched north, and as if they had arranged to do so beforehand, both armies set up their encampment on the opposite ends of a plain that was located in the center of the human and demon territories.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 2 Polles, Bruno Plains
The Demon Lord Allied Forces and the Human Alliance sent and received ultimatums. It was decided that by sending an emissary from both armies, the two were to discuss whether the two armies will truly go to war, or if we will go into peace talks. Of course, the chance of a truce happening was nearly non-existent.
The number of lives that were lost had already reached the thousands. Like how thunder would resonate when lightning struck, at this point, going to war was a natural flow of occurrence. Even all of the Demon Lords—excluding Paimon—were preparing for this war. There was a single problem.
Who would be picked as the envoy.
“Why not just pick Dantalian?”
Barbatos stood forward here.
“He has the most amount of contributions in this war, doesn’t he? His talking ability isn’t bad either, and since he has the lowest rank, he’d be perfect to use as an errand boy. We’re sending an envoy nominally, aren’t we? So there’s no need for us to lose face by sending a high ranking person, right? Use him as a gofer.”
Truthfully, that was a keen insight.
In the exact center of the two armies, a single white tent was set up. That was the location where the envoys would meet and share a discussion. Since a lot of brooks flowed through the plains, the sound of heated stray dogs could be heard mating near the water. There was no pedigree among stray dogs so a black male dog was tangled together with a white female dog. I stopped on my way to the tent to observe the mating of dogs for a while.
“Those fellows seem to be better than me at that……”
I muttered to myself. According to a long-standing decorum, emissaries with the task of declaring war were not allowed to have escorts or attendants with them.
Once I turned around and gazed at the place far behind me, I could see thousands of flags flapping in the wind. That place appeared like an island composed of demons. Looking at the opposite side, thousands of flags were waving there as well, and ten thousands of humans were gathered in a line, making them appear as grand as an island. Since it felt as if I had exclusive possession of the ocean between the two islands, it felt excessively generous.
There was barely anything inside the tent. Two wooden chairs that were painted white, and a single table which was, of course, also painted white. Only those three objects were placed here by themselves. I sat in one of the chairs and silently waited for the humans’ emissary.
Like the spring breeze, the envoy of the humans entered the tent.
“……”
“……”
Our eyes met. I moved my head and nodded first. The girl also returned a light nod. The silver haired girl sat on the chair at the opposite side of the table. In a single glance, I knew that she was Elizabeth Atanaxia Evatriae von Habsburg, the Imperial Princess.
The Imperial Princess carried in a parcel. The thing which she brought out from the package was something that I was not expecting at all. It was a Go board. In this world, it was a game board that was sometimes referred to as the Black and White Flags. After taking out a Go board and a container filled with stone pieces, the Imperial Princess set them down on top of the table.
“……”
I gazed blankly at the Imperial Princess.
The Imperial Princess grabbed a handful of the white stones and then nodded her head towards me. She wanted to determine who was going to go first and who was going to go after.
—Would you look at this?
I laughed inside of my head. The intention behind this humorous gesture was evident. The Imperial Princess was trying to test my intelligence right now. If I display an ability that is lower than her expectation, then the Imperial Princess will most likely disregard my existence and not consider someone like myself as an individual to negotiate with. Even if I were to browbeat by shouting ‘What foolish action is this?’, I would gain the same result.
How enjoyable.
How very enjoyable.
I picked up a single black stone and placed it on top of the Go board. It represented an odd number. The Imperial Princess showed the number of stones that were in her hand. 3. Indeed, it was an odd number. Since I had guessed correctly on whether the number of stones she had in her hand was even or odd, I gained the initiative. The fact that the black stones had the first move while the white stones moved after, was the same in this world as well. However, there was no komi[1] here. Whoever takes the black stones and gains the initiative will have an absolute advantage.
And thus.
I was a person who had rarely ever lost after grabbing hold of the black stones.
— Tack.
I put down my first move.
The black stone that I put down made a light sound.
Seeing as the surface of this Go board was smooth, it was evident that this was a board that the Imperial Princess enjoyed using. It was most likely made using quite the luxurious wood. The sound was satisfying.
“……”
The Imperial Princess silently gazed down at the Go board.
My first placement was at the top left corner of the board.
By putting one’s first move at the top left corner of the board, that was similar to the act of brazenly giving the middle finger to the opponent. In the game of Go, where there is an emphasis placed on etiquette, this was a move that was severely difficult to tolerate. It would be fine to call this my declaration of war. While moving the stones around in her hand, the Imperial Princess made her move.
— Tuck.
This time, it was my turn to become quiet.
The location where the Imperial Princess had set down her stone was at the exact center of the Go board, in other words, a cheonwon[2].
If I were to decipher the meaning, then it would be fine to say that in response to my middle finger, the Imperial Princess had given me two middle fingers.
“……”
My head became cold. Although it may have been a different matter if a black stone were to be placed down as a cheonwon. A cheonwon with a white stone? Even if a pro were to play against a 7-year-old child, they would never put down a move as ignorant as this. Even from my own father, I have never been as disrespected as this.
Alright.
This will become a dog fight.
The first move was on the top left, and the second move was a cheonwon. Was this bliss not wonderful? Something like courtesy and contemplation on the Go board should be shoved in the grub of a female hog.
— Tack.
This time, I purposely put down my stone quietly on the third turn. My head becoming colder as my anger rose, was my primary habit. The Imperial Princess must have been the same as well, as the stone she put down on the fourth turn was quiet and the location which she placed it down at was logical. The childish confrontation was over. In an instant, we were immersed in the battlefield on the board.
— Tack.
— Tuck.
The war started at the top right of the board and slowly spread to the center. I mainly went on the offense, while the Imperial Princess primarily stayed on the defense. While I attacked in order to pierce through the center, the Imperial Princess built a stronghold in the middle and defended in order to secure the territory around her. I, who was trying to start a fight, did not back down, and the Imperial Princess, who was receiving that battle, did not step down. A slugfest occurred naturally.
While I pressed on the fight at the top left of the board, at odd times, I would attack in waves from different directions. Each time I did so, the Imperial Princess calmly faced my assault. Occasionally, when I relied on modern Go techniques to make my moves, the Imperial Princess tilted her head.
“……”
Eventually, after every 10 to 20 turns, her hand would stop and go to her chin. Every time this happened, the Imperial Princess would stare down at the board for a frighteningly long amount of time. Since there was no regulation on time, the Imperial Princess could think for as long as she wanted.
Finally, after 30 to 50 minutes had flown by, the Imperial Princess would counter my move. Although I was unsure whether that was the past style of Go or not, I was at least certain that that move was not a modern Go tactic. Despite that, as it was in accordance with reason, it contained an abstruse principle.
The Imperial Princess revived the stone that I had killed, enclosed the stone that I was fixated on, and utilized the stone that I had thrown away. I stole the stone which the Imperial Princess tried to protect, invaded the territory which the Imperial Princess had surrounded as her foothold, and pillaged the rear which the Imperial Princess had made. We did not yield even the slightest bit. Nothing was conceded and no compromise was made.
Occasionally, when the Imperial Princess set down her white stone, she would voicelessly ask me about her move.
— If it is this much, then is this not enough to withdraw?
At those times, I would put down a black stone next to another with no emotion on my face. Every time the opposition would make a subtle request to create a distance, I immediately rushed in. Even if I were to receive a loss for such actions.
Though this may have also been a matter of winning or losing, it was, at the same time, a type of conversation. I desired to respond to her.
— Push off.
Indeed, the Imperial Princess responded with a face void of emotions as well. She repeated the same suggestion twice and I did not encourage it. The next turn, and the next turn, as the battle continued, the Imperial Princess and I sounded out each other’s meaning.
— Well, your side will be the one at a disadvantage then……
— That is what you think. I want this spot.
— Normal people are unable to gain every location that they desire. Give it up.
— That is usually how an incompetent person consoles someone.
— I regret to tell you, but I am not an incompetent person.
— And I as well, am not a normal person. I apologize.
The second half.
My hand stopped in mid-air with a stone in my grasp.
“……”
Until now, I had gained subtle pleasures by utilizing the results of modern Go. However, the Imperial Princess had created new countermeasures on the spot and countered my moves. At some point, I had started to slowly lose the paths which I could go. A battle that was never before seen in a Go manual was unfolding on the board before me.
Without a doubt, I had taken profit during the early-mid portion of the battle. I had fought and won. Despite that, once we had arrived at the middle point of the match, the Imperial Princess had dragged the game down to a fog. That depth was not her experience, but instead, it was purely her head, her creativity, and over all else, it was her intuition that dragged the match down to the quagmire at the bottom. The Imperial Princess, who did not know who Go Seigen[3] was, had no clue who Bamboo Grove was, and was unknowledgeable of Lee Chang-Ho, was able to drop me into a pit.
After the middle point of the match, I often fell into thought. My breathing became more unmanageable as the mire rose. In order to handle that unwieldy breathing, I held my breath for a long time and exhaled deeply. I had to invest more than double, triple the amount of time than the Imperial Princess had needed in order to make my next move.
— What’s the matter?
Without even a second of hesitation, the Imperial Princess put down her next move the instant I put down my stone. She was pressuring me with vigor. She provoked and ridiculed me.
— It seems your spirit has abruptly died down. Where have all your attacks, that you had so self-assertively carried out early on, disappear to? Have you run out of stratagems? Have you reached the bottom of your clever schemes? How disappointing. You are a genius with only a brilliant wit. There are a countless number of geniuses like that throughout history.
— ・・・・・・.
I did not respond to the provocations.
I stooped and stooped again.
Even if the Imperial Princess made her move within a second, even if she deliberately interfered with my territory, I did not concern myself with any of that and only considered the image of the board. There was no restriction on time anyway. It was my creed to make use of a condition that could be used.
— How insipid.
— ・・・・・・.
— Try giving a more amusing response. Is this game not becoming enjoyable for the both of us after such a long time? Come, oh Demon Lord. Your spirit and my spirit, let us determine which side among the two is stronger. Would that, too, not also be considered the fun of Go?
— ・・・・・・.
— Look here.
I curled up. I merely curled up.
It was fine to curse at me and tell me that I was boring. Laugh at me all you want.
There are no boatmen who would go against raging waves. A boatman would align the shaking of the waves with the trembling of the bow and avoid the immediate threat. The reason was simple. Boatmen crossed the ocean in order to arrive at land, they were not going out to sea in order to fight against the ocean. In the end, a person with a destination, a person who was given a direction in life, would not be flipped over when confronted by provocations. They merely flowed.
Eventually.
— ・・・・・・.
— ・・・・・・.
Words had disappeared from both the Imperial Princess and myself.
Incitement, ridicule, and even confrontation no longer went back and forth between us. I endured the time while stooped down, and the Imperial Princess withstood the time while curled up. We had both arrived at a distressful time. There was no ingenuity or intuition there. There was no experience or logic. Since only the surplus of time, which we had to endure till the very end, remained, we were both pulled there. That was not the time that flowed, but the time that grabbed hold and pulled.
Why we had to keep placing down stones.
There was only a single reason.
Merely to win.
Once the fight on the board, that was once a competition for victory and also a type of conversation, had reached its final moment, only the match to determine the winner remained. We had lost the meaning behind all the silent conversations we had shared up till now. No, we were unable to even remember it properly now. Only the Go board placed in front of us existed in our sight.
That was the end.
It was an end game with no glory or disturbance.
It was a concluding move that moved according to the end sequence that was determined.
— Tack.
— Tuck.
— Tack.
“……”
The Imperial Princess stopped her hand.
The 252nd turn.
Her slender fingers, which were holding onto white stones, drifted in mid-air. As if the time somewhere on her fingers were caught in a net, it remained in place. A long time flowed by. The Imperial Princess nodded her head, and then, moved her hand towards the Go pieces container.
Clack clack clack.
The Imperial Princess dropped three to four stones on top of the board at once.
Bulgye(不計)[4]
It was a declaration that represented one’s surrender.
“……”
I picked up two black stones and placed it on top of the board.
“……”
Once I did so, the Imperial Princess took two white stones and placed it down. I had asked her a question. If I had won by 2 points. The Imperial Princess then confirmed that I did indeed win by a 2 point difference. I carefully nodded my head. So I won by 2 points, huh?
After putting away all of the stones, we reenacted the war from the very beginning. We were reviewing the moves we had made. Although it was obvious, the Imperial Princess and I clearly remembered every single move we had made from start to finish. There was no hindrance in reenacting everything.
“Why did you put it down like this here?” [Elizabeth]
“Since you kept clinging to me, I twisted it around in order to confuse you.” [Dantalian]
“Aah, so you really were trying to do that. I was dubious since it was such a random move. I panicked a bit because I assumed you were perhaps aiming for a sharp resolve.” [Elizabeth]
“How about you? Why did you spread out your pieces here like this? From what I can see, would conquering the bottom right not be the wiser decision……?” [Dantalian]
“Is it not too obvious? If I were to place a stone down there, then the shape would have flowed like this……” [Elizabeth]
“Aah. You were worried that all of your pieces at the bottom would disappear.” [Dantalian]
“That is so. If possible, I wanted to leave that spot alone.” [Elizabeth]
“Wait. If I were to play a piece here, then what would have happened?” [Dantalian]
“Mm. Would that not be a move with a bad pulse?” [Elizabeth]
“A bad pulse? Wait a moment. If I cut it here then……” [Dantalian]
“I told you it really is a bad move. Look carefully, the stone that has difficulty surviving in the middle……” [Elizabeth]
At around the time our review had ended.
I looked up towards the sky by chance and noticed that it was pitch black. It was bizarre. It was something where we could not tell when the sun had set. Once I had perceived our surroundings, I realized that we were looking down at the Go board while solely relying on the moonlight. I drew my brows together and gazed at the Imperial Princess. As expected, the Imperial Princess was neatly knitting her brows. The other party was a stranger, and yet, they also felt familiar. It felt as if we had died and come to life again.
“……”
“……”
We both stood from our chairs. Just like we did when we had first arrived, we left without sharing a single word as well. The very fact that we had discussed so many things while reviewing was questionable.
There was an uproar the moment I returned to the Demon Lord Allied Forces’ encampment. They were curious as to what sort of negotiation, that required me to be stuck in the tent from dawn to dusk, had taken place. I could not give any sort of response to the Demon Lords who were asking whether the war was determined, or if a truce agreement was achieved. Barbatos, with a face that looked like she was staring at the world’s weirdest person, asked me.
“What happened? What kind of talk did you share over there?”
“……No, nothing was settled yet. I’ll tell you once things are decided.”
“When will it be determined then? Tomorrow?”
I tilted my head.
“Probably the day after tomorrow? Around then.”
“I mean, it’s good that you’re earnestly carrying out the meetings, but why do you need to negotiate for three days in a row in a situation where there’s no other option but war?”
“I’m not sure yet, so don’t ask.”
The Demon Lords appeared pent-up. Regardless, since I truly did not know, I was unable to give a proper response. In conclusion, it was officially decided that the negotiation will continue tomorrow and the day after.
I avoided the questions from the other Demon Lords and returned to my quarters. As usual, Lapis was educating Farnese in our quarters. Farnese was learning how to speak while reading out loud the lines written on a piece of paper. She had a good head on her shoulders so she was able to memorize the lines themselves with ease, but her tone while giving a speech and other things related to that were not perfect yet. Well, everything was most likely not perfect in the eyes of Lapis. I made them stop their practice for a moment and spoke.
“Farnese, do you perhaps know how to play Black and White Flags?”
“Do you mean Go? Though this young lady may have read a lot of records of Go matches, this young lady has never played it herself. Most of the time, this young lady just enjoyed reading the records by herself.”
“Mm. And you, Lapis?”
“This one does not have any experience as well. Is something the matter?”
“No, it’s nothing. You can continue practicing.”
I sat in the corner of the room and continuously stared up at the empty space. The match that I had played until earlier kept drifting around in my head. It was not something that was driven by the mere shape of stones. On that board, a certain atmosphere, or something similar to mood, clearly took shape there. However, no matter how much I tried to recall that form, nothing could be precisely grasped.
Once in awhile, I could hear the sound of Lapis scolding Farnese. I closed my eyes and looked back at the air of the Go board. However, the only thing that appeared in my mind were the slender fingers of the Imperial Princess Elizabeth. Although it somehow felt as if there was a key point there, it was difficult to believe that there was that kind of secret hidden point behind those fingers. ……Really, there are quite the strange occasions in the world. I muttered to myself.
Tomorrow, the Imperial Princess will most likely gain the initiative while I go second.
I will probably lose.
That was the last thought that crossed my mind before I fell asleep.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 2 Polles, Bruno Plains
As soon as the first rooster cried out at dawn, I walked out to the plains.
At the tent, the Imperial Princess had already arrived and was seated on the chair.
“……”
We greeted each other lightly this time as well, however, different to the first day where it had ended after giving each other slight nods, we both lowered our heads properly this time. We did not do so with the particular intention of showing the other party respect. It was just that courtesy naturally came out on its own. Once I raised my head, even the Imperial Princess was furrowing her brow as if something was strange.
“……”
Abruptly, the Imperial Princess stood up and grabbed my wrist. She turned my hand back and forth and examined it, but the more she looked at it, the more her brow were furrowed. I did not stop the Imperial Princess, since due to her eccentricity, I was also able to carefully observe the Imperial Princess’ fingers.
The Imperial Princess’ hand was rough. My mind remained smooth because of that roughness. I understood the fact that the roughness of a hand and the smoothness of a mind were proportional to one another. It was a surprising truth. Even though I was already formerly aware of this truth, it felt as if I had just now first learned of it.
While our right hands were being grabbed at and were grabbing the other
, we gazed at each other.
“……”
“……”
Indeed, there was something peculiar. Although I did not know what was weird, something was weird anyway.
Similar to yesterday, a Go board was set on top of the table. I obviously took the white stones while the Imperial Princess naturally took the black.
The result was my defeat.
On the 232nd turn, I admitted my Bulgye defeat. No matter how much I calculated it, I was at a disadvantage by 1 point. I muttered bluntly.
“Is it a 1 point difference?”
“It is a 1 point difference, I see.”
“Hm.”
“Do you want to review?”
“Although I am eager to do so……”
I looked up towards the sky. We had clearly started the match at dawn, but somewhere along the line, the sky was glowing with the setting sun. More time was consumed in today’s match compared to yesterday. Be it the Imperial Princess or myself, we did not tease or ridicule one another even once, and instead, handled our stones earnestly from start to finish. It was a state of affairs where excellent skill was sought out in a fair match. Furthermore, since the Imperial Princess’ ethos was antique to me, I was unfamiliar with it, and since my ethos was uncanny to the Imperial Princess, it was foreign to her. Since my fair move became a trick to her, and her excellent skill became a bad move to me, it became increasingly difficult. Thus, it was inevitable that a lot of time was consumed.
“……At this rate, it seems negotiations will be fruitless today as well. It is troubling since the other Demon Lords will grill me about what I had possibly done that would require this much time.”
“It is the same on this side as well. Though I had come out at dawn with the intention to leisurely go into negotiations after having finished a match of Black and White Flag, I did not expect that it would take this much time……”
“Ah, I apologize. I must have come out a bit late.”
“No, there is no reason to apologize. I arrived only moments before you had, after all. The amount of time I had waited most likely does not even reach 20 minutes.”
“Hm.”
“Mm……”
We looked back and forth between the Go board and the other person’s face. We did not express it vocally, but we were sharing the same thought. It felt like it would be proper etiquette to be the first person to speak since I was the one to be defeated today. I opened my mouth.
“Imperial Princess, you do not have any intention to go into a truce, is that not so?”
“Ah, I have none. Whatsoever.”
An immediate response.
We both nodded our heads at the same time.
“Then I guess the agreement is over.”
“Good. The treaty is over.”
With that, the negotiations had come to an end.
There was not even an inch of dissatisfaction from either the Imperial Princess or myself. A truce negotiation that had ended within 5 seconds after it had started, would this, perhaps, not be the very first time in history that this had ever occurred? Whatever it was, it did not matter. There was something more important to us right now.
“Let’s review the match.”
“Let’s.”
We revised the match until just before midnight. Part-way through, a small mock-game would unfold whenever the question ‘what would have happened if I had placed it like this here?’, would arise. We tried to figure out how to continue the groundwork of our curiosity in order to keep up the effects of a cheonwon until the mid-portion of the game. Sadly, far from the answer, a method that reached the vicinity of a solution did not appear.
Today as well, the Demon Lords waited for me with wakeful eyes. To the questions about what had happened during today’s negotiation, I responded.
“4 hours from now, the human emissary and I have arranged to meet once again at early dawn. Before the day ends tomorrow, without fail, I plan to determine whether we will break down the negotiation or come to an agreement.”
Despite the fact that I had carried out the negotiations since dawn today, the other Demon Lords were surprised by my statement that I was going to continue the rest of the conference at 4am tomorrow. Among them, a few of the Demon Lords had even complimented me because I was behaving in a truly rare to be seen earnest and sincere fashion.
Of course, the negotiation was already over. We both did not have even the slightest intention to end the war. There was a need for us to carry out our final game simply because our current match record was in a state of a 1:1 draw. No matter what happens, this was a match that must absolutely take place.
Afraid that I may possibly be defeated due to a lack of sleep, I went to sleep the moment I entered my quarters. Although Farnese had latched onto me and requested for me to please do something about Lapis, I ignored it. Handle your education yourself.
This lord has the most important match of his life placed before him right now, child. Do not disturb him.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 3 Polles, Bruno Plains
I dozed off for a 3-hour nap. Since I had no reason to wait an hour, I walked out to the plain. On this day, it has been 1 year since I had fallen into this world.
The plains were drenched in the foul smell of water. Whether the morning dew was trying to make prior preparation to form, or if a bout of a sudden shower was making a declaration of war, the drowsiness of my eyelids gently spread the air that was drenched in moisture. That transmission felt pleasurable. 10 minutes after I had entered the tent, the Imperial Princess arrived.
“……”
“……”
We greeted one another. We lowered our heads more than we did yesterday.
The final match had begun. I took the initiative with the black stones while the Imperial Princess played second with the white stones. Continuing from yesterday and the day before that, the most magnificent match unfolded today.
Like the first match, we provoked each other without hesitation. However, we did not mock one another. Even if she rushed in immediately, my arrangement was not at risk since my base still remained there. In the locations that were dangerous, the black and white stones were evenly mingled together because there was a risk towards me. Although the fight of turns was intense enough to make my head feel dull, since there was no countdown, I was able to regain my composure through my mind. ……Aha, a fight without time restraints was this splendid, was it? A critical beauty can be contemplated as just beauty, I see.
A drizzle fell during dawn.
Rain fell to the ground while containing the scent of the clouds. People say that if a person wished to be fragrant, then they must be broken down many times. The raindrops made sure to break apart and emanate a scent. While being drenched by the sound of the rain being broken apart and the foul fragrance emanating from the rain water, we continued our game of Go. Since our clothes were more burdensome than the rain, we took off a couple of layers. Like how my body was already dripping wet with water, I was now being drenched more comfortably.
Many raindrops fell on top of the Go board as well. The rain that fell on the black stones splattered, while the rain that fell on the white stones smoothly flowed down the line of the stone. Water pooled on top of the board. Be it the black stones or the white stones, their bodies were at least half engulfed in the water. Rather than us having placed them there ourselves, it appeared as if they were there by chance, making their placement closer to a coincidence than a necessity. At times, I placed down my stones without any thought, making it feel as if the rain was thinking in my stead, and the stones were fathoming everything in my place. If one were to look at it again, then that was an excellent move that contained prudency. However, if someone were to ask if I had put down an excellent move because I wanted to, then I could only tilt my head. To me, that felt like a fair move.
The streak of rain fell onto the plain as well. As the rain roughly struck the ground all around us, it made our surroundings tranquil. In order to prevent other miscellaneous things from approaching us, the sound of rain pounded down those miscellaneous sounds. Though I was drenched, I believed that the rain curved away from us and fell at the edge of the plains. I did not feel as if the demon army and the human army, which resided on this and that side of the plains, were islands, but instead, believed that this spot we were currently in was the island. The game board was another island within that island. Therefore, the two of us who were surrounding that island were tranquil like the ocean.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_05_02.txt
|
Chapter 5: Soundless Words
Before I knew it, I was not fighting in order to win, but I was fighting in order to not make a mistake.
This day must not be stained by an error. Albeit it would be a different case if I were to make a mistake where I was unable to realize the opponent’s well-thought out play, I absolutely could not forgive a mistake that occurred due to being lazy and insincere. That would be a shameful and sorry thing to do.
Since I had a lot of time to think and fathom, my stone placement speed was slow. The Imperial Princess was like that as well. We were lethargic. The slow bodies were wet by rain so they were profound. The instant the rain had stopped falling from the sky, we held our breaths for a moment. The water had cleared from the board. The match was decided.
“……”
“……”
313 turns.
Bulgye.
1 point difference.
Black’s victory.
The Imperial Princess Elizabeth muttered.
“……It seems I have basked in all the beauty I could bask in during my lifetime.”
“Indeed.”
“Demon Lord, could you die here together with me?”
I slowly nodded my head.
“I am fine with that, but is there a need to die right this instant?”
“What point is there to live any longer when the light will fade after today? If it is now, then I can lightly depart.”
“I promise you that the number of occurrences more pleasant than this will increase from now on.”
“……”
Elizabeth placed her hand on her chin and went into deep thought.
“I understand. I shall believe in your words, Demon Lord, and live longer. Even if having hope and having that hope then betrayed is what is referred to as life, I do hope that at least you will not betray my expectations, Demon Lord.”
“I will do my best. ……Ah, let us not review today’s Go match.”
“Mm. I too wish to just leave it like this.”
I lowered my head deeply.
“I am Dantalian. I am in your care.”
“I am Elizabeth. I will also be in your care.”
The Imperial Princess bowed her head as well.
We had introduced ourselves on the third day after having first met one another.
I spoke.
“Imperial Princess, in the hometown where I had once resided, 6 to 7 points are deducted from the black stones that go first. If this were my hometown, then this would be your win.”
“How could one judge these matches with a foreign rule? Please withdraw your words. I wish to accept a lost as a lost.”
“How could I throw away my home and fool my mind when my heart constantly remains at home despite my body being here? To me, this is the same as having lost to you, Imperial Princess. This is not something that can be convinced otherwise.”
“Then we have both lost.”
“We have both won.”
We nodded our heads. For a long time, we stared at the board that had rainwater pooled on top of it. Although the rain that must fall had all fallen, there was still time left for it to flow. Several raindrops formed a streamlet and gently flowed. I spoke.
“It should be fine to hold a conversation now. Please consider this as a secret meeting held between the two of us, Imperial Princess. If by any chance, would it be fine to confirm whether you possess a tool similar to that of a Memory Play artifact? If that is not a discourtesy, that is……”
“Ah, of course.”
The Imperial Princess stood up and took off a single layer of clothing at a time. I received her clothes and felt her inner and outer pockets. There was nothing. There were raindrops that had formed on the Imperial Princess’ pure white naked body. I returned all of her clothes.
“Thank you.”
“Would it be fine if I could check as well……?”
“Naturally.”
I took off all of my clothes and pushed it towards the Imperial Princess. As I had done, the Imperial Princess searched even the corners of my clothes as well. She nodded and returned my clothes.
“Excuse me for the inconvenience.”
“Nonsense.”
We put back on our soaking clothes. While sitting face to face on our chairs, we were finally able to get to the main point. The first person to open their mouth was the Imperial Princess.
“It was your mistake for having spared the Margrave of Rosenberg and sending him to me, Demon Lord. Although it seems like you were hoping for Rosenberg and myself to have an internal strife over military power, the margrave is too old to pull that off.”
“I also consider that as something regrettable.”
It was true. I thought that the Margrave of Rosenberg would resist against the Imperial Princess a little bit more. I did not expect that he would obediently become a meatshield and die on the battlefield. In the original timeline, he was an individual who had put the Empire in turmoil because he had nearly started a revolt against the Imperial Princess.
“How did you cajole the margrave into doing it?”
“He meekly obeyed after I put my body against his a single time. He was a silly old man.”
I chuckled. She was a girl who knew how to enjoy a joke.
“I see the Imperial Princess is good with jokes.”
“Is that so? ……That is a compliment that I am hearing for the first time since I was born.”
The Imperial Princess made a thin smile. It was a smile that befitted her. I rested my body comfortably on my chair and spoke.
“You criticized me that I had made a mistake, but Princess, that is the same for you as well. It seems you had sent the Crown Prince along with the margrave. How unfortunate. If he had died during the dog fight, then you would have become the sole successor to the throne. Though you would have probably put the responsibility of the Crown Prince’s death on the margrave……”
The Imperial Princess let out a sigh.
“Was my brother captured?”
“We caught him alive. The Crown Prince is currently my prisoner.”
“……Never in his life has that blood relative of mine been helpful to me. I had tried to poison and assassinate him before, but he is strangely quick-witted so he was able to survive to this day. At the very least, I gave him the opportunity to die honorably, and yet, to be caught as a prisoner there……”
“I have shared private conversations with the Crown Prince often. Thanks to that, I have come to know about most of your past. It is quite inspirational.”
I smoothly raised the corners of my mouth.
“Apparently, you had murdered two of your sisters and two of your brothers.”
“……”
The Imperial Princess’ sighs became deeper.
“……I see my brother truly has told you everything. Oh Demon Lord, did my brother tell you the whole truth behind the reason why I had killed my own flesh and blood?”
“Yes.”
By coaxing the Crown Prince, I had raked in everything that could possibly work as a weakness against Elizabeth. The family history that the Crown Prince and Imperial Princess was involved with was rather ridiculous. Among what I had gathered, although there were several facts that I had already obtained through the game, the amount of information that was not revealed in the game or were only alluded and not properly revealed, was exceptional. I started to talk.
“Originally, your family of the same blood consisted of two other sisters and three brothers…… Though there was no insufficiency in numbers, in regards to sustaining the Imperial family, after having faced mysterious deaths after deaths, only the Imperial Princess and Crown Prince, only the two of you remained.”
“……”
“The rumors about these tragic deaths are abundant. The Crown Prince had murdered them, no, they had a secret feud that resulted in mutual destruction. They were sacrificed because of a plot by several nobles……”
But they were all wrong.
All of them.
I stared straight at the Imperial Princess.
“According to what the Crown Prince had told me, he claimed that, in truth, you, the Imperial Princess, had murdered all of your siblings. Is that true?”
The Imperial Princess nodded.
“That is true. I killed them all.”
“Though there was a 6-year-old little brother among them……”
“That is so. Is there a problem?”
“……”
I let out a bitter laugh.
“Despite that, do you not feel some sadness, Imperial Princess?”
“Of course I feel sorrow. However, what problem is there in sorrow? As one should feel sorrow for something that is sad, one must also take the lives of the things which must be killed. That is the way I live. By any chance, do you live differently, Demon Lord?”
Without any change, the Imperial Princess’ face remained cold. Her face stayed the same ever since she had first entered the tent and even while she was playing Go. It did not feel as if she was particularly managing her facial expressions. The Imperial Princess was most likely sincerely asking me ‘if there was a problem with that?’. I scratched my head and replied.
“No. I roughly live like that as well.”
“I somehow knew that would be the case. You live quite pitifully……”
“Is that something you should be saying to me……?”
The wind finally blew after quite a while. It was a wind that contained moisture. The white fabric heaved like curtains and momentarily blocked our vision of one another. Once the breeze had settled down, we could see the other’s face again. The Imperial Princess spoke.
“I do not know if my brother had told you or not, but my brother had made my first and second sisters into his lovers in secret. They were committing incest.”
“I have heard.”
“Whether they committed an incestuous relationship or not, I did not care. However, since I was going to have to compete against my brother for the throne later on, when that happens, I figured it would be a bit bothersome and cumbersome if my sisters were to support him. Thus, when my brother and sisters were exhausted after having shared the same bed, I used that opportunity to kill them.”
“……”
“My brother was unable to show any defiance. My sisters were murdered on his bed while they were naked. If this incident were to be known elsewhere, then my brother would be suspected immediately. Did he have intercourse with his blood siblings? Did he murder them after having slept with them……? As a result, my brother was desperate to hide my sisters’ dead bodies. My brother is a pathetic man.”
“Mm. A clean approach.”
“That is what I think as well.”
The Imperial Princess let out another sigh.
“I dealt with the rest of my brothers whenever the opportunity presented itself. However, I made sure to leave no evidence behind in any of those incidents. Only my brother had the sole belief that it was me. Albeit, he was a man who did not have the confidence to even reveal that belief to others…… Demon Lord, you were able to successfully coax that brother of mine.”
“I am uncertain of the exact details, but his animosity towards you is quite impressive. Once I swore that I would become the enemy of the Imperial Princess, his mouth opened on its own. Well, it is thanks to that animosity that I was able to obtain so much information without having to go through any particular trouble.”
“Did you acquire evidence?”
I shrugged my shoulders.
None at all.
I only had the testimony of the alcoholic Crown Prince.
After examining my face, the Imperial Princess closed her eyes.
“That is a relief. A close call, if you may. If you, perhaps, also had evidence, then I would have been done in by you without being able to budge an inch, Demon Lord. Far from unifying the continent, to think that I was nearly taken out before I could ascend to being the empress……”
“But I have the testimony of the Crown Prince. It would become quite bothersome if the Crown Prince were to go around speaking of your crimes publically. Your honor and reputation would receive a great blow……”
“Who would believe the testimony of a Crown Prince who was captured by the army of a Demon Lord? At most, people would overlook it as him having been either threatened or brainwashed by the Demon Lords. Furthermore, that man may be my brother, but he does not possess even the slightest bit of trust from the nobles. That will be a vain attempt, Dantalian.”
“Will it truly be in vain?”
“……”
“Do you wish to test it out, Elizabeth?”
The Imperial Princess tapped her forehead with her finger. No matter how incompetent the Crown Prince was, he was still the crown prince. Even without evidence, he could still raise unrest within the imperial society with his firm beliefs alone.
As the Imperial Princess had pointed out, that disturbance could end up being small.
Or perhaps, that unrest could become incredibly substantial.
There was no such thing as 100% certainty.
The Imperial Princess slowly moved her lips.
“What are your conditions?”
“My castle was destroyed because of the Margrave of Rosenberg. Albeit, I may be living without a home by wandering around here and there, even that has become quite tiresome now. Assist me in procuring a new home. ”
“……Are you saying that you want me to present you the margrave’s territory?”
“Mm. Since the person to have taken away my home is the margrave, then would it not be appropriate for me to take the margrave’s home?”
“……”
Tap tap tap.
The tapping of the Imperial Princess’ finger became stronger.
The sound of horses could be heard on the plains. Once the horses on one side of the plains started to neigh, the horses in the encampment on the opposite side of the field let out a low neigh as well. The sound of neighing lightly crossed over the tent and died down between the two of us. Until the sound of horses had become silent, the Imperial Princess and I were staring at one another.
“Fine. I accept.”
“Then I will momentarily return to my camp.”
“I shall as well.”
We returned to the tent after 30 minutes. I had brought the Crown Prince with me while the Imperial Princess had brought a certain man who was in his prime and a young boy, both of whom were bound together by a rope. They both had a fabric wrapped around their faces. She had dealt with them as so in order to prevent others from knowing who they were. I yielded the Crown Prince to the Imperial Princess first.
“Here. It’s your brother.”
“It is quite touching to be able to reunite with my family.”
The Imperial Princess talked about her emotions flatly. She took the rag off of the Crown Prince’s face. While letting out a gasp, the Crown Prince quickly looked around at his surroundings.
“W-Where is this? ……Elizabeth? What are you?”
“I had sent you to die, but it seems you have returned alive, brother.”
The Imperial Princess breathed lightly.
“You have made things quite troublesome for me. This is most likely the greatest achievement you have ever achieved throughout your entire life, brother.”
“What……? You bitch, how could a devil like you be well off……”
The Crown Prince was unable to continue his words. The Imperial Princess had swung her blade and slit the Crown Prince’s throat in a straight line. While gurgling blood, the Crown Prince fell to the floor.
The Imperial Princess knelt down and skinned her brother’s face. Before the Crown Prince could fully meet his end and was still breathing, he slowly died as his face was severed off. The Imperial Princess shoved the skin of her brother’s face into her pocket.
“Thank you, Demon Lord. Seeing as his features did not change despite having died, he is most certainly my brother and not a fake stand-in.”
“Promises are precious, are they not?”
“Mm. Promises are important.”
The Imperial Princess gestured towards the two human captives that she had brought.
“This man here, who is in his prime, is the Margrave of Rosenberg’s only son. After I gained the suspicion that the margrave was trying to start a conspiracy, I continued to keep this man captive.”
“And who is the small boy?”
“The margrave’s grandson. It seems he is this man’s illegitimate child, so he is not of a formal descent. I went through some trouble in order to catch him. This is the remaining lineage that the margrave has left in this world.”
I tore off the cloth that was wrapped around the two captives’ faces. They both had their mouths shut tight by a piece of fabric. Uh, uuh, uub…! The two hostages opened their eyes wide and looked around. I closely examined the report that Lapis had researched, thus, the descriptions of the features of both the margrave’s son and grandson. The captives before me were real.
“They are correct.”
“Do you wish for me to skin their faces in your stead, Demon Lord?”
“That is fine. Though it may be my first time tearing the faces off of people, there is always a first experience for everything……”
“A splendid demeanor.”
“Then……”
I dealt with the son and grandson while following the knife movement that the Imperial Princess had shown me a second ago. The Imperial Princess lowered her back next to me and pointed out the mistakes that I would make while cutting.
“Wait a second, Demon Lord. You shouldn’t leave the blade idle there like that.”
“But does this not make it appear tidier?”
“It may appear as so at the moment, but when you look at the finished product later…… It can’t be helped. I cannot watch while standing idle. Pass me the knife.”
“Tsk tsk. This is also a type of fixation……”
“How noisy. If we are going to do it, then it would be best to do it efficiently.”
“We are going to burn everything anyway……”
We argued with one another while tossing about. We had ruined the corpses to the point where one could no longer recognize their identities.
While lifting up the bucket of oil that we had both brought with us, we poured it all over the corpses and the tent. We then exited the tent and set it on fire. It was an old custom to burn down the tent on the occasion that the negotiations had broken down. As the black smoke rose up, it notified both armies that the war was going to start from now on. The white tent was completely engulfed in flames instantly. While watching the flames, I spoke.
“It is a bit of a shame that the Go board has to burn……”
“Is it not magnificent for it to burn as it is? The record of the match is in our heads anyway, so we can look back at it whenever we desire.”
“Mm.”
I shared a handshake with the Imperial Princess.
“In one way or another, that was a good negotiation, Imperial Princess.”
“I am also satisfied. By the way, Demon Lord. I will give you half of the world, so will you not become my subordinate? If the two of us were to combine our strengths, then we could hasten the unity of the continent by a decade.”
“I agree.”
I held the Imperial Princess’ rough hand tightly.
“However, Imperial Princess. Have you heard about this kind of story before? In the past, there was a conqueror who was the second greatest in the world. The conqueror had everything in the world. One day, the conqueror visited a sage. This sage, as an elder who was aloof with material needs, had nothing that could be considered as his property. The conqueror asked. ‘Tell me what you desire. I will gift you anything.’ At that moment, the sage pointed over the conqueror’s shoulder and replied. ‘Get out of my way. You are blocking the sunlight that is coming towards me.’ The conqueror lamented for a long time and left that spot. According to the legend, the conqueror said this. If I was not born as a conqueror, then I would have wished to have been born as that sage……”
The Imperial Princess raised her brows as if she was in awe.
“That is an interesting tale. ……No, that is truly an interesting tale. It is a story that lets out a fragrance the more you dwell on it. I am moved.”
“I am delighted that it was pleasant to your ears. Imperial Princess, do you know what the moral of that story is?”
“What is it?”
I smiled.
“It is very simple. Either obtain everything or obtain nothing at all. Elizabeth, for you to request of me to come under someone’s command, that is quite the excessive joke. You should be the one to become my vassal instead. I shall present you half of the world.”
“……”
The Imperial Princess gazed at my face blankly.
“……I see there is no common ground between you and I.”
“I sadly believe that is so as well. However, is it not also our methodology to feel sorrow for the things that must be grieved and carry out the things that must be accomplished?”
“Those are indeed the right words, Dantalian. I truly do wish to make you submit to me a day sooner. I will pray that the day I make you lick my feet approaches sooner.”
“Oh dear, Elizabeth. You can rest assured that you will lose. I am Dantalian. Dantalian, I say. If you shine like the sun, then I will always be hiding in the dark moon. You will one day run out of vitality and collapse, however, I am unable to do so. I will never reveal myself, after all”
“I will more than gladly allow that arrogance of yours. You have the freedom of being prideful. But that is before someone plunders that freedom. Please bask in that freedom as much as you can now.”
“……”
“……”
We released our grip.
Putting the burning tent behind us, we headed towards the locations where we both respectively had to return to. That white island had drifted on top of the ocean for 3 days. It will most likely never rise back up once it had sunk.
“Ah, right. Dantalian.”
A voice came from behind. The moment I turned around, something flew towards me. I received the item that was flying towards me with both hands without thinking. It was an old pocket watch. Confused, I looked out into the distance and the Imperial Princess shrugged her shoulders.
“I thought about it carefully. No matter how much of an incompetent piece of trash my brother may be, the crown prince is still the crown prince. The crown prince of the Empire. There would be no grace if I were to exchange that figure with merely the son and grandson of the margrave. Think of that as my small goodwill. It would also be fine to consider that as the wager of our match.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Habsburg grants their faith a single time.”
The Imperial Princess smiled.
“—And Habsburg has just now given you their one faith.”
The Imperial Princess turned around and walk towards the other side of the plains. For a long period of time, I watched her leave. I put the pocket watch into my coat and returned to the Demon Lord Allied Forces campsite.
The Demon Lords were lined up at the gate of the military camp and were waiting for my arrival. They had already seen the smoke that rose up from the burning tent. Starting from the previous autumn and continuing past the winter, that smoke had now finally arrived at this location. In other words, that was the final beacon of fire. The smoke had started from the mountain range, flowed to the governor’s palace of Niflheim, crossed over the demon territory, pushed through the gates of the Black and White Fortresses, and finally, it blazed in this Plains of Bruno. That was so. It was war. Anyone would know that war was proclaimed. Despite that, I, while looking around at the Demon Lords, shouted as the thunder that must crash after the light of a lightning had flared.
“A rupture!”
The Demon Lords raised their fists into the air. They all cried out in a single voice.
— A war!
In this moment, there were no war advocates or advocates of peace. Only the animals that had jumped into the battlefield were present there. War! War! A war……! From the Demon Lords to the captains, from the captains to the soldiers, the cries of beasts transmitted to everyone. The roar of the massive army of a hundred thousand soldiers struck the sky. Since the sky had let down rain, it was now the earth’s turn to shed blood.
Come, oh sweet war.
Nobody is turning you away.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 3 Polles, Bruno Plains
There was a type of ceremony in a war where tens of thousands and tens of thousands faced one another. It was the proclamation of war. In this world, since people considered spoken words as something more sacred than written text, the declaration of war must flow out of the mouth of a person in a massive war that was supposed to be the most divine of battles.
The instant the speaker finishes their speech on the proclamation of war in front of thousands, the Demon Lord Allied Forces will no longer be just the Allied Forces and will instead be referred to as the Army of the Crescent Alliance. The demons revered the moon and night. By pulling in the nature that they respected and admired the most, they put their names into a strong alliance.
The moment the speech ends, the humans will no longer be something like the Human Alliance, but instead, be referred to as the Soldiers of the Cross. The cross was a symbol that represented the light of the sun. As the humans revered the sun, even if the night were to immediately arrive today, it clarified that all night was a dusk that called upon the morning.
The war between the Crescent Alliance and the Crusaders was now no longer a trivial brawl of the land. That was the order of nature and the providence of the sky. It was the history of the Gods. 1,500 years since this continent had opened and civilization was established, the gods had allowed the blood of slaughter and the screams of carnage to occur under their holy names 7 times.
Empire calendar, 1506th year, 4th month, and 3rd day. Once more, the gods had ordered the 8th book of history to be recorded with the ink of crimson blood.
As the emissary who had undertaken the final negotiation, I was nominated to be the speaker of the proclamation of war by default. It was a great honor. At the very least, it seems the other Demon Lords hoped that I would think of this as a great honor. I was not unaware of the fact that they had put everything onto me because they did not desire to have the blame shifted to them by stepping forward.
Be it the history of gods or something else, showing off was showing off, so us people of the earth could only live while eating salt.
Oh, Gods, you are truly mighty. Who could possibly abhor conveying the holy meaning of slaughter? Furthermore, since the Gods worshiped by the Crescent Alliance and the Crusaders are the same, would this not all be a domestic quarrel? I shall accept the glorious volition of domestic quarrel……
It is fine to say that I am blasphemous. I am a blasphemous person.
It is fine to say that I am atrocious. I am an atrocious person.
I desired for the world to become more blasphemous and for people to become atrocious. I planned to acquire my wishes from the mire where the blasphemous people and the atrocious people shed their blood.
Pure and simple, my goal is to save the world that will be destroyed. I was nearly petrified by this paradox several times. Even now, I was barely able to endure the desire to be startled.
Who could deny this goal?
If altogether, the arson, the carnage, and the tragedy that I had caused, played the role of saving the world in the end, then dear lord, who could refuse me?
How desperate would the voices that deny me be, and how pitiful would they sound? Those voices will without a doubt start with ‘but… however… despite that…’.
The fact that they have to start their words with a conjunction. This was their misfortune. They had to fold, bend, and assemble their words. On the other hand, I uttered like a person of power.
‘Saving the world is correct.’
How straightforward is this?
I wish to live like this once.
While swinging around my authority as I please and gracefully holding a glass of wine in my hand, I wanted to try saying ‘Calm down, friends, I am merely trying to save the world’. I wanted to justly enjoy my authority to no end. My wish was being accomplished.
With my vassals in tow, I led them to the top of a rocky hill. The other Demon Lords were in my path to the top of the hill. The Demon Lords nimbly made way for me as I approached. From this point on, I was the officiant who had received the words of the gods. Nobody could speak to me rashly. Even the Demon Lords, who were the commanding generals of an army corps, Barbatos, Paimon, and Marbas, were silent.
Finally, my vassals and I had arrived on top of the boulder.
That place was the plains.
A smooth field spread out before us. I wonder if it was due to the fact that rain had fallen during the dawn since a wet fog was stagnated over the plains. Past the wet fog, glimpses of waving flags could be seen. Each time the wind blew, thousands of flags and banners roared out.
“……”
It felt as if no sound could be heard.
A perfect silence.
As there was no high or low class in the world enveloped by mist, there were no abusive nobles or witches who received scorn, no soldiers that slaughtered or subjects who were slaughtered, and instead, everything that existed was buried in fog.
The witches gazed towards me. They were notifying me that the preparation for the declaration of war speech was complete. Now the orator’s voice will resonate throughout the entire plains with the sound enhancement spell.
Humbaba spread out her fingers on both hands. Since the ring finger of her left hand was gone, Humbaba counted down not from 10, but from 9. The countdown had begun.
9, 8, 7・・・・・・.
The person to carry out the speech here will become the public enemy of the continent.
The human soldiers will curse them as they die and the demon soldiers will blame them as they fall. That was the role of the blind person in charge. The reason why I, the lowest ranking Demon Lord, was given the authority to give this so-called glorious and holy speech was because everyone else did not want to take responsibility for the war. Paimon, of course, and even Barbatos was like that as well.
6, 5, 4・・・・・・.
In addition, I was indeed like that as well.
I did not like pointlessly taking the role of responsibility. Is that not the perfect position to be treated well until one’s uses have run out? Referentially, a noble man must avoid dangerous places on their own.
Therefore.
“Farnese.”
“Aah.”
I more than gladly conceded my divine authority to my subordinate.
To the girl who avidly relishes in having their name remain in history.
I more than gladly passed onto her the honor of becoming an unprecedented celebrity and adorn anarchy.
“Have a safe trip.”
Farnese nodded lightly and stepped forward. Though I could hear the sound of the Demon Lords, who were watching us, letting out shocked noises, I ignored them. The sound enhancement spell had already been invoked. There was nothing obscene or disorderly enough to stop the speech that had already begun.
Humbaba had wickedly omitted the entirety of the last 3 seconds and activated the spell. The witches and I stepped back and grinned. Aah, we were truly jeering happily.
Even the education on the method of speech that Lapis had kept drilling into Farnese’s head was all for this moment. Now, the most sacred territory of authority will be sullied by not the Demon Lords or the demons, but by a human. The holiest ground of authority will be smeared by a lowly illegitimate child. As Lapis had done in the governor’s palace of Niflheim, it was now Farnese’s turn to sully things.
Now then, my daughter.
Spread poison throughout the world.
—Oh, humankind, listen.
All of history until now has been the history of class strife.
Translator's Notes
[↑] Komi in the game of Go are points that are added to the score of the player with the white stones as compensation for playing second. [Wikipedia]
[↑] The name of this move is called ‘cheonwon’.
[↑] These are the names of famous Go players. Go Seigen and Lee Chang-ho. Sanae, also known as Bamboo Grove, does not have a wiki page, but he had won the 2005 national Go championship in S. Korea.
[↑] No count of the points due to a one–sided game. The Go equivalent of saying ‘Good game’.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_06_01.txt
|
Chapter 6: Demon Lord
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian
People of the lowest class who have had their desires castrated.
This King of Peasants, who has placed a peasant as his lover, set a peasant as his general, and made peasants into his royal guards, shall speak to you. I sympathize with you all. What are you?
—Please spare us.
—If not this humble one, then at least this one’s daughter.
—I will work as a hound for the rest of my life, so please forgive me.
Fire-fallow villagers. You were all weak and powerless so you prostrated yourselves like dogs and begged. Barbatos ridiculed and played around with the you, who were like that. When she had taken your lives, she did not bother to ask you all for your names. That’s because your names did not have enough value to be remembered even after death. Because you were pitiful, I had furtively sneaked in irrelevant remarks while interpreting Barbatos’ words.
“What is your name?”
“Do you have any last words you wish to leave behind?”
“Prepare yourselves for death.”
The moment I did so, you came to the realization that you were going to meet your ends soon and cried. Until your demises, none of your words reached Barbatos. Since you all did not have power, your words had no meaning. ‘Spare me, do not kill me.’ even these words, that are considered the most desperate in the world, had no meaning. I see that you all do not have authority. I feel pity for you all. What are you?
— For your honor’s mistress to be an outcast, general to be a human, and royal bodyguards to be witches, your honor’s good faith impales the sky. Indeed, it’s befitting of the King of Peasants.
— You must be very fortunate to be so popular with women, your honor! Please teach the people how to bed lowly harlots and spread the information throughout the world.
Witches. You had silently received the snow and mud that were tossed at us. The soldiers had scorned and jeered at you, who were like that. It is most likely impossible for a person to not even feel the slightest bit of guilt when throwing dirt at another person, but perhaps, you were not people to them. But how could you all not be people? They say that you all do not possess souls, but if that is so, who does? I see that your bare bodies have been torn, cracked, struck, and stomped upon, sullying your bodies with cuts and bruises. Because you were pitiable, I gave you my mantles.
“I vow, that I, Dantalian, shall never return thy advice with silence, and shall never return thy suggestions with scorn. If thou art to sweat and bleed for my behalf, then I shall repay thee the exact weight for every drop of sweat and blood.”
The moment I did so, you understood that I had acknowledged you all as people and thus cried. Was this a world where people shed tears when they are acknowledged as people? ‘I am a person, I too am a person.’, were even these words, which are considered as one of the most earnest desires in the world, not allowed to you all? I see that you all do not have authority. I feel sorry for you all. What are you?
— I’m sorry, Father. I won’t do it again……I’m sorry……
— My father to this young lady…… this young lady, repeatedly……
Slave. Your life was ruined because of a mistake that was not yours. People ignored and disregarded the you, who was like that. In order to make you into an existence that did not exist in the world, they had imprisoned and confined you. I see that since you are ignored and confined wherever you go, your body is your place of exile and the world is your prison. I understand that even if you were to find a lover and have a child, that child will certainly be the child of a slave, so your body itself is a damned curse. I have heard about the sad servants who had severed their reproductive organs on their own in order to not pass down their curse. To you all, there was no answer other than death. However, how could death be the answer? Because you were sad, I whispered to you.
“You are no longer the victim. You are the assailant. You are no longer a part of the weak who are offended, but a part of the strong who offend. If someone tries to take your life, then kill them before they can get to you first. It is simple. If that someone is your father, then kill your father, and if that someone is God, then kill God as well. All you have to do is take all their lives”
The moment I did so, you led the cavalry and slaughtered the enemy. Once I had given you authority, you were thus no longer a person who was killed, but a person who brought upon death. ‘The person who tries to kill me, I have no other choice but to kill them first.’, did you live while being unable to utter even once these words that are the most ardent in the world? In the end, I see that people will not kill you if you have authority. I feel sorrow for you all. What are you?
Fire-fallow villagers, witches, slaves.
Are you all pitiful, sorry, and sad people? Is that solely it? Is that why someone has to sympathize, pat your heads, and take care of you? Will you all eternally remain as kind, soft, and pure individuals if someone were to do so? Are those your true colors?
If we go now, when will we return
If we go now, when will we return
Our villages are burning and our sons are burning
Aha, if we go now, then when will we return……
However, were your cruelly laughing faces, which you displayed while plundering and committing arson, not also your true selves? Was immediately slaughtering the other peasants the moment you received authority, not your bare faces?
Ah, you are all not merely kind, soft, and pure eunuchs. You are the same as I. The same kind. I am a man of influence, and you all are nothing more than people who have yet to obtain authority. That is it. ‘We are also the same! We also want authority!’ even these words, that are the most obvious outcry in the world, must be allowed to be said by you all.
Despite that, fellows like Rosenberg simply considered you all as poor subjects. Would that be better? Do you all wish to live naively for the rest of your lives? Do you not have desires? Do you not have any cravings for authority? Do you plan to be obedient for all eternity like castrated pets? I regard you all as my equal! Therefore, since I do not consider you all as mere kind, soft, and pure-hearted subjects, since I will not simply sympathize and stroke your heads, I will not take care of you all.
Rosenberg believed that he stood much higher than his subjects. Thus, that was why he had tried to pull his subjects into his arms, and tried to save his people till the bitter end. Since the words which he was caught by were old-fashioned, that old man was most likely in agony because of that threadbareness.
Peasants, I will take your lives if needed, and if needed, you all can take my life as well. That is what I mean by considering you all as my equal.
Is there a difference between the burnt corpses hanging on that black wall and the miserable lives that are attached to the rampart like clams?
If there is a separation in life and death, then there is only authority.
You all have the rights to desire authority and live for it. The sight of you all struggling, bleeding, killing, and being killed for authority is beautiful to me.
If he is to see you roar out as you are drenched in the blood of your enemy, then all Demon Lord Dantalian can do is shed a tear.
What are you?
You all have been nothing until now.
What must you all become from now on?
Everything.
Stab your spears into the people who have stolen your words, deprived you of your souls, and castrated you of your aspirations. Take back everything that those people had stolen from you. By doing so, one by one, you all will become wonderful as people.
— Spare me, do not kill me!
— I am a person, I too am a person.
— The person who tries to kill me, I have no other choice but to kill them first……
— We are also the same! We also want authority……
However, listen. Your words are too messy.
What is this? Are you talking about this? These are not words. These are the grumbles of a newborn infant. It is a noise that is also static. I see, though I consider you all as my compatriots, you do not possess a language.
Before you all can take the lives of others, you must first learn words. I have gone through deep contemplations in order to determine what sort of words should be placed down upon you all. Since your language must be a language of struggle, a language of carnage, and over all else, a language of authority.
All of you who offered your taxes to the people in power, obediently faced invading enemies and died, and only knew how to resent others because nobody would help you, will forever be dead from now on. When the Black Death swept over the continent, your fates have died alongside you.
With the mere intention to congratulate you all on your long deaths and new births, I give you this royal message.
Listen, oh, peasants. In the stead of the already dead Gods, a Demon Lord shall bestow upon you a language.
Scream with your respective mugs and respective traps.
Oh, humankind, listen
All of history until now has been the history of class strife.
There are two wars in the world.
One is the war between humans and demons.
However, the fact that there is a more tenacious war than that,
a war that has been ongoing for the past 1,500 years without a single moment of rest, at that.
Do you, mankind, know what that war is?
That is the devastating war which lasts forever.
Compared to that, the war between the humans and demons is foolish.
The humans and demons have conflicted against one another merely 8 times since the beginning of the world, however, that massive war has continued on every year, every month, every day, and every second.
Free citizens and slaves,
aristocrats and commoners,
barons and serfs,
the suppressors and the oppressed.
Are you all still unable to hear
the hoarse voice of devastating war that is being fought by these people?
This is the eternal war, only this is the true war.
Even if the demons were to disappear from the continent
you will all still be at war.
As 1,500 years has already flown by, and even if another 1,500 years were to flow by once more,
the war of class, the war of authority will continue unchanged.
To all of the sons and daughters being oppressed in the world, listen.
500 years ago, Demon Lords advanced onto the continent for the first time in history.
On that day, the rulers of kingdoms lamented about the conservation of mankind.
Your ancestors went to war while risking their lives in order to protect mankind.
Despite that, even after the war was over, serfs were still serfs and
the subjects were still subjects.
400 years ago, the Demon Lords descended onto the continent for the second time.
Your ancestors fought against the demons once more and came out victorious.
How surprising. How impressive.
You are all truly the shield which protects humankind.
Despite that, even after the war was over, peasants were still peasants and subjects were still subjects.
If you all were not there, then the continent
would have already fallen into the hands of the Demon Lords.
For the past hundreds of years, you all were the guardians of humankind,
and are the owners who have carried the weight of civilization for centuries.
300 years later, on this day, the Demon Lords have arrived on the continent.
However, what is this? Oh, owners of the continent? You are all commoners who are still serfs, peasants, and slaves.
You are the weakest among the weak who are dying off to a plague!
What have you all died for until now?
You all have certainly defended the continent.
That continent was a land that remained the same before a war had occurred and even after it had broken out.
You are still in poverty.
You are so poor that your poverty feels like it will be eternal.
Even if your mothers catch the Black Death and die in your beds,
you all are impoverished to the point where you are unable to buy even a single herb.
You have all lived while making sacrifices.
What were those sacrifices for?
You have all lived while going to war.
What was that war for?
For the past 500 years, have you all scattered tens of thousands of lives and tens of thousands of tears in order to protect your poverty? Did you obey those rulers and people in power because all of you desired to forever be impoverished? For this scene of your mothers groaning, your fathers being whipped by aristocrats, and your siblings collapsing while plowing the fields, in order to protect this scenery, this continent,
Have you all died until now?
That is not so.
Humankind, the truth is like this.
The mankind that the monarch of kingdoms, the emperor of empires, and the aristocrats of domains cry out for is not you.
The continent that those nobles want to defend is not your land.
Those authority figures have lived to this day not wanting to protect the lives of the people and the land of the people, but solely for the purpose of defending their own lives and their own fortunes.
Oh, humankind, listen.
The things that your ancestors had protected while shedding blood
was not something which belonged to the people, but something that belonged to others,
solely the possession of those false nobles.
Ah, the war is over but you all are still in poverty!
That is obvious! Since all of you had helped those people in power!
In general, what type of fellows are those rulers? Even if monsters swarm to your villages, they do not dispatch their troops in order to protect you.
They have thrown you away, they have thrown you, humans, away. Despite that, the instant Demon Lords start to approach, those nobles enforced you all to sacrifice yourselves this time as well.
For humankind!
Even though the Black Death circulated in your villages, those people in power did not provide you all with the cure. They had completely thrown you, you humans, away.
Nonetheless, once the Demon Lords drew near
those aristocrats are enforcing you all to sacrifice yourselves.
For mankind!
Now the mankind that those nobles are referring to has become clear.
The humankind that they are talking about is the humans called aristocrats.
The continent that they are referring to is solely the land which those nobles possess.
What were those humans for?
They were solely the humans for the suppressors.
What was this war for?
It was solely a war to preserve that suppression.
What were those 1,500 years of history for?
Continuing on from the past thousand and five hundred years, you have all died and continued to die in order to foolishly pass on your eternal poverty to your sons and daughters!
Oh, mankind, not the mankind that those nobles say with honeyed words,
but you, serfs, peasants, slaves, and true subjects.
You, the owners of this land.
You, the subjects who must all become owners.
Is something not off? Are you all truly the peasants?
As all of you are the proprietor of this land,
and rather, those aristocrats the parasites
latching onto your skins and veins,
are they not the true peasants who suck on your sweat and blood?
Since they are the peasants, then would it not be appropriate for you all to become the lords?
Why are those nobles embezzling the grains of wheat and corn that you have harvested?
Why do they not protect their subjects when they are attacked by monsters, despite claiming to be the owner?
In the end, why do they collect taxes even though everyone is starving to death?
That is because they are not the proprietors.
Oh, humankind, they are not the owners but they are thieves.
They are the bandits who steal everything that you must bask in.
The nobles only deprive. By depriving, they live in the homes you make, wear the clothes you craft, and eat the corn you harvest.
How could this nonsensical conduct have continued for the past 1,500 years?
Humankind, the reason is this.
It is because they are holding weapons.
There is no other reason than this.
If you petition for the taxes to be lowered, they raise their swords.
If you plead for them to grant you herbs, they stick out their spears.
If you skip labor in order to nurse your own mothers, they lash their whips.
Only with swords,
only with spears,
and only with whips.
If that is the case, then humankind, what must you do?
What must you all do in order to protect what is yours?
What must you all do in order to not pass down your poverty!?
Will you be sliced by a blade and die?
Will you be stabbed by a spear and scream?
Will you be lashed by a whip until your bones are weak?
There is one answer! Only one answer!
There is no other choice but to fight force with force!
Raise your axes. Grab your crossbows. Arm yourselves.
Use your farming equipment and stab their heads.
Make it so that you are the ones to harvest the things which you have cultivated.
Make things that are natural, run in a reasonable manner.
Do not continue to be fooled that you are peasants.
You all are the ones who own this land.
You are all the ones who are truly human-like humans.
Everything in this continent is rightfully yours!
You must go to war only for yourselves!
Fight!
Since no one will get back the things that are yours in your stead.
Fight!
Since no one will live your lives in your stead.
Fight!
Oh, humankind, what are subjects? They are everything!
Only you can justly be referred to as people.
Throughout history, what were commoners until now?
They were nothing!
And now, from this point on
what must you, the peerless mankind, become?
Everything!
The war to kill the demons for the nobles is now over.
Know that the true massive war has arrived.
You must solely fight for your own lives and for your own authority.
Let those parasites, who pretend to be lords, know who the true owners are with your spears, arrows, and pickaxes.
Yearn for a world where everyone simply lives as owners.
Realize the history where everyone struggles with everyone.
Make those rulers shudder before your power as subjects.
Other than your false shackles,
you all have nothing to lose in this devastating war.
Only the world that you must obtain, the everything that you must acquire, is spread out before your eyes!
Fight back, humankind!
♦
This is the language of peasants that I have passed down.
As they are urgent and desperate, you must only speak in these ardent screams and speak solely while wailing.
The Margrave of Rosenberg and I are different. I do not expect myself to become tame towards you all, and I do not want to only be protected by you. The vassals I love the most are the ones who know how to betray others. Therefore, I can only love Lapis Lazuli. I can guarantee that Lapis will one day gift to me a poisoned chalice. I cannot wait for that day to arrive.
On the other hand, Humbaba’s betrayal was disappointing. As one must not be caught if they had betrayed another, they should also, at the very least, reap all the benefits they are able to obtain when their betrayal is revealed. Even if I were to assume that Humbaba allowed herself to be caught by me on purpose, to have lost money! How could they have only received half the price of betrayal!? That is why they are lost. I have no other choice but to cater for these lost children. What can I do? They are shameful fellows.
……Imperial Princess Elizabeth is the same as me.
We both know the fact that words are nothing more than tools. However, we also know that words are useful tools of authority.
The Imperial Princess is a girl who will rip off the entire face of a human who goes around with a bunch of makeup. She enforces everyone to go around while displaying their naked faces. Indeed, there is no other technician who is as outstanding as the Imperial Princess in peeling the skin off of faces.
But, Elizabeth.
You have only lived as the Imperial Princess who was born in the Empire.
You have no other choice but to forever live as the Imperial Princess of the Empire.
That is your depth and limit. You will forever go around while leading a group of nobles.
But I am different.
After having fallen into this world, I have constantly contemplated about how I was going to defeat you. I am an obscure rank 71st Demon Lord and you are a person of influence in the most powerful Empire. I was low and you were high. I was inept and you were adept.
In order to drag you down from that high position and shove you into the mud, I formulated a grand plan.
The first was Lapis Lazuli.
— I, Lapis Lazuli, born from a succubus and raised in the back alleys of towns and cities, a person to have worked as a third-degree merchant for the Keuncuska Firm for 10 years, shall forget her past and live solely for the purpose of being Demon Lord Dantalian’s subordinate. This heart. This head. This soul shall forever be in the possession of your highness.
I had brought this cold-hearted half-breed, who was treated as an outcast, to my side on purpose and made her into my fiancee. It was not simply because she was competent. It was because she was useful to my grand stratagem. I got engaged with a peasant.
Next was Laura De Farnese.
— Laura De Farnese. As the third daughter of the Duchy of Parma and the rightful heir of Piacenza, on this night, continental calendar 1505th year, 9th month, and 10th day, with all the Gods here as witness, I hereby vow: If your lordship orders for this young lady to be your sword, then she shall become your sword. If ordered to be your head, then she shall become your head. If ordered to be your legs, then she shall become your legs. This young lady’s will, this young lady’s knowledge, and this young lady’s efforts shall eternally be devoted to your lordship.
I had brought this illegitimate child, who was born as the child of a slave and isolated from the world, as my retainer and made her into my acting general. She, too, was useful to my grand plan. I appointed a peasant.
Finally, the witches.
— Us Berbere Sisters, born without a home, raised in the back alleys of towns and villages, and individuals who have spent our lives as mercenaries for decades and centuries, wish to now forget our pasts and find value in our lives as solely Demon Lord Dantalian’s followers. Our hearts, our heads, our souls will forever be a part of your highness’ possessions. Therefore, your highness, please take care of our lost hearts, heads, and souls.
I accepted these witches, who were scorned into a place of oblivion because of their lack of souls, as my subordinates and appointed them as my royal guards. The witches were indeed incredibly beneficial to my great stratagem. I embraced peasants.
Oh, Elizabeth.
This is my groundwork.
With these children, who were enshrouded in darkness by the flames of the world and had their minds burned, I shall overturn your nobles and commoners. I shall burn everything. As the pure white and detached Imperial Princess, remain at the summit till the very end. And then, be choked by the smoke that we raise and be burned to death.
From now on, the peasants of the lowest class shall be my black stones.
Aristocrats? You can take all of those. Take everything that is like white stones for yourself. I will have the initiative anyway.
Oh, peasants, my groundwork who are also my dead stones, what are you? What must you become?
Each stone that is placed on the board is a stone that will kill the enemy and will be killed by the enemy. If your lives are going to break apart like stones, then there is a need for you to become as firm as a stone first. Whenever you are struck and you are striking down others, a hard noise must resonate.
I see that your sound is still too soft. I am hearing all of your noises. Speak once more. I shall grasp and raise back up the words that were buried in the background.
— Spare me, do not kill me!
— The person who tries to kill me, I have no other choice but to kill them first……
Your voices are limp. They are weak. Do not remain with simple cries and add the form of words. Threaten the ones that try to take your lives. Show off that even you have the slightest amount of strength. By doing so, instead of throwing up cries, you will be able to spit out words.
“We are one. We shall unite by countering against our enemy. If a person of influence hangs the life of one, then we shall become a thousand and retaliate. Let us see if you can handle the weapons of a thousand.”
Oh, peasants, what are you? Will you escape from being pitiful, sorry, and sad people? I have been turning my ear towards your noise. Speak once more.
— I am a person, I too am a person.
— We are also the same! We also want authority……
A magnificent voice. Let us add a form to that. Since words are authority, and as people fall into ruin if they use their authority thoughtlessly, people will collapse if they use words carelessly as well. In order to not allow others from approaching, build a fortress and ramparts with words.
“All humans are equal. The right to murder the person who tries to murder me is equally in my and our possession. If authority is the ability to kill others, then we as well shall become people in power.”
Good. That is a rampart with a well-structured foundation. An impregnable formation. Continue to remain here.
If you all are to make a fortress, then that will thus be my fortress.
If you all are to wave flags, then my army will advance there.
If you all are to establish a world, then my world will be there as well.
Rightfully desire all you want. I shall tell you how.
Rightfully become something that is feared. I shall provide you all with weapons.
I sympathize with you all. I shall be your desires, your fears, and your deaths.
I am Dantalian.
The king of you peasants.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_06_02.txt
|
Chapter 6: Demon Lord
▯Blood Relative Killer, Imperial Princess of the Empire, Elizabeth von Habsburg Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 3 Polles, Bruno Plains, Human Alliance
—Oh, humankind, listen.
A girl’s voice echoed vastly throughout the plains.
It was an elegant and refined voice. It was a voice that reminded one of winter because the emotions contained in the tone were thin. It was a voice that was firmly trained and stood upright in the center. It was most likely taught to her by a good teacher. Just hearing a person, who had properly learned how to speak, gave a beautiful form.
With a pair of binoculars in hand, I observed the girl standing on top of the boulder. Is that girl Laura De Farnese……? I muttered out loud. It was the slave that Dantalian had gone all the way to the Kingdom of Sardinia in order to airlift. Certainly, that was an individual with many uses.
— All of history until now has been the history of class strife.
What is she talking about?
I gazed through the binoculars. The girl had no emotions on her face. She was a girl who possessed the beauty of snow and frost. Surely, with that appearance, it was a given that the wild rumor, that Dantalian had brought in a human harlot because he was captivated by her looks, would arise. As her speech continued, the nobles around me started to whisper among one another.
“The start of the declaration of war speech is quite eccentric.”
“No matter what they rattle on about, the unity of us humans is unbreakable……”
Each noble had a pair of binoculars placed against their eyes. The content of the speech was completely different to what they had predicted. Certainly, the captains and soldiers started to stir. No one has ever heard or learned about the massive war that came close to the holy war of the Crusaders.
— This is the eternal war.
However.
As the girl’s words continued to firmly strike the air.
As the girl’s voice continued to flutter and echo throughout the sky.
— To all the people in the world who are being oppressed, listen!
The nobles’ faces contorted with rage and the faces of the soldiers twisted into astonishment. There were no bounds to the aggressive words that came out of that girl’s pretty mouth. They were not words of refusal, nor were they words of persuasion. They were words that pounded and broke apart the ground that was hiding something underneath its frozen earth, until finally, pulling it out.
— What were those sacrifices for? What were those battles for!?
The girl shouted out without reserve. Her words were easily terrifying. As they were words that cleaved and caused division, they were words that divided and generated incitement and were also words that weaved and manipulated. The girl slashed at the humans with words that were sharper than blades.
“……”
Aah.
Aaah!
I realized the other party’s intention. The girl’s intention, the intention of Dantalian who was hiding behind that girl and spreading his venom. That Dantalian, that Demon Lord does not intend to fight against the humans. He is luring the humans into fighting each other!
— Humankind, listen. What must you all do in order to protect what is yours? What must you do in order to take back what is yours from those thieves!?
The soldiers were already wavering. That girl’s voice was spitting out a poison. Infected by that poison, the soldiers looked around at the faces of the other soldiers. The nobles were unable to regain their composure and shouted.
“T-That! That, that, what, my word!”
“I already knew well about the shortcomings of those demons, but to say such thoughtless words!”
What foolish people.
They were unable to even smell the scent of poison that was approaching us from all sides. I felt as if I was suffocating. Only the thought of preventing that speech went through my mind. ……That’s right. We must stop those words of division no matter what. I had to block it in order to prevent the irrevocable chaos and calamity that will engulf the continent. I quickly stood up from my chair and rushed towards the mages.
“Immediately activate the spell for our speech.”
“Your highness?”
“Did you not hear me? I’m ordering you to activate the spell.”
The mages looked at me with troubled faces. An old man with wrinkles on his forehead lowered his head.
“My apologies, your highness. The preparations are not yet complete.”
“Not complete?”
“Since we were notified by your highness that our forces will be giving our speech second, we had prepared to activate the spell exactly at that time.”
“It will be fine with just sound enhancement magic. I know how to speak the language of demons. Right now……”
“Your highness, although sound enhancement magic is not an incredibly difficult technique, advance work is essential in order to raise the volume to the point where it can resonate throughout the entire plains. Please generously understand that magic is not universal.”
“If that is so, then how long will it take before preparations are complete?”
“At the fastest, it will take 10 minutes.”
“10 minutes……?”
A cold sweat went down my neck.
It has been such a long time since I had last felt a cold sweat. Was it perhaps the time my brother had dragged me to his room and forced me to watch him have intercourse with my sisters? Was it the first time since then? Just like that day, which had ruined my life, a cold sweat deeply slid down my neckline. I could feel the drop of sweat slide down the line of my neck and down the outline of my chest.
“……”
I slowly turned my head and examined the soldiers once more. They were all serfs, slaves, and peasants. Unrest spread across each and every one of their faces. Ah, 10 minutes would be too late. If 10 minutes were to pass, then it will forever be too late……
Am I only able to listen silently?
Like the time I had to simply watch my brother and sisters mix together.
Must I suffer like this, while being unable to do anything, once more?
— Oh, humankind, what are subjects? They are everything! Only you can justly be referred to as people. Throughout the 1,500 years of history, what were commoners until now? They were nothing! And now, from this point on what must you, the peerless mankind, become?
— Everything!
As if intoxicated by a drug, the soldiers gazed up at the girl. Even though they should be unable to see the girl’s face since they did not possess binoculars, with the grandiosity of her voice, the girl was emitting a powerful presence. I shuddered.
So that is Dantalian’s sword.
So those are Dantalian’s words.
……That speech was most likely written by Dantalian. Aah, there is no doubt. I could hear that man’s voice within that girl’s voice. I could vaguely feel Dantalian’s outline in the words and sentences that the girl was reciting. Regardless, why was Dantalian not proclaiming the speech himself, and had instead, sent that girl as his replacement?
The reason was articulate.
The words that Dantalian had uttered, while we were shaking hands today, passed through my brain. Dantalian was grinning widely.
— Oh dear, Elizabeth! I am Dantalian. Dantalian, I say.
— If you shine like the sun, then I will always be hiding in the dark moon. You will one day run out of vitality and collapse, however, I am unable to do so. I will never reveal myself, after all.
My heart trembled. It was difficult to admit the truth itself that my heart trembled when coming to the realization of fear and terror. Aah, so Dantalian is planning to hide. He plans to remain as the behind-the-scene manipulator and never reveal himself!
By placing Farnese as his stand-in, Dantalian will hide. The person to stand in the front to swing their blade and give orders will most likely be Farnese. Therefore, all the people of the continent will revere and despise Farnese. Even though the true culprit to incite them was Dantalian. While Farnese becomes that Demon Lord’s horse and spreads that Demon Lord’s words, Dantalian himself will be covered by the curtains of the performance and be caught by no one, allowing him to freely destroy the continent without being hindered by anything.
On the other hand.
I am unable to do so.
As the Imperial Princess of the Empire, that is impossible for me to do. I have to spend my time with hundreds of nobles surrounding me at all times. As there were always ears around me to hear the words I say, if I were to take action, then there will always be eyes to see the things that I do. Until now, I had treated my destiny of having been born as the Imperial Princess with gratitude. Not even for an instant, have I ever thought that my standing as the Imperial Princess could possibly become my weakness……!
The girl’s speech had reached its zenith. She unsheathed her longsword from her waist and raised it to the sky. Every single one of the soldiers held their breaths and were absorbed in the girl.
— I, Laura De Farnese, born as a human and branded as a slave, as a single peasant who is here now to struggle alongside you all, shall hereby declare! Be they humans, demons, commoners, or peasants, I shall struggle for the people without discriminating borders!
— You as well, fight back alongside me! Discard all the boundaries that oppress you all! Become free on your own, mankind!
That girl……So that child is Dantalian’s successor.
People were shocked by the news that that girl was a human. That was the effect that Dantalian was aiming for. Dantalian had utilized a human girl as his orator on purpose.
If the person to give the speech were, perhaps, a Demon Lord or a demon, then the soldiers would not have stirred. If the person to stand there were a noble, then the soldiers would have scorned the speech. However, Laura De Farnese, who was standing on top of that boulder, was not a Demon Lord or a noble and was simply a freeman with the blood of humans. She was a human. Since they were the words of a human, they naturally seeped into my subjects who were also humans.
“……Ha.”
Did laughter come when despair deepened?
I ended up unintentionally letting out a smirk.
Abruptly, who I was and where I stood became clear.
I was the Imperial Princess of the Empire. Until now, I have proven that I was the one and only Imperial Princess.
However, because Dantalian had suddenly appeared in that spot, he had defined what kind of fate lied behind me being the Imperial Princess. He was an existence that defined me.
“Dantalian……”
If I am to survive as the Imperial Princess, then I must take his life.
If I am to survive until the very end, then I must also take the life of that girl.
If I fail to do so, then the life that will fall will be mine.
“Demon Lord……!”
A certain ooze of emotion flowed out from my heart that was tightened by fear. Aha, I am certain that I am insane. Although there were existences that I must kill in order to stay alive in front of me, I felt pleasure in life from that.
“So you are my destiny……!”
He will most likely hide and not come out.
People will most likely never find out who he is.
But I know.
Only I am looking at you.
The universe is a meaningless crowd and if it were a solitary ocean, then a single island will drift on top and we will be seated there facing one another. Like the time we had faced the other with black and white stones, while in the center of today’s shower, our future from now on will be spent facing the other. Demon Lord, you are my destiny and I will surely be your fate as well.
Agitated, the nobles shouted. They browbeat the soldiers while striking their cheeks.
“You fools! What are you staring at absentmindedly!? Are you all unable to shout and prove to them that you are the subjects of the Empire!?”
“Do you want to become a traitor and die!?”
The soldiers quickly got down onto their knees and obeyed the nobles. However, I was aware. The other soldiers around them were glancing at the nobles with cold gazes. Was this the scenery that the Demon Lord had drawn in his dreams?
The aristocrats shouted and the officers and men remained silent. Since the angry scoldings were burly, they surged upwards to the sky, but quickly dissipated, however, the silence was cast down heavily and spread out widely. The air that was separated into two layers felt like the world that was soon going to be split into two sections. I, Elizabeth, will fall into the gap between that tear.
But what is the issue?
My life has become a single bliss. At last, my tomorrow was not going to be the repetition of today, and instead, be the day after today. Today, Dantalian had already fulfilled the promise that he had made me.
— Demon Lord, could you die here together with me?
— I am fine with that, but is there a need to die right this instant?
— What point is there to live any longer when the light will fade after today? If it is now, then I can lightly depart.
— I promise you that the number of occurrences more pleasant than this will increase from now on.
How beautiful.
A beautiful voice. So these are the words of Dantalian.
So destiny was something that was so radiant and splendid that made even destruction into something that was blinding.
“……Ah.”
I shed a tear for the first time in my life.
On the 4th month and 3rd day, it seems I was born for the first time.
While joyously accepting the definition of my life to kill and be killed with that man, I closed my eyes. Since there was a single strand of melody in the world that was dark, it felt as if that girl was going to continue that melody forever. I, for a long time, while dwelling on that feeling, listened to that girl’s music that consisted not of melodies, but with words……
— You all, rage in everyone’s stead, and solely rage as mankind. Enlighten the people in power about who the original owners are. We shall sing. The song we sing shall be the song of vows where we swear that we will no longer descend from being owners and into slaves. The moment you raise your cries and hold your spears, the Gods will thus bring down upon us the glorious life with the name of tomorrow!
— Make them shudder. Make those authority figures tremble before the revolution of all. Other than your false shackles, you all have nothing else to lose in this revolution. Only the world that you must obtain, the everything that you must acquire, is spread out before you—
—Oh, humankind, fight back!
FIN.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Intermission.txt
|
Intermission
▯Demon Lord of Benevolence, Rank 9th, Paimon Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 3 Polles, Bruno Plains, Demon Lord Allied Forces
—This lady held her breath.
For a moment, the breaths of demons and humans were held indiscriminately. Though it was no longer than a mere moment, to me, it felt as long as an eternity.
This lady has come to the realization. That the time that had just brushed by this lady, that the time that had scraped and flowed through every mortal in these plains, was not simply a demanded time but a moment of history instead. From this day forth, every historical book to be written will have no other choice but to use an entire page for this moment. For a single moment in this place, history existed.
However.
“……What the fuck is that?”
Similar to everything else, since history is something that is also buried underneath time and flows by, it is something that cannot be seen once it has passed. One individual at a time, the mouths of the Demon Lords, who had held their breaths because of something uncontrollable, opened. The words that came to their lips were not astonishment, admiration, or even imprecations, but.
“Why did Dantalian fucking hand the authority to give the speech to some human girl when we gave him that right? Did that idiot become mentally ill?”
Merely dissatisfaction.
That was it.
“Oi, old man Marbas. If my memory hasn’t turned to shit, I’m pretty sure our right of speech has never been taken by a human before.”
“That is to my understanding as well…… Things have become troubling. Barbatos, I’m just asking this for caution’s sake, but did you perhaps allow Dantalian to commit such conduct?”
“Am I mad? Why would I give a lowly human bitch the sacred position of rallying the Crescent Army……? In any case, I wonder if it’s because Dantalian is a rookie since he sometimes doesn’t know what’s right and wrong. That kid doesn’t know circumstance.”
“Not only is the form of the speech a problem, but the content of the speech has many issues as well. Planting the seed of division into the humans is excellent, however, how could segregating humans and demons be wrong? Though it seems Dantalian had used a defector of human birth as his performer in order to shake the enemy army…… He has gone too far. It goes against what is right and goes against custom.”
“Yeah. She’s saying something nonsensical.”
Aah.
This lady’s head became hazy because of the conversation shared between Barbatos and Marbas. That did not remain as the reaction of merely those two Demon Lords. All the Demon Lords who had witnessed that speech were most likely thinking along those lines as well. Prejudice or ignorance, or rather, a sense of disdain that should just be called blindness flowed through the atmosphere. Feeling suffocated by that sensation, it became difficult for me to breathe……
Humans and demons are equal. Commoners and nobles are equal. Therefore, as all the people, regardless of one’s race, should be in harmony, everyone should respect one another while disregarding one’s class…… This simple and clear truth could not be seen by their blind eyes. They could not see it at all. This lady was barely able to open her lips.
“Everyone……”
“Hm?”
“Everyone, were you all unable to realize the meaning of that speech?”
“What are you talking about?”
Barbatos drew her brow together. A trivial body gesture such as that was more than enough to prove Barbatos’ natural ignorance. This lady gives up on trying to persuade her. It is impressive, Barbatos. You have the ability to repel this lady with the mere movement of your brow. I express my respect towards your ignorance.
“First, let’s punish Dantalian once the speech on the humans’ side is over.”
Punish? What do you mean by punishment?
This lady opened her eyes wide and gazed at Marbas. Beside Marbas, Barbatos was nodding her head as if it were obvious.
“If it had gone to only the mid-point, then we would have praised him, but since he has crawled at the absolute bottom, there is no other choice. We’re in a war, so for form’s sake, let’s just sentence him with confinement. And for that human, just whip her until she is nearly dead and pass it on adequately. If we really kill her then Dantalian would be pitiful……”
Confinement?
Whipping?
What sort of nonsense did they say just now?
……Barbatos has made Dantalian into her kept man. However, I am aware. I am aware that, by nature, Barbatos is not an individual who would share love with another. This lady had easily come to the conjecture that Barbatos was merely binding Dantalian with her body because he was necessary.
Regardless, to be able to do that so simply.
To be able to cast away the comrade and lover, who had saved her life and the lives of her army a month ago, like dirt.
“……”
Barbatos’ judgment may be correct in terms of political schemes. However, as that was not righteously correct, it was not politically correct either. This lady considers the rule that does not straightly seek justice and vastly ponders one’s reign, as something that is merely evil. Yes, without question, Barbatos is an evil woman.
This lady bit her lip and immediately went into calculating.
……If this lady’s faction could truly be able to obtain superiority in the situation where we go against both Barbatos and Marbas at the same time. If the other Demon Lords, who follow this lady, would truly agree to the decision obediently in the situation where I incorporate Dantalian into this lady’s Mountain Faction after having been hostile towards him all this time. All sorts of situations and hypotheses mixed together chaotically. In the center of that suffocating fog, a single sentence stood out naturally.
Just now,
I have seen for the first time in my life a person who had the same way of thought as I did.
“……”
This lady’s silence deepened. It is not the depth of an investigator who was heading down towards the bottom. It was the depth of a survivor who was sinking because there was no bottom or boundary. I have lost my path. It is suffocating.
……Paimon, you must not act out of emotions. Rationally, consider the political impact that would occur if you were to shelter Dantalian. Moreover, though I believe in the equality of commoners and nobles, I also acknowledge the necessity of peasants. People of ignoble birth exist everywhere. Witches are an example of that. However, Dantalian would most likely embrace even those peasants as well. Our way of thought is very slightly different. In short, there is no need to assimilate myself with Dantalian on an emotional level. Calm down. Emotions will only ruin you. Calm down. An opportunity will always come……
“Wait. Now that I think about it. Can’t we just drag Dantalian here right now?”
Barbatos had spoken.
“The orator is that human anyway, so we can leave her be and just bring Dantalian here to punish.”
“Indeed, that is a fair point. You bring him.”
……
Paimon.
You cannot.
Look back at yourself objectively. You are the leader of the Mountain Faction. You are in possession of the largest faction within the Demon Lord armies. If you determine your position on impulse, then that influence will be directly taken in by the other Demon Lords. Please. If you have lived for 500 years then you should be sensible. Is it not sufficient for the Demon Lord, who forever behaves like a child, to remain as solely Barbatos? That is right, Paimon. Calm down. The reason why you always feel suffocated is because you think that you are suffering from angina. If you inhale slowly, then everything will be alri……
“Hey, bitch.”
“Ah?”
“Why are you wordlessly blocking my fucking way, you bitch?”
Barbatos was looking up at my face from below. That vulgar face, which looked like it would spit right this instant, verified how Barbatos-like she was.
……Ara?
When did this lady walk here?
I do not recall having walked here. Clearly, I was standing at the other side a second ago. Right now, this lady was blocking Barbatos’ path towards Dantalian. This is strange. This is really strange. If I do not return quickly……
“You fucker, try living while taking out some fat from your chest. Since you shove your stomach fat into your tits, a shitty smell is coming off. Really, a fucking vomit-inducing scent is emanating since the smell of your tits and the smell of oil is mixed together.”
“……”
If I do not return quickly.
“Oh? You aren’t going to fuck off? What are you going to do if you glare at me? In any case, you really do live up to your name as the most ragged bitch among the succubi since even your gaze is fickle. There are countless numbers of demons who want to do it through your eye socket, and yet you’ve managed to live without becoming one-eyed yet? Do you want me to introduce you to someone? Or will you lower your eyes before I introduce you to them?”
“……”
Please.
Rationally.
Not emotionally.
“Hey. Hey. Move it. You aren’t going to move? Did this bitch go insane? Fuck—.”
“Is the person who’s emanating the foul scent of breasts not you, Barbatos? I thought that I was unable to see you since you were so short, but after looking at it today, your breasts are also so small that I thought you were a man. How about putting a clear-cut indication somewhere on you in order to allow other people to know that you are a girl? That’s right. Such as writing the words “I am a whore” in red letters on your forehead, try something like that. Is it not good since it is so distinct?”
Ah.
Aaaaah.
I-I am not saying this!
I am not uttering these words because I want to!
My body, the body that had moved on its own a second ago, was now controlling my mouth and moving my tongue on its own volition. Yes. It is true. This is not my intention, but—.
“What nonsense are you saying? The whore is you, you ragged bitch. They say that the number of castaway demons, who went into your hole and weren’t able to find their way out, reaches nearly 200 people this year. Is that why your belly is so flabby since you have 200 people inside you? Whores go around saying that they ‘devour men’, but you must be quite well off since you literally go around eating men, huh?”
—This dog bone-like girl.
Does she want to die?
“Why is this child, who could not satisfy the appetite of even a goblin if one were to twist and sever off her limbs, throwing an epileptic fit and trying to start a fight with this lady while not knowing of her place? Hm? Since their chest is already flat, should we shave their hair and make their head flat as well? It seems that they have yet to learn how to fix their dog-like antics from their childhood and is coming at me again, despite the fact that I had already once shaved their head 300 years ago when they went insane. If they understand that their chest is ugly, then they should at least rip their mouth out and attach it to their nipple and pretend to have breasts. You seem to be living quite well despite having such a shameful washboard attached to you. Well, since your subordinates are corpses that had come back to life, they most likely do not have anything down there. Your subordinates do not have anything below, and you do not have anything above, so your mutual settlement is quite marvelous. Though I am only saying this because the sight of you getting along with your corpses is so pretty, since you are playing with dead corpses anyway, can you not die a little as well?”
“Aaaaaaang–?”
“What will you do by glaring at me?”
Barbatos and I glared at each other ferociously. Do you think someone does not swear because they do not know how to? Because they have dignity and rationality, they are restraining themselves. They are an existence that is completely different from you who lacks both face and sense.
In that moment, the sound of footsteps could be heard. It was Dantalian. Having discovered us making a ruckus, Dantalian carefully approached us.
“I apologize. The speeches on both sides have yet to come to an end, so if Barbatos and Miss Paimon can be quiet for a moment……”
“Hey, Dantalian. You came at a good time.”
Barbatos got on her tiptoes and looked at Dantalian. She most likely intends to grab Dantalian like this and punish him. Though they had stated that it was going to be nothing more than a punishment for formality’s sake, formality is where punishment starts from. Do you think this lady will leave it be?
“Why are you doing the speech so poorly like that? Get hit by me a bit. For now, go inside a cage and repent on your life—.”
“Be quiet, Barbatos.”
“……What?”
“I said to be quiet.”
This lady stretched out her right arm and put it between Barbatos and Dantalian. Yes, I obstructed her. In the end, I blocked her.
Rationality? Political calculations? Put all those things away. Since long ago, this lady has lived based on her emotions. Despite doing so, this lady was able to form the greatest faction within the army of Demon Lords. Thus meaning, the more this lady acts according to her emotions, the more fortune comes rolling to her feet. Verification is complete. I will not accept any counter-arguments.
For now, if I am able to witness the sight of this child in front of me contorting her face, I will be satisfied with that.
“Henceforth, Dantalian is no longer the ally of the Plains Faction, but instead, is a Demon Lord who is supported by the Mountain Faction led by myself, Paimon. If you wish to punish Dantalian, then either obtain the consent of the Mountain Faction or proceed through a formal ballot during a Walpurgis Night.”
“……Ha?”
“Oh dear. Now that I think about it, the procedure of holding a Walpurgis Night during a war is incredibly complex and intricate. How unfortunate, Barbatos. Since you will have to return bitterly while holding onto that bitter chest, after all.”
“You…… Paimon. What are you saying?”
“Do you still not understand?”
This lady smirked. In truth, this lady was speaking in accordance to however her tongue moved while a lot of blood had rushed to her head. I am unable to even properly register what I am currently saying. It is this lady’s nature to become like this whenever she becomes mad.
“That man is not your property.”
This lady pointed towards Dantalian with the edge of her fan.
“He is now mine.”
“…………”
Barbatos’ face slowly started to distort.
That is right. This is it. If this lady is able to see this face, then she is able to endure both torture and abuse. Aah, truly. My entire insides feel refreshed. Why would one go against this lady with what little ability they have, and brazenly display their own stupidity, ignorance, and imprudence to the entire world? Truly, for Barbatos to understand……
…………Ara?
I looked around. For some reason, the Demon Lords around me were all frozen like statues. It felt as if even the air had frozen.
………What did this lady say just now?
FIN.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Prologue_01.txt
|
Prologue
The saying that life is a gamble was credible.
A person was good at war if they handled people like they did wagers. If people’s lives were not treated as stakes, then a war where hundreds and thousands of lives were cut down would become hell. Barbatos stated that people cannot cross this living hell while sober.
“Above a diligent bastard is an insensitive bastard, and above an insensitive bastard is an insane bastard. That’s why, if you want to win at war then you need to first become a crazy bastard.”
There was a mixture of laughter in Barbatos’ words.
The laughter and cruelty on her face were indistinguishable. I could not tell if she was behaving like that in order to show me her amusement, or if it was because she wanted to broadcast her brutality to me. Although, personally, it felt like that indistinguishability was Barbatos’ own madness.
I had sex with Barbatos frequently. Despite that, we did not share our feelings. I understood her deeply, but I was unable to fathom the very bottom. Barbatos was merely a diligent bitch, an insensitive bitch, and an insane bitch. And even to Barbatos, I was merely a lazy bastard, a keen bastard, and a psychotic bastard. Our preferences in bed matched. Since an insane bitch and a psychotic bastard had met, then they should be able to get along fine for the moment.
—Please spare us.
—If not this humble one, then at least this one’s daughter.
—I will work as a hound for the rest of my life, so please forgive me.
Even to the group of humans captured as prisoners before us, Barbatos smiled. She had prepared for war since before the start of autumn. Since people were wagers in war, Barbatos had many reasons to be cruel. Only the prisoners did not know of the upcoming war. To them, Barbatos’ smile only shone as unprovoked violence.
“Do whatever you guys want. Why are you asking me about your life and death? If you’re going to live then live, if you’re going to die then die.”
“Mm.”
I nodded. The language spoken by the humans and the language spoken by Barbatos were different, so I had to stand as an intermediate to interpret. The only person proficient at the human language while also being a Demon Lord was myself.
“She says to die obediently.”
The prisoners all lowered their heads to the ground at once.
—Because we are foolish, it is difficult to understand.
—Please decide what we must do.
“Oi, would you look at that?”
Barbatos snickered. The demon soldiers around her laughed as well.
“Dantalian. What are they babbling about?”
“They said your words are too damn vague, and want you to break it down for them so they can understand easier.”
“Iyaa, what an abundance of bullshit. If they live then that’s their life, and if they croak then that’s their death. Why should I care?”
I nodded my head.
I then translated her words exactly to the prisoners.
“This lady here said that you guys are quite full of shit.”
—Oh lord, forgive us!
—Please spare us from your anger!
The prisoners sobbed and the demons laughed once more. The weeping from the humans settled down low and fluttered, while the sound of laughter from the demons echoed upwards and dispersed. The sound of sobbing and laughter was boisterous, causing the pronunciation of words to be difficult and tremble. Words were enveloped by laughter and eaten away by laughter. Since it was difficult to handle the words on my own, I did what I could as it came and improvised.
If Barbatos asked.
“Is the provisioning situation in the empire decent?”
I would translate it as.
“She asked what you guys ate on average for all of your mugs to look so dirty like bums.”
And to the question.
“I heard that in your neighborhood the crown prince and the 3rd imperial princess are having a big fight over who’ll be the next emperor. Does their lively confrontation have any effect on you citizens?”
I translated it as.
“They say the crown prince, after having scored two of his little sisters and then killing them off, is now trying to score his third little sister. What do you all think about this?”
Despite that, there were no problems in regard to communication.
It wasn’t a joke.
In the first place, Barbatos was planning to execute all of the prisoners anyway. She was merely poking at the captives here and there half as a jest. It would be more honest to tell them to hastily prepare for their demise than providing them a false hope.
If you completely got rid of the laughter and sobbing that was like grime attached to the words.
—Die.
—We wish to live.
—Die anyway.
—We wish to live anyway.
Would remain cleanly.
It’s so simple.
Occasionally, while pretending to be interpreting, I would throw completely random questions.
“What is your name?”
“Do you have any last words you wish to leave behind?”
“Prepare yourselves for death.”
Then, the peasants, having realized their approaching demise, wept.
Shortly after, Barbatos grew bored and severed the lives of the prisoners. The decapitated heads fell to the floor and rolled in separate directions. All of the heads had their mouths hanging agape with a certain word still lingering on their lips.
—……
—……
I stared at the wide open mouths. It was simply dark. I was unable to see the bottom past the throat.
Past the tongue, a path to hell lay in wait…… was the thought that crossed my mind.
Barbatos had said that in order to go to war while avoiding the path to hell, one must treat the lives of others like a wager. However, be it Demon Lords, emperors, demons, or humans, everyone lived their lives while having swallowed hell down past their tongues. The important matter wasn’t avoiding hell or not…… was another thought that came to mind. The only thing that mattered was that, if there were people who threw up hell from their mouths, then there were people who held hell within their stomachs and endured it.
“Dantalian. Has the amount of humans we’ve killed reached roughly over a thousand now?”
“Who knows. Since this is the 22nd fire-fallow cultivating village we’ve burnt, it should be around there.”
Barbatos looked up into empty space.
She muttered.
“Then we’re still lacking…… Let’s burn a bit more. If we hold back in our slaughter here, then many of us will die instead.”
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 03/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-03-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Synopsis.txt
|
Will the humans collapse,
Will the demons be exterminated,
—Or will everyone fall into ruin?
「Kill them all.」
The plague is spreading.
The humans claim the demons caused the epidemic.
The demons claim the humans caused the epidemic.
—Misunderstanding, scorn, and hatred become a bacteria more atrocious than the Black Death, instantly consuming the entire continent in flames.
As a calamity called a devastating war.
Here, a single man pours poison into the world.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_01_01.txt
|
Chapter 1: Darkness
I do not have a religion.
My father scoffed at religion. He has always been a man who would scoff at things frequently.
To my father, religion was opium for the weak and, by extension, a factory that created weak people. My father wanted his household to be a hunting ground that raised the strong. Even a gap where opium could be planted was not allowed in his household.
My father had once sat at the dining table and said this:
“The trend of religion has passed. To be a little more exact, even now, the trend is in the middle of withering away.”
It was obvious what my father wanted from his children. He wanted us to grow up into beasts that could rip through anything. Religion was the easiest livestock to rip the flesh off of. My father’s scoffing was easily passed down onto us.
At that time, besides us, our mothers were also seated at the dining room table, but there was one among them who was religious. From what I can remember, she was from a family that had very strict religious traditions. Nevertheless, I have never seen her give a retort to my father’s jeers.
She would simply pray by herself for 5 seconds before every meal. By doing so, she would narrowly overlook the various responses. My father would end up smiling bitterly before saying,
‘Well. It can’t be helped.’
At those times, his tone would nearly sound as if he were simply allowing his silly lover to have her few seconds of freedom.
She behaved like a heretic with deep sins. She didn’t raise her voice when memorizing scriptures, nor did she meet up with other believers in private. No, she didn’t even preach to her own child about religious doctrines. A silent tribute before a meal. 5 seconds. It felt as if that was all there was to her faith.
The time I witnessed the sight of her praying was almost close to a coincidence. Looking back at it now, I’m uncertain whether that was actually a prayer or not. Every once in a while, trivially peculiar things happen to me. During those times, I have trivially peculiar thoughts. This story is like that as well.
I had shut myself in the study on that day. I had done so because the mothers were occupying the living room and having a large quarrel. They were so loud that the sound of the argument between mothers had even seeped through the door crevice of the study.
— This is my home. My and that person’s home. How dare you uneducated people thoughtlessly set foot······.
— If someone here is going to leave, then it should be you! It’s all your fault after all. Last time and this time as well, all of it······.
— Please, if we think before we speak, then······.
Arguments like this occurred at the drop of a hat.
There was nothing significant about it. No matter how loud their dispute on whether I’m the whore or she’s the whore got, the mothers were consistent when it came to turning a blind eye to what was actually the most important conclusion, in other words, the fact that it was my father who was the worst motherfucker in the universe. At the very least, it was like that when they fought among themselves. In this house, as my father was like an inviolable existence, to them, everyone excluding themselves was a whore.
In that moment, someone had run into the study. It was her. She must have been struck by someone as her lips were bleeding. Soon after, something bewildering occurred. The moment she and I made eye contact, she burst into tears.
I calmly comforted her and stroked her shoulder. I wonder how much time passed. She grasped my hand and wept.
“Forgive your mothers. Forgive your father. Forgive us. Every day, aah. Truly, I repent my sins every day······ Truly······.”
It felt as if I had been slapped since my head went blank.
She continued to mutter while keeping her head lowered.
“Please forgive us. As I shall repent my sins, please take pity on the sins which I could not repent. Please forgive us······.”
The person who she was pleading for forgiveness from was most likely not me. She wasn’t crying to me, but to her God after all.
At a glance, it felt as if she had succeeded. As her cries traveled an incredible distance when she wept, it almost sounded as if it were not here.
How desperate her voice was. It was to an extent that it nearly fooled even me. If she had not shed her tears on me, if her tears had not stained my clothes, then there was a chance that I might have actually believed that God had heard her cries.
At the very most, the only place where her tears could drench was my clothes. The only place that would willingly be drenched by her tears was also my clothes. I then understood that this was the problem of everything.
I comforted her for a long time before sending her back out of the study. I sat down on a chair and fell into deep thought. Who could forgive that person’s sins?
She had cried to God. Or maybe she had cried towards her entire life. However, as I am not a God, it was not her entire life even more. No matter who it was. What can anyone do for her? Who can declare the innocence of a human?
The place outside of the door was still dreary with the sound of fighting.
— Last time as well, because we had done everything the way you wanted······.
— No, it’s because you were so needlessly persistent······.
— Please, if you’re going to fight, then do it outside······.
I picked up the book that I was reading earlier.
The words were not registering in my eyes. Only sound. As it was the sound of fighting that had started before I was born and will be the sound of fighting that will continue even after my father’s death, this continued to echo in my head.
Even the cry that had been burying itself into my clothes a second ago was mixed in over there. The sound of crying and the sound of voices feasted upon each other and disgorged one another. I felt dizzy. There were only a few words that reached my ear and could be heard distinctly.
All your.
No, you.
Please.
That was it.
The musical melody of Beethoven, which I had turned on, was flowing through the study. ‘From darkness to light’, this was supposedly a quote from Beethoven. I did not know how many gaps I had to cross, nor did I know how many the gaps had to be in order for my life to become a single melody.
This was what I was simply unaware of.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 10 Polles, Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance
“Sinner Dantalian, listen.”
My trial was carried out in a simple fashion. It happened late in the night.
Once the afternoon sun shone down on the season where the spring rain had just ended, the world became humid. That humidity continued on even into the evening. As I was still seated inside of the prison, I received the steam that was wandering somewhere between the late spring and early summer with my bare skin.
According to the judge,
“A few days ago, you had basked in the glory of being selected as the representative to give the speech of the Crescent Alliance to announce the start of war. You, however, had dared to nominate the lowly blood of a human and, as a result, you had disgraced your blood allies. Although you are the representative of all of demonkind, since the one you had chosen to act in your place was a human, at the very least, you have thrown away your obligations, and at most, you have sullied the customs of demonkind. Your sin is tremendous.”
is what I had done.
I don’t know if my sin is tremendous or not, but the only thought that was going through my head was that the camp was tremendously noisy even during the night. The purge was currently in a present progressive form. Although the Demon Lords who were revealed as traitors were all beheaded, there were still soldiers who were loyal to those decapitated heads, so a slaughter of the highest acclaim was occurring at the bottom of the hill.
— ······.
Farnese was still performing there. The performance that had started late in the evening did not stop even when a quarter of a day had passed. It happened late in the night. In the center of where soldiers were killing soldiers and soldiers were being killed by soldiers, Farnese’s fingers flew across the piano keys as she relied on the torches that were lighting various areas of the camp.
The witches were convoying my trial from a distance and muttering to each other.
“Seriously, if she’s going to keep that up, then how long does Miss General intend to perform—?”
“I don’t know. A lot of stuff must have piled up in her mind as she lived her life. If she can release her large amount of stress by doing that, then it’d be a relief.”
“Do you think I asked that question because I didn’t knooow that? I asked that because her song is shady. From a good perspective, it’s a song overflowing with madness, and from a bad perspective, it’s just a crazy song. Either way, it doesn’t change the fact that our general is a slightly crazy bitch.”
“You’re hearing it like that because your knowledge of art is exceedingly lacking. Even if the things you’re lacking in isn’t just one or two things, among those things, you’re overwhelmingly lacking in your knowledge of art. Similar to how only humans appear in the eyes of humans, only crazy bitches appear in the eyes of crazy bitches, so the phenomenon where General Farnese appears like a crazy bitch to you just proves the fact that you’re a crazy bitch. Wow. I was really fucking logical just now.”
“Aha. Do you want to be fucking logically beat up?”
“If you want to prove me wrong, then try composing a decent song yourself.”
“Aaall right. I’ll start composing right away. You provoked me. For starters, once you play my song, then thooose corpses that died over there will spring up and start dancing, and even Master Dantalian’s penis will stand up and dance fancifully. Just you wait······.”
“······.”
I wonder if it’s because the witches were rattling on endlessly. The judge’s expression changed into a frown. Similarly, the demon soldiers the judge had brought also had quite the bad complexion. The witches were no different to outcasts. It must be unpleasant. Although it should be my role as their master to stop them, who cares? I left them alone.
Because the girl who came here as the judge was a bit annoying.
“Haa.”
In the end, the judge stopped reading out my sentencing and let out a sigh.
“······Heey. It’d be nice if you listened to me a bit seriously. This isn’t someone else’s sentencing but yours, Skinnybones. No matter how much this may be just for the sake of formality, goofing off so blatantly like that is going too far, isn’t it?”
The judge was none other than Demon Lord Sitri.
Paimon’s close aide, the girl who had at one point tried to poison me to death was reading my crime to me. Sitri’s expression would become vague when she rebuked me for my wrongdoing, but it felt like that was because she herself knew that she had nothing to be ashamed about. If that weren’t the case? Then she’s a fucking bastard.
The problem was the issue regarding whether Sitri was a fucking bastard or a fucking bitch.
“I have no idea what you may be talking about, Your Honor. I am already focused. In truth, I am so focused that it almost feels as if I cannot be any more focused than this. I am so concentrated that if I were to be any more concentrated than this, then, on the contrary, I would no longer be able to concentrate.”
“Yeah, so that’s why you’re fervently staring at my crotch even now?”
“It is a territory that deserves to be academically researched.”
“You mean a territory that deserves to be pervertedly indulged in, you pervert.”
Rank 12th, Demon Lord Sitri was a hermaphrodite. This meant that she possessed both a pΟnis and vΟgina at the same time, but a king can’t possibly utter such vulgar words like simultaneous possessor of a pΟnis and a vΟgina, so I am making do by elegantly referring to her as a hermaphrodite. I am a gentleman who knows courtesy after all.
“How is it like, Your Highness Sitri? Is there a difference between the pleasure you bask in when using your male genitalia and the bliss you experience when using your female genitalia? Although I have heard many times before that the pleasure which the female genitalia experience is much greater than its male counterpart, there is not much to that statement if I am not provided proof. There is a possibility that the type of sexual pleasure itself is different. Since the sensation of being rammed and doing the ramming are completely different, the very act of ruthlessly lumping those two together and calling it sexual pleasure may possibly be mistaken. If that is the case, then it would be an issue of preference. Your Highness Sitri. Your Respectable Honor. It may be presumptuous of me to ask, but between being rammed and doing the ramming, which act is more to your taste, Your Honor?”
“Yup, you pervert. You’re already perverted and not only are you perverted to the point that it feels as if you cannot be any more perverted than this, you’re so perverted that if you somehow do become more perverted than this, then at that point, you’d have already stopped being a pervert and have become something else.”
This was a ridiculous slander. Honestly speaking, I was slightly shocked. Even if this woman———this man———no, this woman, no this man, in short, this person who could either be a fucking bitch or a fucking bastard, this Demon Lord who I have yet to determine if they’re a fucking bastard or a fucking bitch so, in short, I’ll refer to them as Schrodinger’s fuck———even if she was simply reading straight from the untampered manuscript which was written by both Barbatos and Paimon, if you consider her statement just now, it was dubious as to whether she was actually maintaining neutrality as the judge or not. To be honest, it was also doubtful as to whether there were enough brain cells stored inside that skull or not. However, this might be a bit of a rude suspicion to have. Whenever I find myself in a situation where it is difficult to tell whether the opposition in front of me has brain cells or not, I was on the side of believing that they did. I am still a gentleman who knows courtesy after all······.
“That is certainly true. Our Master Dantalian is indeed a perverted pervert.”
“Yup. Our master and the word pervert are so closely connected to one another, that it’s quite difficult to claim that he isn’t a pervert. Not only is it incredibly difficult to do, but if you deny the fact that our master is a pervert, then it’d feel like you’re denying our master’s very being. In other words, this means that Master Dantalian’s very essence is perverted. Ah. I was really fucking logical just now.”
“How strange. It seems logic has changed without my knowledge.”
“By the way, what are you scribbling on that parchment? How dare you do something else even though we’re discussing the fact that our master is a pervert.”
“I’m writing a song. What’s so new about the fact that Master Dantalian is a pervert that you girls need to babble about it? If anything, you all might as well babble about the fact that the sun will also rise in the morning tomorrow and also set at night tomorrow since that will at least bestow upon all of your lacking sense of culture a smidgeon of new knowledge. More importantly, in order to prove my knowledge of art, I’m in the middle of composing an amazing song, a song that humanity has never heard of thus far and never will in the future.”
“I wonder about that. From what I can tell, I feel like your statement just now is actually the bullshit that humanity has never heard of thus far and never will in the future······.”
“Now that I think about it, I heard a rumor that Master Dantalian slept with General Farnese.”
“What?”
“What was that?”
“What did you say?”
“What do re mi did you say?”
“Beautiful. A magnificent chorus. Good. If we add our ensemble to the general’s performance, then it’ll make it even better. It’s only right for crazy bitches to sing for a song played by a crazy bitch. Sing, you bitches. Dance, you bitches. Let us hold our own Walpurgis Night by ourselves.”
“What did you say la ti fa mi re dooo—?”
“Damn it, that’s a bit too much. You went too far. The chorus ended up coming to a halt as soon as it had begun because of some psychotic bitch. This is why singing with crazy bitches is quite the difficult task. They’re quite the crazy bitches after all.”
“Wait a second. If that rumor is true, then why doesn’t Master even look our way even though he’s slept with the general? Though I shouldn’t be the one to talk, from our and the general’s appearances, our ages don’t look that far apart, right? To be honest, we’re pretty much the same. We’re similarly young. Why am I hearing this rumor about our master sleeping with General Farnese for the first time?”
“That can be answered with a very simple response. Because it’s a rumor that I made up just now.”
“This fucking bitch?”
“So what were we talking about?”
“We were talking about Master Dantalian being a pervert.”
“We were talking about how Master Dantalian slept with the general just now.”
“Dear Lord. Is that true? Really, Master. You can’t live like such a pervert. A person should live with some courtesy.”
“······.”
And my witches were fellows who had shoved something like courtesy into a food waste disposal bin. These damned girls.
“These sluts who wouldn’t even be satisfying to chew to death———.”
Rustle.
It was at the instant that the commander whom Sitri had brought pulled out his sword.
The witches who were chatting and cackling among themselves raised their staffs and aimed them at the throats of the soldiers. It was night. Shadows that were clearly not cast by the night wrapped around the necks of the soldiers like octopus tentacles. They wickedly flicked around as if they could lick the necks of the soldiers and deprive them of their lives at any moment.
“······.”
The commander gulped. In the distance, although the slaughter under the pretext of purging was still noisy and the song that Farnese was performing was also prominent, this place, because this hill where my prison cell was located was like the eye of the storm placed at the very center of all the clamor, the sound of someone gulping was bleak.
“Yeah?”
“Well?”
“What?”
The witches tilted their heads. The angle and speed with which the witches had tilted their heads were identical. While obliquely tilting their heads at the same speed and angle, the witches smiled gaily.
“Is it your first time seeing crazy bitches?”
“······, ······.”
“Mm. Sir. You. Mister. I don’t think this is our first meeting. I remember seeing your face somewhere. Where was it? Ahahah. Where did I witness this punk’s faaace?”
Aha, the witch then uttered.
“Yotvingian Plains. The assembly area of the Crescent Alliaaance.”
“······.”
“That’s right. That’s when I saw you. That’s when you showed your face, while moving those trivial eyes. While wagging that dirty mouth. Yup. I saw you then. What did you prattle on about at that tiiime? My dear comrades, my beloved ladies. Do you remember—?”
“I remember.”
“I remember.”
“I remember well.”
“His Highness Dantalian was leading the troops and passing through the humble encampment, but they obstructed our path. They threw snowballs at us. It was piles of snow that were smeared in mud. We had no other choice but to protect His Highness with our lowly bodies. We didn’t even hope that someone would wipe our bodies, but His Highness personally wiped our clothes clean.”
The witches giggled in a low tone. Their laughter easily seeped into the low air of the night sky. The laughter flowing from the witches was uniquely light. I believed that that was the case because they had thrown away their lives somewhere. As their proof for having thrown it away somewhere, the witches cackled as they pulled up something that had happened a fair while ago.
— For Your Honor’s mistress to be an outcast, general to be a human, and royal bodyguards to be witches, Your Honor’s good faith impales the sky. Indeed, it’s befitting of the King of Peasants.
— You must be very fortunate to be so popular with women, Your Honor! Please teach the people how to bed lowly harlots and spread the information throughout the world.
— Does Your Honor plan to cut us lowly subjects down? That’s fine. Since Your Honor had stabbed the throat of His Highness Andromalius in order to save the life of a succubus whore, then killing dozens or hundreds of us lowly subjects for the sake of those witches should also be possible, right?
— Please step over our corpses with Your Honor’s grace.
Although it was something that had happened a fairly long time ago, the witches remembered it well as it was not something that had occurred quite a long time ago.
Each witch took a role and they recited to each other the lines which the soldiers had uttered on that day. As they continued to recite the lines, the shadows that were digging into the necks of the soldiers dug in further. The sound of gulping resonated here and there.
“Master?”
“Our master.”
“These fellows took out their swords first so how should they be tortured?”
I nodded.
“How unsightly. But how can they be used if they are killed just because they are unsightly?”
“Then what should be done?”
“Kill only one.”
Blood scattered.
“······.”
“······.”
It happened late in the night.
The front of the spring rain had battered the Habsburg Empire and it wasn’t until three or four days ago that the rain had departed a bit towards the south. The rain clouds had sprayed an abundant supply of water on the ground, allusively proving its legacy. On the horizon of the Bruno Plains, only the puddles of water heading south were infinite. When the numerous torches spread throughout the encampment shines on those surfaces of water, it becomes beautiful as the puddles become radiant.
At the bottom of the hill, in that nirvana that was half-water and half-dirt, unknown soldiers were shouting fiercely. Although I could not see the soldiers, the torches displayed their shadows and those shadows shouted with their black maws.
— Kill the traitors!
The legs of the shadows were buried up to their calves in each pool of muddy water. Within the vicinity of their buried calves, as one might suspect, the mouth of some unknown corpse was submerged. The mouths could not possibly drink all of the muddy water. Be that as it may, they could not disgorge the water either.
They were merely submerged underneath the surface of the water.
They merely sank as if they were in a swamp.
Muddy water entered the opened mouths of the corpses and the surface levels of the pools shrunk according to the extent of those mouths. It felt as if that was the corpses’ way of digging their own graves. It was a gravesite all around.
— ······.
In the center of the land that was filled with graves in every direction, Farnese continued to perform her song. The night sky overshadowed the world, making it seem as if everything was wrapped in black vinyl. On that surface, Farnese’s performance became gloss and simmered. In each spot that the starlight shone down upon, the girl’s performance crawled up like a snake’s tongue and licked the lower parts of the starlight.
Thus, as the spewed up clamorous cries from the shadows formed a low key and Farnese’s escalating sound formed a major key, the already dead corpses occasionally sunk down to the bottom as silence, resulting in music resonating throughout the land that was filled with graves.
— Kill them!
The shadows shouted. Or perhaps, their mouths did.
— ······.
Farnese performed. Or perhaps, her fingers did.
— Slaughter them······.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_01_02.txt
|
Chapter 1: Darkness
Perhaps the eyes being black with rage would be preferable. While the corpses were stepped on along with the mud and the mud rotted away along with the corpses, eyes that were useless no matter what they looked at, maws that could not be quenched no matter what they drank, and fingers that did not particularly matter regardless of what they pointed at. As they pointed at those unpardonable traitors.
The sound itself was shouting.
As a result of using Farnese as my proxy to spread poison throughout the world, they were shouting while gaping their mouths wide open and the corpses passed away with their maws stuck in the ground. As the torches illuminated brightly due to that sound, clamor, and silence———when they become a single shadow and swell———ah, at that time, my life knew nearly no bounds.
All of that was the state of enlightenment which I had brought about during the single week I was in prison.
Victory was nice.
Furthermore, it was occasionally beautiful.
“That,”
After breaking the long silence, Sitri spoke.
“was a subordinate I cherished quite a bit.”
“Is that so? This is unfortunate.”
I turned my head with difficulty after staring at that nirvana for a while. Turning my head was quite the strenuous task. If I had gazed at it any longer, then I might have completely forgotten the fact that I was still imprisoned.
“They had died because they ended up serving a bad lord after all.”
“······.”
The thing which I gazed at instead of the nirvana was a Demon Lord’s feverless face.
Sitri, the Demon Lord of the Mountain Faction who was much superior to me in terms of position as she was ranked 12th, was staring blankly at me. Her eyes were telling me that she wished for nothing more than to be able to twist the neck of the cocky male who was sitting before her. She was so fearsome that I almost involuntarily apologized to her. I am serious. If she had glared at me a bit more seriously, then I might have even forgotten the fact that she had once tried to poison me to death.
······It is always another person’s rage that drags someone who is trying to slightly prolong their stay in nirvana back to reality.
I slowly opened my mouth.
“I am aware as to why Your Honor of all people has come here after having been assigned the duty as a judge. Yes, I know. Her Excellency Barbatos and Her Highness Paimon are most likely currently at their busiest. The two of them most likely wish for me to be trialed in a way where I had not been confined for even a single day.”
“······.”
“My imprisonment is evidence of their dispute. As long as the Plains Faction and the Mountain Faction are now allied, there is a need for the vestiges of my imprisonment to quickly be erased. The current Crescent Alliance is in quite the precarious situation after all······. No, shall I be a bit more honest?”
I chuckled slightly.
“This is not the only time it has been like this, the Crescent Alliance has always been in the state of being on the edge. Instead of being sacred, the Crescent Alliance has been barbaric, and instead of being blood allies through the meaning of shedding blood and tears while fighting together in order to face a common enemy, it is blood allies through the meaning of making your own allies shed some blood.”
“You.”
“Am I being too crude? Have I gone too far? I apologize. Nevertheless, Your Excellency Sitri, it is already a Crescent Alliance where 7 traitors were brought to light. From the start, half of the Demon Lords did not even participate in the Crescent Alliance. They have positioned themselves way back in the rear and the sole thing they are praying for is our failure. This one is asking this out of pure curiosity, but is now the right time to be heavily discussing sanctity and celestialness?”
The Demon Lord Allied Forces as of late have become weaker than ever. Demon Lord Belial died after having his face peeled off by Elizabeth, the Imperial Princess. Several Demon Lords whom I have never met before have either died in battle or were chased out of their castles. Adding to that, although there being traitors was a given, it turned out to be 7 Demon Lords.
The sacrifice was immense. The human alliance before us was in good condition. The area behind our backs was swarming with traitors, no, traitors to our kind. On that list of traitors to our kind, there was even the Rank 1st Demon Lord, Baal. Special countermeasures were necessary.
“We must group together more firmly than ever before. Until we have tortured the swines that are living idly in the backline, the plains and the mountain ranges are a single world. We must make haste and withdraw to the inner parts of the mountains, but there is no operation more difficult than withdrawing while already being torn to tatters. Even if the two parties have wronged each other, they must forgive one another. Only then can trust finally be established.”
“So? What are you trying to tell me?”
“It is simple, Your Highness.”
I spoke.
“If you had made an attempt at a whimsical ally’s life by poisoning them, then what I am trying to say is that you must start off by lowering your head and giving an apology. How could you be discussing this one’s sins with such a brazen look on your royal countenance?”
Sitri shut her mouth.
A long period of time passed before she opened her smooth lips.
“I do?”
“Yes.”
“To you, Skinnybones?”
“Yes.”
“I’m the Demon Lord of the 12th rank and second-in-command of the Mountain Faction. I have exclusive possession of Big Sis Paimon’s affection.”
“I am aware.”
I know that you are fanatical about Paimon.
“You’re nothing more than rank 71st, and not only have you made a half-breed your fiancée, but you made a human your acting general. If I were to punish you the usual way, then you would have died twice over. You want me to apologize despite that?”
“Apologize despite that.”
I spoke.
“Similar to the time in the past when Her Highness Paimon wept as she apologized in the council chamber of Niflheim despite being the head of the greatest faction in the demon continent.”
“······.”
“Or is Your Excellency’s head heavier than Her Highness Paimon’s?”
The silence continued.
Blood flowed on the ground where the torch was illuminating. The neck of the beheaded corpse was completely gone as if it had simply been deleted, making it appear as if it were never there to begin with. As the blood flowed and soaked Sitri’s feet, it went by the way of her toes and flowed between the bars before pushing its way to where I was seated and pooled underneath me. I was asking her if she was prepared to stand in the same pool of blood as me.
“Skinnybones.”
“Yes?”
“You look quite smart so you should know already by now. I don’t particularly think what I did to you was bad. I don’t feel sorry either.”
“I am aware.”
“The Mountain Faction and the Plains Faction will most likely have to start cooperating from now on. At that time, you’ll become quite important. You’re Barbatos’ sex friend and someone Big Sis Paimon reveres after all. Regardless, my instincts are telling me something. Skinnybones, you, no matter where or how I look at you, you’re nothing more than a slaughterer who’s simply mad for authority. It’s to the point that I don’t want to know why Big Sis Paimon regards you highly.”
My word. A slaughterer?
I laughed. I did so louder than earlier. It wasn’t just me. The witches around me had started to giggle as well. Although we all had different throats, the laughter that came out from them easily mixed together. When the laughter blended together, the shadows shone by the torches also danced promiscuously. Sitri was vacantly staring at the sight of us having intercourse with our voices and shadows.
“······.”
“This is, well. Ehem. That is quite. Dear me. It is rather difficult to assure you that I am not that sort of personage. O Your Respectable Honor. I had heard from the rumors that you are an individual who is interested in nothing but martial arts, but it appears you have outstanding observation skills as well.”
“Yup. I know a lot of the things that you don’t know.”
Sitri spoke.
“Even if I apologize to you, I can’t do it sincerely. No, I won’t apologize sincerely. Ever. Do you want to receive my apology despite that?”
“Pardon? I apologize, but I have absolutely no interest in Your Excellency’s sincerity. Did Your Excellency perhaps think that if you apologized sincerely that I would sincerely forgive you? Oh dear.”
The witches laughed.
“Your Excellency. Please think about it cordially. If Your Highness sincerely apologizes to this one, then would this one not have to also sincerely forgive Your Highness? How troublesome is that? I am already suffering due to the threats on my life, but do I now have to even pretend to be sincere? If we warmly apologize and forgive one another, then would the world become beautiful? That beautiful world would be for Your Highness, but would it be for me?”
“······.”
“That is not the type of apology which I am requesting. I am ashamed to say this, but I do not have even the slightest intention to sincerely forgive Your Highness. Whether there is sincerity in the apology or not, that does not change the fact that Your Highness had made an attempt at my life.”
“Then?”
“Get on your knees.”
Kneel.
“Lower your head.”
Bow.
“Utter the words of apology. Endure the ridicule and bear with the indignity. Accept defeat as defeat. Promise me that Your Highness will no longer attack me for a preposterous reason ever again.”
Apologize, endure, bear, accept, and promise.
“And in return.”
In return———.
“Despite being aware of the fact that Your Highness is not being sincere, I will forgive Your Highness.”
“······.”
I will forgive you.
You who had casually tried to kill me.
“I shall believe Your Highness’ promise. Of course, my wariness will not disappear, but why would that matter? Promises are bound to last long if they are bound together with sound suspicion rather than groundless trust.”
Traditionally, this much must be done in order for one to utter ‘Ah, I did well winning’ and beautifully bask in the victory.
How humiliating it is when you have to apologize no matter what even though you do not mean it.
Furthermore, how delightful it is to watch the humiliation of a failure.
As that is what apologies essentially are, it had to be like that. It was only appropriate for the one who is being forgiven to be disgraced and the one who is doing the forgiving to be jovial.
Regardless of whether they knew that or not, the witches held their sides with laughter after hearing my words.
“Yup, Master is······ Master really is, yup······.”
“Crazy”
“Insane.”
“Mental.”
“Overall, he’s our master.”
“He’s crazy and crazy that he’s crazy for three generations and thirty-three generations.”
“How lovely. How adorable. How pretty. With what confidence is His Greater Being so cute? It feels like even if he licks, covets, rams, or violates, he’ll be declared innocent if he goes to trial. Yup. I was perfectly logical just now.”
“You’re a perverted bitch who’s logical.”
“I acknowledge the verdict.”
“But it can’t be helped since he’s a eunuch.”
“Yeah, since he’s a eunuch with single-minded devotion to his attendant, Miss Lazuli.”
“———Finally finiiiiiiiiiiished!”
“Butt?”
“You bitch?”
“Damn it, I can’t win with shiritori[1]. They’re crazy bitches after all.”
“In any case, that was a surprise.”
“What have you been scribbling on that parchment since earlier? Do you even know how important the conversation we’re having right now is? For you to be doing something else even though we’re discussing something this important, I can’t believe it.”
“I was composing a song? I had just now finished writing a masterpiece of the century? I had finished my preparation of making everyone piss themseeelves? Is there a problem? In any case, how important of a conversation was it that you’re acting like that?”
“I don’t know. What were we in the middle of talking about?”
“We were talking about our master being insane.”
“We were talking about our master being a eunuch.”
“Haa? What’s so new about the fact that our master is insane and also a eunuch that you girls are not only babbling about it as if it were important, but also as if it were a situation that could be corrected or changed? More importantly, everyone, I have finally finished the masterpiece that will prove my knowledge of art. Ahaha. If you listen to this and aren’t moved, then not only does that mean you are all lacking in culture, but it may also possibly prove that you all lack a brain. In that regard, you all must naturally listen to my song and be moved. Since no one has ever proved the existence of your brains until now, today, on this day, I shall prove the fact that a brain does indeed exist in your skulls———.”
“No.”
Once that was said, the witches went quiet.
It wasn’t a witch who had said no. It was Sitri.
Sitri stared straight at me and said it again.
“No.”
“······.”
“As I thought, I can’t apologize to you. I can’t. Before quibbling over whether I can or not, yup, I don’t want to. I don’t want to apologize and I don’t want to express my remorse. Why should I?”
Sitri tilted her head slightly and smiled. Her grinning face looked so pure that it felt as if she were innocent since birth.
“Really, why should I? Accept defeat as defeat? Heeh. Skinnybones, you were only locked up for about a week, but have you already gone insane? I have never lost to you, Skinnybones.”
“······.”
“Yeah. I tried to assassinate you. Big Sis Paimon has an unusual interest in you for some reason. But it’s because of that very reason that I had tried to kill you. Me, big sis’ close aide. In any case, even if she has some interest in you———.”
Sitri tilted her head a bit more.
“In the end, the one who is precious to big sis isn’t you but me. If the moment where big sis has to choose either you or me arrives, then she’ll choose me, not you.”
Surely.
She was not a bastard who lived without thinking nor was she a bitch who lived without thinking.
“Ah, you over there.”
“Eh?”
Before the short exchange could even fully happen, Sitri swung her blade and slashed one of the witches’ shoulders. Blood erupted. A cry erupted.
Srrrrck.
The blade part of Sitri’s weapon shrank down all on its own. It was a blade that could freely contract and extend. In my life before this, before I was brought to this world, I had seen that blade through my computer monitor.
The Connecting Blade. Rank 12th, Demon Lord Sitri’s favorite sword.
Sitri beamed at the witch.
“Hehe. You shouldn’t do that. You shouldn’t record this. What? Did you plan to record everything and hand the recording over to Big Sis Paimon, like you did before?”
Thud.
Sitri approached the collapsed witch. The witch was flailing about on the ground and continuously groaning in pain. Sitri put her hand inside the witch’s clothes, and shortly after, she pulled out an artifact that resembled a pocket watch.
“Uh, huuk······! Kuh, eh······, ······uu, huuh······.”
“Reeaally, for you to use something like memoria magic without permission. You can’t do that. Dantalian, your witches have really bad habits. Is it perhaps because they weren’t educated properly when they were young?”
A blue flame burned. It happened within Sitri’s palm. Once the pocket watch was engulfed in the flame, it burned easily. Without even leaving behind a metallic stain, the artifact had crumbled into small particles of ash and floated into the night sky.
“I won’t kill her. It seems my subordinates were rude during a previous occasion after all. Okay. Can we call it even by saying that, by not having killed this witch just now, I had apologized for what I had done previously?”
“······.”
“Skinnybones?”
This woman.
Is declaring war against me.
“Are you truly sorry?”
The torches shined and revealed half of Sitri’s body. Once the torches became shrouded, half of Sitri’s body was buried in darkness. I am uncertain as to whether she was like that since birth or not, the color of Sitri’s hair half resembled fire and half resembled water. Her eyes were also captured half in light and half in darkness. My current appearance is most likely reflecting like that to Sitri as well. I assumed that.
While assuming,
— It will not be easy.
I looked back at the conversation that I once had with Lapis in the past. It was back during the time when I thought that I would have to assassinate Paimon if need be. On that night where we had held a ballot on the Crescent Alliance expedition and led it to its approval, Lapis called Paimon ‘that person’ and warned me.
— Sitri is always by that person’s side.
— Sitri?
— The Rank 12th Demon Lord. If one were to rank them by personal strength, then Rank 2nd Agares is at the highest, Rank 8th Barbatos is second, and after that is Sitri at third. Since she follows that person like an elder sister and does not leave their side for even a moment, it will be difficult for an assassin to get through.
Is that so.
Is she a rabid dog that is always beaming like an idiot but bares her teeth solely for Paimon?
My instincts were noisily raising an alarm in my head. I thought while putting away the alarm. ······As the head of the Mountain Faction, Paimon led the greatest faction in the demon continent for no less than 400 years. She raised the demon continent on the outside, while, in the background, she secretly established the Republic of Batavia at some out-of-the-way shoreline on the continent ruled by the humans. People have to use their own brain a fair amount even when just trying to maintain two households, but how extremely difficult must it be for a monarch to manage two nations? I am speaking from the heart, but while Demon Lord Paimon’s popularity was virtuous, she had somewhat insufficient resources.
······A different person filled that lack of resources and assisted her. Paimon did not inform me that she had some other chancellor like that. The fact that she did not tell me despite it being something that did not need to be hidden, meant that even Paimon did not know she had a chancellor like that.
I carefully examined the woman before me.
It was this bastard.
It was this person, this person whom I didn’t know whether to call them this bastard or this bitch, that was secretly assisting Paimon.
Similar to how I indulged in disguising myself as a crazed debauchee by making Lapis my lover and pretended to be the world’s stupidest man by making Farnese my acting general.
This fellow, Demon Lord Sitri, voluntarily became a hermaphrodite and habitually committed all sorts of perverted eccentricities.
“······Hmm?”
In order to plant a prejudice against herself into the people whom she meets and make them disregard her.
“Ehehe. Don’t glare at me like that so much, Skinnybones. I said I was sorry, all right? I apologized saying that I was sorry. Honestly, you plotted together with Barbatos and started this war, right? You did all sorts of terrible things! A lot of it!”
The Mountain Faction’s shade.
If Paimon was simply a woman who was trying to spread out the sunlight, then this rabid dog in front of me was a girl who only acted in the shade.
“At the lowest, the number of soldiers who had died because of you is in the thousands. Wow, just saying thousands is really······ on the other hand, I just simply tried to poison you alone. And yet, I’m saying sorry to you right now. I feel really conscientious. You’ll forgive me, right?”
I answered.
“······I shall forgive you.”
“Yup, good. We’ve reconciled now, all right?”
“Yes.”
Nonsense.
“Good. You forgave and I was forgiven. One person was hurt and one person was killed. Although it feels slightly unfavorable for me, well, since Skinnybones is the rather inexperienced protege, I have no other choice but to overlook it as your senior. Hehe. Then let’s continue the trial.”
Sitri took out the piece of parchment that had my sentencing written on it. While she was clearing her throat and getting ready to read, the witches were patching up their injured comrade. Sitri soon began to speak.
“Sinner Dantalian, listen.”
“······.”
“A few days ago, you had basked in the glory of being selected as the representative to give the speech of the Crescent Alliance to announce the start of war······ ah, I’m going to read from the beginning, okay? What am I supposed to do when I forgot where I had left off because some cheeky bitches interrupted me? That’s okay, right, Skinnyhead whom some cheeky bitches call master?”
“Of course.”
I vow. I shall make you kneel down to me.
“Okay. ······You, however, had dared to nominate the lowly blood of a human and, as a result, you had disgraced your blood allies. Although you are the representative of all of demonkind, since the one you had chosen to act in your place was a human, at the very least, you have thrown away your obligations, and at most, you have sullied the customs of demonkind. Your sin is tremendous.”
I shall make you bow.
“Sinner Dantalian, heed my words once more. The court has closely inspected your past, therefore, it has become clear that you had only committed your crime due to your own foolishness and not because you had borne any ill will towards the Crescent Alliance. Although you may have made a dirty member of humankind into your acting general, the person in question has massacred a countless number of her own kind.”
I shall make you apologize.
“The way of the world asks you whose blood has been passed down to you. However, the customs of the battlefield ask you who you had shed your blood for. Thus, even if the blood one was born with is different in the Crescent Alliance, we are blood allies because that blood flows towards the same place. As your humble-blooded subordinate,
after having inherited the blood of that lowly race,
has served us by adding another vein to our blood allies, is that not also praiseworthy?”
You will have to endure indignity.
“The people of the past once said that dispensing justice and achieving victory cannot be one and the same. However, the council has judged that this is a battlefield. How could one possibly differentiate justice and victory as separate entities in a battlefield? Achieving victory in a war is always as valuable as justice. That is the custom of the battlefield. It would only be appropriate if the broadness of the nature of your crime is counterbalanced by the steepness of your meritorious service in war. That too is the law of the battlefield.”
You will also have to bear with the humiliation.
“When one must first consider the urgency of the battlefield before the way of the world, that is called mercy. If one must rely on mercy while granting amnesty to a sinner, that is solely done in the hopes that the criminal possesses loyalty. Even if your sins are pardoned, from this point forth, you must be cautious as to not disgrace this mercy and betray our faith.”
You will be unable to endure before you are able to endure at last, and you will have to cope with something that cannot be coped with.
“You must continue to achieve victory and be the one to prove righteousness. You must bear in mind the reason why we are granting you mercy and why we have boundless faith in you.”
Because you will fail irreparably.
“As the defendant has committed their crime in the battlefield, they deserve to be judged according to the customs of the battlefield. Dantalian, as the commanders leading the Crescent Alliance, we, Barbatos of Immortality and Paimon of Benevolence, have hereby made their verdict and it shall be conveyed to you through this Sitri of Devotion.”
Look forward to it, Sitri. I promise you.
“———You are declared not guilty.”
I shall teach you what an apology is.
······Creak.
Sitri opened the iron door of the prison with a key. The witches approached and wiped my body with the towels they had prepared beforehand. Every nook and cranny. As the girls clothed me in my garments, I stayed silent as they cleaned and clothed me like that. Once I was fully in my attire, I put the straw which I had lived together with for the past week behind me and stepped forward.
It was night.
Because the spring rain had left after having disposed of a lot of water, the world was glimmering with moisture during the night. As what was connecting this side with that side was first darkness and moisture second, it was the torches trembling due to the moisture that came third. Breathing lives and dead lives were emitting steam in the area beyond the shaking torchlight, and Farnese was performing above everything as if she were dancing. On this night where the season solely spread a foul stench, I was discharged.
Sitri grinned.
“Congrats on being discharged.”
I bowed.
“Your grace is immeasurable.”
“Yup. You should know that it’s immeasurable. You go overboard because you don’t know your limit, so if you want to suppress that, you have to be aware of the fact that there is a boundless net spread out above your head. Don’t try to tear it. It won’t tear. It’s a net that has been casted over the history of the Crescent Alliance for 500 years. Don’t raise your head too much. You’ll get caught if you do.”
“······.”
Sitri was pleasantly talking in an affectionate tone. She was smiling in a way that wasn’t excessive or lacking. Similar to how a farmer has no need to swing their plow excessively while cultivating, or how a fisherman has no need to use less strength while gathering, Sitri was not excessive or lacking when pressing her foot down on the thing that was trying to oppose her. It felt as if to Sitri, this was as natural as farmwork was for a farmer.
“Yes, Your Excellency. I will bear that in mind.”
“Ehehe.”
It was at that moment. Sitri reached her hand out and pulled me by my necktie. While forcefully raising my head which I had meekly lowered, Sitri brought her face close to my own. Right in front of my nose. It was a friable distance where I could feel the opposition’s breath around the rim of my eyes.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_01_03.txt
|
Chapter 1: Darkness
Sitri quietly whispered in the general area of my eyes.
“———If you act up again, then I’ll make you bite the dust without leaving a single trace, all right, Skinnybones?”
And I, believed that I could vividly see the halves of flames burning in her pupils.
▯King’s Beloved Slave, Berbere Witch Sisters, Captain of the Royal Guard, Humbaba Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 10 Polles, Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance
Sheesh, hey. Sheesh. I thought I was going to kick the bucket.
As I thought, the aura of high-ranking Demon Lords is something else. Seriously, their aura.
Despite my looks, you know? As I lived my life, you know? I’m a girl who’s experienced every fucking thing that can be described as fucked and what happened just a second ago was really fucked. I believed that the O Goddess of All had personally created this single enunciation and presented it to us lowly people exactly for situations like this.
Shit.
“······.”
Master Dantalian was still deep in thought. Even though a fair amount of time had already passed since Sitri had left and it was nearing midnight. If our master goes quiet then we also have to be quiet.
Lord and vassal of one mind. As his loyal subjects, we can’t possibly dare to interrupt our master’s thinking.
“How difficult. It is abstruse. We must withdraw to the demon continent as soon as possible, but when there is someone among our allies who is still trying to interfere······.”
That was the only thing our master had muttered, and, without saying anything else, he continued to think in silence. He was definitely plotting an immensely profound scheme that the likes of us couldn’t possibly imagine since the contents of our brains were lacking. Yup. I know. I am well aware.
The problem iiisss, this is damn boooring.
“······.”
“······.”
A dark night.
Only the torches which the guards had set up and abandoned were leisurely burning to nothing. Tic, tic, the sound of sparks flying······.
I could see the lips of my dear fellow witches twitching and wriggling, making it obvious that they wanted to utter nonsense, overflow with bullshit, and make the world vastly tremble both high and low. Aah, fatigue is a scaaary thing. It has a side that is more terrifying than torture. Torture and fatigue even have sides that are parallel to some extent.
The fact they have no end.
The fact they have no bounds.
Ah, truly, the fact that they have no end or bounds.
It’s okay. I’m, confident in enduring torture. That’s why I’m so good at even playing with boredom.
I reminisce the past whenever this happens. Me, you know, despite how I look, you know, I’ve experienced a lot of fucked up things as I lived. Since there is no end or bounds when it comes to fuckery, it’s the perfect thing to dwell on when bored.
If there’s only mud no matter where you place your foot and if there’s only muddy water no matter where you shove your mouth, then that means that people have no other choice but to live after having thrown away a certain amount of their lives somewhere······there was a senior witch who had once said this while smiling sweetly.
That senior had said that and was burned to death in a plaza.
If we’re lowly beings no matter where we go and if we’re lowly beings no matter where we head, then let’s just become the lowest of beasts and gather all of the gold in the world······there was a witch who was the same age as me that had said this while cackling.
That witch had said that and died after having all of her limbs torn off in a marketplace.
Aah. I can hear it vividly even nooow.
— Burn all of the witches!
— Those bitches have brought upon us a year of famine! Those, those scoundrels······!
Sheesh, hey. Sheesh. I thought I was going to kick the bucket.
When I looked around, the other girls were also sullenly lowering their heads.
This is why silence isn’t good.
We are allegedly similar to already broken spring watches. If our surroundings are noisy, then we’ll bury ourselves inside that clamor and rewind the remainder of our lives with our hour hands, but if they’re silent, the meaning of our lives will become nothing more than a ticking racket.
Ah.
I want to do drugs······.
Yeah. I’ll probably feel better if I smoke······.
However, since my mind will become sticky like a swamp again if I do drugs, I’ll probably end up needlessly spitting out all sorts of words. It’s obvious. It was an obvious life. If I do that, then I’ll end up interrupting Master Dantalian’s train of thought. I don’t want that. It was a life I didn’t like.
It’s night.
The torchlight is bright.
Tic, tic, the sound of sparks being spat out was distinct.
Even the sound of someone killing someone somewhere could be heard rather distinctly. Although there was no particular need to listen carefully to that sound, I naturally ended up listening carefully to it since no one else was making a sound.
Fire. Noise.
Stake.
— Kill them······.
— Burn them!
— Those guys······.
Ah.
Mm.
Hey, hey you there.
There’s something I’ve been curious about. It’s something I’ve been really, immensely curious about.
Have we sinned to such a deep exteeent?
I know. Yup. I am well aware. You’ll get hungry if there’s a year of famine. Everything in front of you goes in circles if you get hungry. While everything is going in circles, if there are scoundrels you can throw rocks at and no one will condemn you for it, then, of course, you’d want to throw some rocks. It’s human nature.
Whenever a drought or a plague sweeps through the world, the kind known as witches have always been beings that allowed themselves to be stoned a bit and lacerated a bit in the stead of sovereigns at the price of offering their souls to a Demon Lord. If anything, allowing ourselves to be hit by the people who want to throw some stones is the task we have been given and vocation we have been bestowed.
The problem iiisss, it damn huuurts.
— Kill the traitors!
— All of······.
— ······.
Yes.
I wanted to live long.
I admit it.
As it so happens, I was talented with magic?
I was also a girl who was at a good age to be used as a sacrifice?
Aha.
If eternal life is assured as long as His Majesty Demon Lord doesn’t die, then I obviously had zero reasons to not form a contract, right? I had dashed to His Highness Marbas who, in the past, had once ruled my homeland and formed a contract with all I had. Well, he’s probably forgotten about someone like me by now.
Have we sinned to such a deep extent?
If we had sinned, then it was probably the sin of trying to live a bit longer, but if that’s a sin, are all of the people who’re living their lives while panting innocent? All right. Let’s say that I’m a crazy bitch. What’s the relation between a year of famine and me being a crazy bitch? How is me being a crazy bitch related to you guys suffering from a contagious disease and dying in some corner? Fuck.
Shit.
“······.”
That fire.
That tic, tic sound from the fire is the problem.
Why do people always try to burn people who they don’t want to see? That’s really a problem.
Do I, does she, do we have to actually say that it hurts when we are burned in order for us to prove that we are also the same living and breathing beings as you? Do we have to confirm our lives with our pain?
— You are a bunch who should not have been born into this world.
— Is there truly no feeling of sorriness for the lives of others in your minds?
Paimon.
Aah, what benevolent words.
Her Highness. Indeeed. We also think that we are a race that should have not been born into this world. Sheesh, hey. Sheesh. Even if we scream out that we are in pain, it must be quite comfy for you, since to you, we are a completely different kind. Those words are correct. What does it matter?
Truly, who will 相關[2] with us?
Drugs are good.
Drugs, are physical things that block mental things.
I smoked when I wanted to smoke and made money. I killed when I wanted to kill people and earned money. Let’s pass this life smoking and killing, let us girls, who no one will associate with, gather together and play. If no one will associate with us, that means that we don’t have a world to associate with either. If that is the case, then we just have to go wherever our bodies lead us and die with a bang······there was a witch who had said this while giggling.
It was me.
I’m still alive after having said that.
— I will give you the remaining half once the task is completely over.
Ah.
Really. Ehem. That’s really.
For someone like a Demon Lord to cheaply mess around with money······ Ehei, ei. You shouldn’t do that. How can someone called the Demon Lord of Benevolence be such a cheapskate? If someone behaves that cheaply, then even the likes of us won’t stay still.
— Dantalian had personally wiped the dirt off of you all earlier today, and yet, you all had betrayed that Dantalian. Do I have even the slightest reason to place my trust in you?
Mm.
Weeell.
Hm.
Ahahah?
That’s right.
There’s no doubt.
Her Highness is right.
It’s okay, it’s okay. There’s absolutely! No problem at all. If a person has betrayed another, then it’s only natural that they should be betrayed in return. That’s the moral principles of the world······! The moral principles of all creation······! As expected of a Demon Lord who rules over everything in the world, their words are mysterious and marvelous······. Ahah! Even if the likes of us are peasants who live huddled up in the shade of some alleyway······ since we go around calling ourselves witches, since we are eternal subjects to Their Majesties Demon Lords who are the lords of all of demonkind······ how could we possibly disobey the voice of a king, how······?
Why?
Why don’t they save us?
“······.”
“······.”
No.
Wait.
I mean······ mm, no. I don’t like this feeling. When I looked around, the other girls were also bunching up their shoulders. This is why silence isn’t good. Furthermore, the environment wasn’t good.
Darkness. Fire.
The sound of fire.
The sound of slaughter and death.
This isn’t good.
Objectively.
It’s already been several hundred years, so I don’t remember that well, but despite my looks, you know, I was once a talented individual who was living a promising life as an up-and-coming mage. It’s necessary for mages to have the refinement to look at themselves objectively. I have a damn good memory as well.
From an objective point of view.
Witch Humbaba, as a witch who has lived for over 300 years, if a normal person could live for 300 years, then they would have increased their knowledge by reading books and would most likely be a prominent scholar or something even more by now, but, ah, surprisingly, this bitch had put all of the time she was given into sexual relations and drugs.
All right.
It worked well.
This, it’s uncertain whether it’s because of this bitch’s innate indecisiveness or because of her acquired drug addiction, but if there’s one thing that’s certain, then———my dear fellow witches———this woman called Humbaba has proved how far a person can fall into being trash and, at the same time, has also proved the fact that a brain doesn’t particularly exist that much in her own skull. Isn’t that impressive?! Ladies, please consider the fact that it’s quite difficult for a person to prove even a single truth in their lifetime. Humbaba has really made a tremendous achievement!
Objectively.
Even if you look at it objectively, my life is.
“······.”
Honestly.
Ladies, I honestly think that mankind should someday applaud this insane witch. Ah, this girl’s life is like getting two birds with one stone where she achieves a gwan bak[3] in a pi bak[3]. You ladies are also well aware, right? Because you ladies as well, although it may not be to the same extent as this witch, are also bitches who have beautifully accepted your lives in the trash like this witch has, right? The reason why the old saying ‘birds of a feather flock together’ isn’t wrong———.
Even if you look at it objectively, my life is fucked up.
······.
It’s hot.
Fuck.
······.
It’s probably this way because it hasn’t been long since the spring rain had ended. The moisture is really at the level of being steam, sheesh, hey. Sheesh.
Shit.
······.
Swamp.
The world is sticky like a damn swamp.
What my senior had said was right. There’s only mud no matter where you place your foot and there’s only muddy water no matter where you shove your mouth. I had thrown my life away there. Yup. So what?
······.
Who.
Who will save us here?
Those people, they aren’t torturing us because they’re especially bad scum······ I know. I am well aware. But they still set us ablaze. They burned us well. That’s quite the problem. The fact that the people who burned us aren’t especially bad scum······.
The fact that there is no end······.
The fact that there is no bounds······.
Ah, truly, the fact that there is no end or bounds······.
······.
Shit.
······.
············.
························.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_01_04.txt
|
Chapter 1: Darkness
Ah
It seems, I dozed off a bit.
When I looked around, the other witches were also twisting their bodies. Seeing how the night was still dark, it seems that time hadn’t flowed by that much. But why was I······ is the thought that went through my head before I turned my head to see Master Dantalian still deep in thought without moving even an inch.
Ah, that’s right.
I can’t interfere with our master’s contemplating.
Wow.
Even I have to admit that there’s no loyal subject as impressive as us. My word. That’s why, even though it feels like not that much time had passed, it means that I managed to resist my urge to do drugs for that long. I admit it. Since I’ve managed to hold myself back this much, wouldn’t Master tolerantly forgive me even if I started smoking right now? Yup······ I’m certain. Because.
— I heard that you girls betrayed me. Why did you do it?
Because Master is a loose individual.
Because, the reason why, is because we were starving for gold. Master. Because we got greedy.
The more gold you have, the better. They say that the people who don’t have to worry about the safety of tomorrow will not be avaricious, but since us humble witches are not in a position where we can rest easy over tomorrow, we are always greedy. That is the livelihood of the people who live in an alleyway while poorly lowering themselves. How could hoping for tomorrow be excessive avarice? Are the likes of us, in truth, living undeserved lives, or is life itself something that the likes of us don’t deserve in the first place? Is it excessive greed for the likes of us to want to live?
— Oh, these imbeciles.
— Since you all have gone against the military order, you must pay the penalty. Bring a cutting board. I will cut a single finger from all of you.
Master.
Our master.
— Since your lifespans are long, you will one day meet your life-long partner. Even if that life-long partner were to confess their love and propose to you, you now no longer have the finger to put a ring on. You are forever crippled. Repent in dust and ashes for the foolishness of not having cherished a bond and having hastily betrayed it. You will understand this feeling when you meet the one you love.
Ah.
Mm.
·········.
If no one will associate with us anyway, then we too will have no world to associate with, so we can throw the world away with ease, but now my fellow witches are tilting their heads at the world they had already half-abandoned.
There, is nothing but Hell if you go there······I could not tell them this.
If we’re lowly beings no matter where we go and where we head, then we should just become the lowest of beasts. However, because there is someone who has made us a part of their family, my comrades are letting go of their gold pouches one by one.
Girls, are you okay with letting go of even those? Really? Do you have the confidence to cross the world, without even those······I could not worry about them like this.
Because I was already in this state and shape.
I couldn’t possibly tell them. Worry about them.
———Swamp.
The world is sticky like a damn swamp,
and my ankles are still sticky because of the swamp.
I want to get out of this, but it’s not that easy. Even if I freed myself, what the world would be like after my freedom, what it could become, and who it could become, I didn’t know these things. I don’t know.
This was what I simply didn’t know.
“Humbaba.”
“······.”
“Humbaba.”
“······.”
“Hey. Captain of the Royal Guard. Oh, what is this? Look here. I am calling out to you, but why are you not answering? Hey. You damned girl. Humbaba.”
Plop.
“······Acho?”
My head felt something weird. It seems that something which wasn’t particularly solid or particularly squishy had hit the back of my head. When I looked to confirm what it was, it turned out to be a person’s eyeball.
“Hoi?”
Well, that’s if you can call the single eyeball that had come out of a head all on its own and had strongly exerted its presence a person’s eyeball.
What is this supposed to be?
I couldn’t possibly imagine how uglier it could be if this disgustingly dirty-looking thing was inside the mug of a living person. I’m deducing that this is probably the eye of an exceedingly noisy bastard. I don’t know why he died, but I’m definitely certain that he kicked the bucket because he deserved to die.
“Oi, look here.”
“Ah. Yes, Master?”
Before I knew it, I had answered instinctively.
Once I turned my gaze, I saw that our master was rolling a clot of blood in his left hand. If I lowered my gaze a sliiight bit, I could see some guy’s decapitated corpse lying dead on the ground and if you examined him a bit more carefully, then, if you excluded his lack of a neck, he was mostly normal-looking except for a single thing. The only notable thing about him was the fact that he was missing a single eye on his face.
Dear God.
“······Master. Dooon’t tell me, did you pluck an eyeball from a corpse and throw it at me just so you could wake me up a second ago?”
“I did not pluck it. It came out of the corpse on its own, girl. Are you trying to draw me out into being some mental patient?”
“In any case, that still means you did actually throw that eyeball. Dear God. Dear Lord. Even if you list every item that could be used to wake someone up and spread them out before you, I don’t think a person’s eyeball would be a part of that list, and yet, of all things, that was what Master had thrown. In short, it means that Master is an individual who has diverged greatly from the realm of common sense.”
Ah.
I’m talking to someone.
I feel happy.
“Furthermore, this one refers to people who have diverged greatly from the realm of common sense as perverts. In that regard, tadaah, it has become proven that Master is a pervert. Ahahah. Didn’t this one end the demonstration quite spectacularly?”
“”Huwaa······ what?”
“What do you mean what?”
“It seems our master has finally finished thinking, yeah?”
“It seems our master has finally been proven to be a pervert, yeah?”
“Instead of saying that it was finally proven, I feel like you should say that it was proven once more. One plus one equals two, but people don’t say that they’ve finally proved it when they do that equation. In short, it means that within the world of truth, one plus one equals two is an equation that has been worn out so much that it’s like a whore. Similarly, in our physical world, our master’s perverseness is nearly on the level of a whore, and could possibly be a proposition that is even more worn out than that. Wow. I was perfectly logical just now.”
“What? Master’s whoreness has finally been proven?”
“The fact that it’s difficult to discuss the truth with these fellows isn’t even remotely surprising. They’re crazy bitches after all.”
The other witches started to chatter away as well. Ah, it can’t be helped, these girls have a terminal illness where they’ll die if they don’t rattle on after all.
Our master let out a big sigh.
“Humbaba. It seems I will have to live a bit more busily from now on. I shall alleviate my busyness somewhat by utilizing you girls, so heed my command.”
Master’s order.
I had to smile as prettily as I could.
“Yes, Master. Please command uuss.”
“At the least, you have lived for several decades, and at the most, you have wasted your time for 300 years. You should have made quite the name for yourselves even among your fellow witches and you should also have rather heavy personal connections.”
“Yes, that is the case?”
“Send a familiar to every witch that you know.”
Our master spoke.
“I shall make a home for you all.”
“······.”
“I do not have the time to handle every little thing that either Elizabeth or Sitri does. I intend to deal with everything all at once. I plan to drop all of that into a pot as we withdraw into the mountains. At that time, I intend to use you girls with care, and in return, I shall promise you all a home.”
“······.”
“So busy. Things will become quite hectic.”
Master started to mutter to himself as if he had fallen into thought once more.
“For starters, I will have to go and secure the mind of that daughter of mine over there who is pounding away at those keys. It is my damned fate. I will persuade Barbatos and Paimon while I am on the way······ I see this will be a battle of speed. We will have to earnestly push ahead. Although there is the issue of how we are going to pack up the supplies. Ehem, that will work out somehow······.”
Plop.
Master threw the last remaining eye of the beheaded corpse and it landed in a puddle of mud. The mud that had scattered into the night air was illuminated by the burning torches for a moment. If seeing things is the duty of an eye, then that is probably something raw that has not fulfilled its duties. The eyeball let out an audible sound as it rolled through the pool of mud before coming to a halt.
Forever.
“Humbaba.”
“Yes, Master?”
“I heard that in order to become a witch, one must form a contract with a Demon Lord. Which Demon Lord did you form a contract with?”
“Uh······. It was Demon Lord Marbas. A noble personage. Albeit this one had formed the contract around 300 years ago and was already liberated 200 years ago.”
“Liberated?”
“Yes. That, uhm······. The Black Death has been going around since last year, right? That wasn’t the only time something like that had happened. Massive plagues and years of famine occasionally happen, and every time they do, regardless of their race, all of demonkind get really damn upset. Despite that, things like this are natural disasters. Since nothing could be done.”
They made it so that something could be done.
By creating a sacrificial sheep, they turn them into the very first person to have brought the plague from the outside and spread it. They are also turned into the heretics who had committed an impious crime towards the Gods and brought a drought to the land.
That is the origin of witches.
Originally, it was the Greater Beings, in other words, the Demon Lords who would have to take the role as ‘the ones responsible’.
But that is impossible.
Demon Lords are sacred and inviolable representatives that symbolize absolute dignity. In other words, lords that command all of demonkind. The various plagues and years of famine that happen down on the earth are unrelated to the lords. If there’s someone in the wrong, then it’s most likely someone else, and if there is no one else, then, well, just make one.
Condemned, slandered, tortured, and a double helping of torture.
In order to pacify the people who had died during an epidemic and the people who had fallen during a year of famine. Peasants that were contracted for the sole purpose of being tortured. That’s what we witches are. We also think that we’re quite the amazing political tools.
Someone has to take responsibility anyway.
Someone does.
Imagine the town square being serene like any other day even though your old mother had passed away due to the plague. You’d be angry. That’s why, when the state of affairs is chaotic, there has to always be at least one witch tied up in a town square for a territory to be somewhat managed properly.
The demon society is superior thanks to this. This fact is clear if you look at how the debased humans have had to change their society constantly, while us demons had no need to flip our society over for the past millennia. We may be peasants, you know, in spite of our appearances, you know, we’re peasants who serve the lords of demonkind. Even if we’re similarly peasants, it’ll hurt our pride a bit if you compare us to half-breeds.
Ahaha.
I do admit it’s a bit fucked up.
“Yes. Liberated. When we form a contract with a Demon Lord, we normally do so after setting a contract period. This one had acted as a sacrifice for 150 years before I was liberated and allowed to live however I pleased afterward. Aha, since the rest of this one’s life was assured after having been tortured for barely more than 100 years, this one······believes, it······was a profit.”
I closed my mouth.
Since Master’s eyes weren’t really smiling.
I slowly opened my mouth while thinking about what I should say.
“······It’s the same for everyone else, you know?”
Master’s eyes still weren’t smiling.
Was that the wrong answer?
“It’s the low and humble task that we had carried out because we had chosen to do so, you know?”
Wrong answer.
“150 years is actually appropriate. Because there are Demon Lords who hit witches and witches who hit Demon Lords, 150 years is appropriate and it seems everyone has also accepted this. You see Euryale over there? She’s the worst of the worst. She had formed a contract that lasted for 220 years.”
Wrong answer.
“Doesn’t the way of the world all roughly go by like that?”
Wrong answer.
Wrong answer.
Wrong answer.
“······.”
A stillness fell over us.
Our master looked around carefully. Witches who were inherently part of the Berbere Witch Sisters. New witches who had joined us last winter. Adding them all up, a total of forty-one witches were gazing blankly at our master.
Forty-one.
Forty-one vestiges of plagues and years of famine.
Forty-one curses.
“······.”
Master Dantalian looked at me.
With his eyes that remained black even when illuminated by the light.
“I shall gift to you, my witches, a domain.”
“······.”
“Will you follow me?”
I believed that I overheard eternity from that sound.
▯King’s Beloved Sword, Human, Laura De Farnese Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 10 Polles, Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance
— ······.
This young lady had no way of knowing when her performance had begun.
However, there was one thing that was certain. Sweat. Sweat was flowing down the nape of this young lady’s neck. The sweat was prominently distinct.
When sweat trickled down the nape of this young lady’s neck, it was like the flickering of a snake’s tongue. It left its mark as it lengthily flowed down, and as it lengthened, it extended time. It was a time that extended from the nape of this young lady’s neck and down to her back. Instead of flowing in time, the drops of sweat felt as if they were gathering up time on this young lady’s body as they attempted to crawl through the world and pierce through it.
This young lady was performing. After the drops of sweat had flowed down, it was then and only then that time seeped into the long line mark which they had left behind. This young lady’s time branched into many different paths and gathered at the small of this young lady’s back.
This young lady pressed down on the piano keys.
— ······!
An electric shock occurred. This young lady was soaked. Electricity easily surged through the small of this young lady’s back as it was drenched in sweat. As the drops of sweat pooled and everything spread as electricity flowed through the place where time was staggering along, it felt as if this young lady was living a life solely through electricity.
This young lady pressed down on the piano keys once more.
— ······!
This young lady’s heart pounded. Thump, the sound of heartbeats resonated more dully than this young lady’s dull ears. What is this? What could this be? How cute it is······. This young lady pressed down on the keys again. Thump······. A pulse spread throughout this young lady’s time. As this young lady felt as if she were living her life while the pulse was spreading, this young lady felt as if her life was simply a life that lived through the sound of heartbeats.
Solely like electricity.
Simply the sound of heartbeats.
— ······, ······!
— ······! ···, ······!
Screams kept erupting around me.
However, were those really screams? Could they not have been shouts of excitement? As this young lady was infected by excitement as those people continued to scream, those were undoubtedly shouts of excitement and not merely screams. So shout more. Scream louder. Although this young lady had no way of knowing when her performance had begun, this young lady will perform while always swallowing your screams with a snake’s maw.
Always.
Give this young lady time. This young lady will willingly be shocked.
Give this young lady life. This young lady will gladly shed blood.
And············.
And······.
And.
Step.
And, this young lady heard the sound of footsteps. Perhaps this young lady had felt it instead of having heard it. This young lady was uncertain as to which it was. Similar to how even if you close your eyes you can still distinctly feel when a finger is approaching your eye due to an electrical current-like sensation, this young lady felt as if the footsteps were heartbeats. Because the sound of footsteps was headed towards this young lady.
The footsteps approached. Step······. As it quietly approached, the sound of footsteps left ripples on the surface of the melody that this young lady had spread out. The sound of footsteps was directed straight at this young lady. Who was it? Someone is coming to this young lady. Who could they be to be approaching this young lady? Do they know where this is? Are they coming here while aware of who this young lady is?
This young lady, this young lady had dug into books to such an extent because she wanted to accept all of the sounds that approached her. This young lady hoped that among the things she had accepted there would be someone’s voice. However, as the sound of footsteps was not the language of Sardinia, the language of Habsburg, the language of Francia, the language of Anatolia, the language of Castile, the language of Brittany, the language of Batavia, the language of Tueton, the language of Bernicia, the language of Moscow, or the language of Kalmar, it felt as if this young lady, who was well-versed in every language, could not master the sound of footsteps.
The sound of footsteps did not have their own nationality and it felt as if there were no borders which they could not cross. How could one possibly put a border on the sound of someone approaching another? How······?
Step.
They are approaching again. They are approaching one step at a time. Each time the footsteps approached, this young lady intuitively felt that her song was ending. The sound of footsteps pulled the melody like a net to this young lady’s ankles and drew near. The world shrunk each time that approached. Ah. Another step.
Behind this young lady’s back.
Directly behind her.
After stroking the back of this young lady’s neck.
“Farnese.”
A breath touched this young lady’s ear.
“It is time for you to wake up from your performance.”
And this young lady opened her eyes.
It was then that this young lady realized that she had been closing her eyes.
“······.”
Once this young lady raised her head and looked around, the very first thing to pierce this young lady’s eyes was the light. It was only after that did the shade of the night sweep over. That is so. It was late in the night. Was this not strange? This young lady had started her performance only a short while ago and the sky at that time was definitely a mixture of both red and blue and not a dark gray.
“It seems you have been enjoying yourself quite a lot.”
The sound of laughter came from behind. This young lady turned around. His Lordship was standing there.
“Milord.”
“What is it?”
“······What time is it?”
“It is just past midnight.”
The noise that was occurring around this young lady gradually became clear. Demons were being decapitated here and there. It was the scene of a purge. Barbatos and Paimon were seated on judgment seats like a pair of judges, and each time a verdict fell, the neck of a criminal would fall as well. This young lady’s surroundings were unfamiliar to her, making it feel as if she were a foreigner who had suddenly been placed in an unfamiliar place of exile.
“Milord.”
This young lady felt relaxed each time she uttered this word. It was a comfortable enunciation. Although this young lady did not know what the current time was and where she was at, regardless of the time and where this was, the eyes that were gazing at this young lady were His Lordship’s eyes and the hand that was stroking this young lady’s head was His Lordship’s hand.
The world was originally Hell and as there was no path to disimprisonment from there, this young lady realized that within this world that was Hell, the only place where you could reach disimprisonment for a moment was between people. Ah. Hell was a sea of fire and there was an island between people.
“Milord.”
If this young lady called out to the island like this.
“Yes?”
An echo came back to her.
Aah.
His Lordship was originally a person who had been banished from the world and exiled to an uninhabited island. This young lady had thought that. Once that thought came to mind, that thought felt much too right. If that island was still called 無人[4] even if His Lordship was by himself on that isle, it feels as if the island could still be called a 無人島[4] even if His Lordship and this young lady were both on the island together.
This young lady had obtained a home.
It was this young lady’s first home since she was born.
“······Milord.”
“Are you broken somewhere? Why are you helplessly saying ‘milord, milord’ over and over again? Yes. I am your lord, and you lad, are my acting general. As it is your broken life, it is all my lack of virtue.”
“It would be more right to refer to this young lady as a lass and not a lad.”
“So those are going to be your first words? What a spiteful fellow. It is not even remotely surprising that the first words out of your mouth are not proper words at all.”
This young lady opened her mouth.
“This young lady has completely basked in all of the beauty which she can enjoy in the world just now. Milord. Please take this young lady’s life right now.”
“······.”
“This young lady wishes to be strangled to death by Your Lordship’s hands.”
The smile on His Lordship’s face subsided. His eyes that resembled the night sky were staring intently at this young lady. Due to there being a surface on His Lordship’s pupils, which is something that cannot be found in the night sky, this young lady was being reflected on that black surface. Tears were flowing down this young lady’s face.
Press.
His Lordship pressed his finger between this young lady’s eyes. The area where his finger touched was a bit hot. The heat flowed in an arch as it followed the outline of his finger.
“Farnese.”
“Yes?”
“Are you a corpse or a doll?”
“······.”
That was the curse which the Imperial Princess of the Habsburg Empire had spat at this young lady a few days ago. As this young lady could not answer this question by herself, she had asked His Lordship, however, he too did not answer and gave this young lady a question in return.
His Lordship spoke.
“Are you not a person?”
“······.”
“Do you wish to die?”
This young lady buried her face into His Lordship’s chest.
Heated substances continued to flow.
This young lady was drenched.
“This young lady wants to live······ to live on, Your Lordship. This young lady, wishes to live······. It keeps hurting······ it is this painful, and yet······ why, does this young lady want to continue living······ why······.”
“Yes. I knew that you were dreadful the day I laid my eyes on you for the first time.”
His Lordship stroked this young lady’s head.
This body which the Imperial Princess had cursed.
“Live.”
The Demon Lord baptized this young lady.
“I shall make you live.”
This young lady slowly blacked out as she was buried in His Lordship’s embrace.
And as she blacked out,
this young lady believed that she should continue to live.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_01_05.txt
|
Chapter 1: Darkness
▯Demon Lord of Honor, Rank 5th, Marbas Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 10 Polles, Narew River Valley
It was late in the night.
The Demon Lords were silent. Even when they spoke, the Demon Lords did so while not looking at one another, but by simply staring absent-mindedly at the candlelight placed on the table.
My subordinates wordlessly watched the sight of yellow candle drippings flowing down the side of the candle and landing on the table. Although candle drippings flowing down was a trivial occurrence, as it was an incredibly obvious happening, it felt like no one here could hinder or stop it.
“Your Highness. It appears that the confidential letter was true······.”
A commander spoke up in a low voice. His countenance appeared as if he were ashamed.
It was not just him alone. All of the Demon Lords who were gathered under the flag of the Neutral Faction were pitifully muttering something. As they could not speak their minds to someone else, their mutterings were closer to being monologues.
“I cannot believe it. Did they truly purge 7 Demon Lords?”
“Ehem, Barbatos may be that sort of personage, but for even Paimon to······.”
“What do they intend to do with the troops that were led by the people who were purged?”
A countless number of soldiers were being executed at Bruno Plains.
That was what was written in the confidential letter. Hundreds of our fellow demons were either being hung to death at the gallows or were already dead.
The scenery of execution was especially cruel as the lives of the humble and the lives of the nobles were not distinguished and were instead tied together, this was also mentioned in the confidential letter. It was a letter that was sent by a person whom I had known for a long time, so it was undoubtedly true.
“······.”
Normally, as the leader of a single army, it was my duty to recover the morales of my subordinates. However, it was difficult for even me to escape this silence.
Gusts of wind shook throughout the night sky and let out a bleak sound. As the wind shook, it felt as if the distant foul scent of corpses had been harbored and was being carried over. I simply trembled in anger. All of that foul scent had burst out during my absence.
“What should be done, Your Highness?”
The Demon Lord who had a rough beard and was also the one who had worked together with me in the battlefield spoke in a hoarse voice.
“Barbatos is a violent, closed-minded person. However, when the Crescent Alliance raises its flag with the natural bones of our soldiers, Barbatos is always much more respectable. It was reported that Barbatos and Paimon had joined hands yesterday and punished our fellow Crescent Alliance comrades, but I am certain that they were most likely not comrades, but traitors. If they were traitors, then the reason to rebuke Barbatos would be unmerited. Would it not be wrong to clash arms against our own kind?”
I questioned him.
“What if they were not traitors?”
“······.”
“What if they were traitors? Would that also not be a problem? Would that not mean that starting from Baal, the other Demon Lords in the backline are all traitors of the demon continent?”
“······.”
“If the already dead 7 Demon Lords were not traitors, then we will have to punish Barbatos and Paimon, and if they were traitors, then we will now have to turn our war horses around and punish the Demon Lords in the rear. It would all be the flesh of demonkind even if we cut down what is in front of us and even if we cut down what is behind us. You stated that we should not clash arms against our own kind, but who are the ones who are forcing us to do this? Is it not Barbatos and Paimon?”
“······.”
Bang!
I could not hold back my rage any longer and slammed the table as I stood up.
“Are Barbatos and Paimon sane?! Are they not beheading our comrades because they are sane?!”
The Demon Lords warily glanced at one another. However, there was no one who would answer that question. By avoiding my gaze and not answering my question, they wanted for my wrath to flow by naturally.
They were foolish.
By erasing their gazes and their answers, would that also erase the scenery which had unfolded due to the executions on the other side of the plains? Even if the sun rises today as it had yesterday, would the blood that had already been shed on the earth all evaporate?
“Fine. It is fine now. Order our troops to advance. I shall personally go and reprimand Barbatos and Paimon.”
“Advance······? Your Highness, what do you mean······?”
My subordinates could not hide their anxiety and had started to panic.
“Not even a day has passed······.”
“Your Highness. The Mountain Faction and the Plains Faction are the main forces of our allies. How could we possibly point our spears forward and approach them? Your Highness’ words are distressful. Please consider matters once more.”
“I do not consider the bandits who have beheaded our comrades as allies.”
“Your Highness!”
My men were startled.
Once I stated that I was going to drive into the military headquarters of the Crescent Alliance while accompanied by my troops, the ones who could not answer my questions earlier started to hastily blurt out lines. Although the area was silent as the forest exuded a thick scent of pine, solely the Demon Lords were in a rush.
“The humans are encamped across the Bruno Plains, so we will ultimately face utter defeat if our forces were to fight among themselves now. We have committed a grave crime by losing once during the winter. How will we endure the sin this time? Your Highness, please.”
“As we cannot know why Paimon had punished those seven Demon Lords since we have not carefully listened to her reason, if there were a cause, then should we not hear it first? She is not a lady who would act without reason. Since she has apparently beheaded those people under the pretext that they were traitors, then there must definitely be an incentive. Your Highness, please show some discretion.”
······No, these fellows. Are these fellows afraid?
I turned my head and glanced at the commanders. From what I could tell, it seems they were cowering at the news that the Plains Faction and the Mountain Faction had joined hands.
“Do you intend to disobey?”
I glared at my subordinates. Once they met my gaze, they automatically shut their mouths. Although my subordinates had several mouths, the silence they all emitted had fused together and made the air around us heavier and heavier.
“If need be, we are capable of furthering our connections with the rear, but they cannot. Even if the supply lines are cut, it would be theirs that would be cut first. Even if they intend to withdraw, they will have to do so while shaking off the pursuit of the humans, but do you think we will simply watch over that? This is a military order from the leader of the army. Do as I tell you without question.”
The commanders lowered themselves to the ground. A commander who did not state his official rank remonstrated in a sorrowful voice as he stuck his nose close to the ground.
“Your Highness. At the very least, please allow them to have a single day for a leave of absence. Bestow them a day and allow them to beg for forgiveness and apologize. Even if we must fight when one occurs, we must maintain a mature appearance if we are to be honorable in the future.”
“······.”
A single day of absence.
Truly, even if we grant them a day or two, are they fellows who would wear white mourning gowns and ask for expiation? This was something which I did not ask my men. I was aware that they were not that sort of monarch, and my subordinates were aware of that as well. However, my subordinates were pleading to me with hoarse voices that I should play my part with honor.
Honor towards those who have beheaded one’s comrades, is it······?
I, suddenly felt exhausted and sat back down. Once I covered my eyes with my hand, I felt my thick skin pressing against the palm of my hand. It was my skin that had been swept and had swelled over the ages.
“······I understand. At the least, a single day is most likely what the value of being on the same battleground as them for the past several centuries is. I shall write a separate letter and send it to them. You all may leave and get some rest.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“One day.”
I cut my words short and spat them out.
The commanders froze.
“Once midnight passes tomorrow, we shall immediately round up our war horses and strike them. Bear in mind that although you may rest in your quarters today, it is solely a rest in preparation for the night attack. Inform the soldiers of this as well.”
“As you command.”
The commanders left the tent one by one with their backs lowered. Before long, the only ones to remain in the tent were myself and a couple of servants who assisted this body.
“······.”
Through the cracks between my fingers, I gazed at the entrance of the tent which was shaking due to the wind. A sentry was setting up a torch. The torches sharply surged upwards like a sharpened blade and split the darkness. However, as there was still darkness no matter how much it was severed and cut, in the end, instead of saying that the torch was slicing something, it looked more as if it were endlessly screaming at something.
Aah.
Once I wrote the letter, I spread open the piece of parchment and lamented.
Barbatos. Paimon.
For what actual cause have you done this?
Translator's Notes
[↑] Shiritori is a game where you say a word that begins with the final letter in the word that was said previously. So here it was 완서어어어엉(wanseoeoeoeoeong)->엉덩이(eongdeong-i)->이년이(inyeon-i).
[↑] 相關 – Associate/Relate.
[↑] ‘gwan bak’ and ‘pi bak’ are terms used in a Korean card game called ‘Go-Stop’[Wikipedia]. The move referenced here is a move that x4 your points.
[↑] 無人 - No person. 無人島 - Uninhabited isle.
I’d like to note that those black pages were made like that on purpose. It’s supposed to have 0 spaces and 0 punctuations and the text is supposed to be nearly invisible. It’s exactly like this in the book as well, so translating that section was quite the experience. Good luck trying to piece together the words and sentences. You can try if you want, but you don’t really have to. These pages will come out again later on, but it’ll be more distinct at that time so you can read it properly then. I’ll post a pastebin of it as well when it comes out. I’m not going to provide it now since this is supposed to be a progressive experience. I had to struggle when I first read through it and so do you guys! Share the experience 100%Furthermore, you may have noticed some Chinese letters in places, but the author had also done this on purpose. Most authors usually write the Korean word and then the Chinese characters in parenthesis next to it, but Yoo Heonhwa wrote only the Chinese characters in those parts, hence why I did the same. It’s a stylistic thing.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_02_01.txt
|
Chapter 2: Disimprison
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 11 Polles, Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance
“You know the old saying ‘Know thyself’? Dantalian, I believe that this proverb roughly translates to this.”
Barbatos spoke.
“When you’re screwed, you must quickly realize the fact that you’re screwed.”
I nodded.
“That is correct. What is important is how fast you realize this. However, the issue is, Your Excellency Barbatos, is that in order to know whether you are currently screwed or not, you must have had the experience of it beforehand. If one has not already experienced being screwed, then they will either end up being incapable of realizing that they are in a screwed situation, or even if they do realize it, they will realize a step too late. Therefore, in order to know thyself, you must experience being screwed many times.”
“Hm. If you consider the fact that I’ve experienced an incredible amount of screwed up situations in my life, I can’t really disagree with you there.”
Barbatos nodded.
“Continue.”
“Yes, Your Excellency. In conclusion, the term ‘Know thyself’ roughly translates to ‘Be screwed as many times as possible’. However, what is the reason we are trying to listen to proverbs in the first place? Is it not precisely because we do not wish to be screwed? Not only is the proverb ‘Know thyself’ meaningless, but it also destroys the meaning of existence for proverbs themselves. You could also say that it is the most worthless proverb in the world.”
“Dantalian. You’re reasonably good at sex and your face isn’t that bad either, so you have a lot of talents, but among your many many talents, the talent you’re best at is your technique to disguise bullshit so it doesn’t sound like bullshit. Even if the most nonsensical bullshit in the world were to flow through your tongue, it would sound like rubbish that is somewhat worth listening to, or it might even sound like trash that is really worth listening to. I, Barbatos, Rank 8th Demon Lord and the lord who boasts immortality, acknowledges this fact. Your smooth talking is easily on the level of being extraordinary.”
“I am honored, Your Excellency.”
Paimon, who was quietly listening to our conversation from the side, appeared as if her mind was blanking out. She then muttered.
“······What exactly are you two currently discussing?”
We both turned to look at Paimon.
“Nothing, whore.”
“Nothing, Your Highness.”
We then turned back to each other and continued.
“If you think about it, proverbs aren’t particularly useful. Proverbs are, in other words, pieces of advice that were made to be useful to as many people as possible, right? Then that means tons of people already know about these proverbs, and in the end, proverbs provide us with pieces of advice that you, I, and everyone else already know, so there’s no actual need for these pieces of advice in the first place.”
“Your words are reasonable beyond measure, Your Excellency.”
“Let’s say that I had said that the last thing which you can trust the most is money. If you simply listen to this line, then you’ll probably think that this is a somewhat obvious fact. However, if I were to splendidly write ‘The last thing man can trust the most is money’ and engrave this line into a pillar of a temple, then not only would this strangely sound like it wasn’t obvious, but because it feels obvious at a glance, it’ll instead appear as if it didn’t sound obvious at all. I, Barbatos, Rank 8th Demon Lord and the most distinguished lord in the demon continent, present this opinion. Are proverbs not all like this?”
“Surely. As expected of Your Excellency Barbatos. A wisdom that befits the lord who boasts immortality and is also the most distinguished Demon lord. Lowly foot soldiers would have no other choice but to stand in awe at Your Excellency’s insight. Let me try testing it out as well. You cannot win a war with tired soldiers, more so with hungry soldiers.”
“The enemy of my enemy is my ally.”
“If you think that you are an idiot, then you actually are an idiot.”
“Play. You will have fun.”
“Live. If you really want to live.”
Paimon looked at us with a face that appeared blanker than earlier.
“This lady has no idea what the two of you have been doing since earlier······.”
“Paimon is a whore.”
“This damn bitch······?”
Paimon struck Barbatos’ left cheek. Barbatos kicked Paimon’s right shin. Paimon struck Barbatos once more. Barbatos kicked Paimon once more. The space was then infinite.
10 minutes flowed by.
It was a meaningful 10 minutes.
“In any case, we have to know the fact that we’re screwed.”
Barbatos spoke while massaging her left cheek with some ice.
“That’s all I wanted to say. That we’re screwed. That old and bald-headed Marbas may be mad, but he’s firmly upset right now.”
“That is your problem, Barbatos. The fact that you talk needlessly crudely.”
Paimon wrapped a bandage around her right shin.
“Truly. Do you know how inefficient you are when speaking to people? Every time you utter a word, it becomes a waste of time.”
“Like how you waste your life every time you utter a word, bitch?”
“See? Again with your crude manner of speaking······. When this lady was going out with you in the past, this lady believed that it was because you were still young, that your way of speech had become aggressive because you had gone through a lot of perilous experiences at a young age. Thus, this lady thought that, with great magnanimity, she should be understanding of your behavior. However, seeing as there was no change despite 500 years having passed, it was not your experiences that were the problem, but simply your personality itself that was the issue. Your tongue is unnecessarily promiscuous.”
“Heeh. Like how your crotch is unnecessarily promiscuous?”
Paimon slapped Barbatos’ right cheek. Barbatos kicked Paimon’s left shin. Paimon slapped Barbatos once more. Barbatos kicked Paimon once more. Time was then eternal.
15 minutes flowed by.
It was a beautiful 15 minutes.
“Old man Marbas sent a letter a short while ago.”
Barbatos spoke while rubbing her right cheek with some ice.
“Should I even call it a letter? Plain and simple, it’s an ultimatum.”
“Marbas has always been a bit hard-headed.”
Paimon wrapped a bandage around her left shin.
“Although the things which he thinks are allowed do not always have to be allowed, the things which he has determined to be not allowed are unallowed no matter what. In good terms, he is a principlist.”
“In better terms, he’s a damn aggressive old fossil.”
Paimon nodded.
“And he is a bald old man.”
Barbatos nodded.
“And he’s a bald old man.”
Was that last comment absolutely necessary?
While internally giving all of the bald people in the world my deepest sympathy, I spoke.
“What was written in the ultimatum?”
“Seeing is believing.”
After unnecessarily uttering that line in a cool fashion, Barbatos tossed me the piece of parchment that was rolled up into a scroll. On the piece of parchment, a rage-filled handwriting was grandly strewn about it.
······I have set up camp in the fields and mountains a fair distance away from the battlefield. When you two had sent me to these fields and mountains, we had discussed a stratagem to strike at the enemy supply lines in order to create breathing room for our kind. However, looking at things now, you two had cast me away in order to strangle our kind.
The military order I was given was to smite the enemies. Now that you two have killed our comrades, I shall ask the two of you who my enemies are.
You two, who had unbecomingly argued when discussing the subject of conquering the human armies, became harmonized when slaughtering our own troops. Did you two start this war in order to behead our own kind? I ask you two this, is it the territory of the humans which you two desire or is it the territory of the demons?
Saying that my faction has the most cavalry, you two are the ones who had assigned my troops as the detached force. I now intend to gather this large number of cavalry units together and direct them towards the two of you. Do I have a reason why I should not do so?
Striking you two from behind and straightening the laws of the demon continent is an easy task. However, as we have fought together on the same battlefields for the past several hundred years, I have sent you two this final letter in order to tell you.
Be ashamed of yourselves. Wear the clothes of criminals and crawl your way to these fields and mountains and await your judgment. Answer everything which I have asked. If you two await your judgment and answer my questions, then I shall decide whether to behead you two or not······.
“I see. I understand now.”
I nodded.
“So this is why Your Excellency had mentioned the saying ‘know thyself’.”
“This is why you said that when you’re screwed, you have to realize the fact that you’re screwed.”
“Since we have grasped the situation, let us immediately discuss countermeasures. How does Your Excellency plan to resolve this? I recall that before carrying out the purge, Your Excellency had said that you would handle His Excellency Marbas.”
“Even if you believe that things will work out, not everything will be resolved—.”
“Although I do want to continue listening to Your Excellency impersonate the voice of some middle-aged old man since it is interesting, the situation is a bit too dire for it to be ignored by simply saying a proverb.”
“Fuck.”
Barbatos stuck out her lips and nodded.
“I don’t understand. How did he hear about the purge already? According to my calculations, no matter how fast the news got to him, we should have still had another quarter of a day left before he found out. This means that someone had secretly sent him a letter and told him about it.”
“A secret letter, huh······.”
For an instant, Demon Lord Sitri came to mind. The only reason for this was because I had clashed with her only a short while ago before coming here.
It was just after midnight.
Barbatos and Paimon were seated in chairs that were prepared for them outside. Even now, the subordinates of the traitors were being dragged in front of us before then being executed. From time to time, when the executioners turned to glance at Barbatos and Paimon with a ‘Should we really kill them’ look on their faces, the two Demon Lords would nod lightly. Barbatos and Paimon had nodded their heads several times already since a short while ago, and each time they did, the heads of the subordinates would be sent flying.
One of the subordinates had a frantic look on his face as he stretched his arm out towards us.
“Y-Your Highness! O Greater Being! This one, this one had met Your Highness when he was little! In Niflheim! When Your Highness was carrying out a triumphal celebration———.”
“Yeah, a confidential letter. If one of us didn’t hand over the information beforehand, then there’s no way that old man Marbas could have reacted this soon.”
Barbatos nodded.
There was a death throe and then there was the sound of something falling and rolling on the ground.
I stroked my chin.
“Does Your Excellency have an assumption on who it was?”
“I have noooo idea. In the first place, didn’t we do this purge in order to get rid of those types of bastards? How is it that the instant we wipe them out, there’s already another bastard present to sell us out? Is it perhaps that? Do the other Demon Lords have a hobby of selling people out whenever they’re bored? Is betraying your comrades trending right now?”
“Comrades refers to enemies who have yet to betray you.”
“Ah. That sounds somewhat like an actual proverb. It’s a bit fucked though.”
Haaa, Barbatos let out a sigh.
“Forget it, fuck. Let’s just forget everything. Those human bastards are swarming at the front and those traitors to our kind are flocking at the rear. Furthermore, among those who you think are your comrades-in-arms, there are insects who hastily write secret messages. Makes me wonder why I’m making myself go through this much hardship by going to war······.”
“This lady had told you so back when we were going out. That you should not behave impetuously with everything. You must broaden your mind a bit, Barbatos. The problem is that your mind is unnecessarily stiff.”
“And your problem is that your crotch is unnecessarily loose. Your crotch is so broad that even if all of heaven and earth went in there, it feels like there’d still be enough space for the universe. The foul stench which flows throughout the world every time you spread your legs can probably make those already dead corpses come back to life before twisting their limbs and dying once more.”
“Aha.”
Paimon smiled.
“In other words, you mean those corpses that had died because of the convulsions which had occurred due to having intercourse with your incredibly stiff crotch? This lady heard that the numbers reach approximately seven thousand. They say that the God Hades sends his regards to your crotch annually in order to show his respect, but have you considered visiting the underworld in order to express your gratitude to him? Right this instant, if you must.”
“This whore?”
“What are you going to do about it, you barren girl?”
“Why is it that there’s never a time where our opinions match? Since our opinions are the complete opposite no matter what the topic is, whenever we talk, it feels as if there’s a demon continent inside of us that’s split in half.”
“This lady has to reveal that she too feels the same way. That is why it feels as if the demon continent could live in unity if you were to disappear. However, this lady does not wish to go out of her way to dirty her hands so it would be wonderful if you went to some location unseeable to this lady and died on your own.”
“What’s worse is that our opinions differ even here. I want to just kill you with my own two hands after all. Even if you commit suicide, I’ll be happy if you do so after getting hit by me a bit first, and if you commit suicide before I can even hit you, then I’ll feel so cheated that I’ll just hit your corpse.”
“Boor.”
“Hypocrite.”
“Murderer.”
“Sex maniac.”
“Most rotten thing in the world.”
“And you’re the biggest bitch in the world.”
“Y-Your Hiiiiiiighnessss!”
And then another obscure nobody shouted.
“This humble servant has an old mother and a young daughter waiting for him back home, so this servant cannot possibly die yet. Please show mercy and———.”
“Do you truly wish to live like that? Barbatos?”
Paimon nodded.
There was a death throe, and then there was the sound of something rolling.
A marvelous staccato.
“Can you not live a life that is a bit better? This lady is referring to a more beautiful life. An elegant way of speaking. If you do so, then even your irremediable personality will become slightly beautiful.”
“I wonder. I’m not sure if I’m living like this because I want to live like this, but the fact that I don’t want to live like you, bitch, is clear. Rather than how I want to live my life, not wanting to live like someone else is the staple of leading my life. Especially when I look at you, the thought ‘let’s not live like this bitch’ is so strong that, in that regard, you’re the bitch who’s continuously extending my life and, in that regard only, are you a bitch that’s of any use.”
“The fact that your life is like trash is not surprising at all.”
“Yoour Hiiiiighnessss!”
Barbatos and Paimon nodded at the same time.
“So how should we deal with this?”
“So how should we respond to this?”
There was a death throe, and then the obvious sound of something rolling followed after.
A beautiful harmony.
“Marbas has military insight. He is experienced. If he becomes our enemy, then it would become troublesome for us in no small measure. Normally, we would resolve the situation through dialogue———.”
“He’s firmly pissed off right now. More than anything else, we don’t have a lot of time. The news about our purge will soon hit the entire region of the demon continent hard and the Demon Lords in the back will hastily try to gather troops. We have to cross the Black Mountains as fast as possible and return home before that can happen.”
Paimon nodded.
“We do not have enough time to persuade him.”
“And we don’t have the leisure to fight and win against him even more.”
“Although there is the possibility that he will forgive us if this lady and Barbatos were to wear white mourning garments and prostrate ourselves before him———.”
Barbatos nodded.
“We can’t. If we do that, then that would end up meaning that our purge was wrong. Why are we apologizing? Didn’t we just kill traitors? People who doubt us will start to appear and we’ll lose our justification. I don’t like that. We have to lead our punitive expedition through the demon continent with a fight of justifications anyway, but we’ll be at a disadvantage if we apologize.”
“Dantalian.”
“How are we going to deal with this problem?”
The two Demon Lords then gazed at me.
Me, the very person who had set this purge in motion.
“Of course, I’m not telling you to give us a solution right this instant.”
“However, we are pressed for time.”
If by a very slim chance the purge were to end in a failure, me, the one who would receive a blow more severe than anyone else.
With cold eyes.
“Midnight has passed. I’ll give you until midday today.”
“At the least, we will also have to devise a countermeasure before Marbas takes action, after all.”
“Until then, we’ll be handling the after-measures of the purge.”
“This lady apologizes. The time limit is excessively pressing.”
One of them was my sex partner,
and the other was my political partner.
The two were also figures of authority who both could purge 7 Demon Lords without any hesitation whatsoever at the same time.
As they were figures of authority that could blame someone without any hesitation if they had to blame someone, they could be cold when they had to be cold, and they were well aware of when to set themselves ablaze if they had to be hot. In other words, the lords of all of demonkind were obliquely staring at me.
“No matter how smart you are, I’m aware that this is a difficult request. But.”
“We must ask this of you, Dantalian. All of our fates are on the line.”
Therefore.
“······.”
Tap.
I pressed my thumb against my chin as if I were patting it.
———Slowly.
The scenery of the night flowed smoothly.
As if time had forgotten about its own speed.
Soldiers roamed around the encampment while holding torches. The military camp was illuminated by the torches located here and there, making it seem like summer fireflies were randomly flying about. Below each light, the subordinates of traitors had been caught and were being dragged. They were either dragged off and killed or dragged here and killed. A single group of soldiers snickered. A dark night. The snickering easily spread from the shadows. The underlings howled until their heads were severed, and in an instant, a death throe would resonate before coming to an abrupt halt.
Who is it?
Who is trying to bite me right now?
The purge had proceeded with extreme secrecy. If you did not have a high-ranking post like a Demon Lord, then you could not have found out about it. The traitors were all punished without exception, and yet, a letter had still reached Marbas. Although there were no traitors, there was a betrayal. Who was it? How?
Marbas had gathered his dispatched force and traveled a long distance away. Since he was constantly on the move, it was difficult to pinpoint his exact location. Despite that, the letter had properly gone straight to Marbas and———Marbas immediately believed the report of treason that was written in the letter. Why? Who was it?
How could he have trusted the report which stated that his comrades-in-arms of 500 years, Barbatos and Paimon, had caused a disaster without doubting the report even slightly? Is there someone he trusts more than Barabtos and Paimon? If there is, then who exactly is it? Who could possibly receive that much trust?
The last thing a person can trust the most is money.
“······.”
Tap.
I tapped my chin with my index finger.
Within the sensation and velocity of touching my skin, time became slower. I hastened my thought process.
Money. Military funds.
In the end, Barbatos, Paimon, and Marbas occupied the top government positions in their provinces. The financiers of the armies. Even this expedition of leading our troops for barely half a year had wasted a tremendous amount of supplies. However, these leaders had repeated expedition after expedition for more than 400 years. They should all be well aware of how important military funds are down to their cores.
You cannot win a war with tired soldiers, more so with hungry soldiers.
Thus there were a lot of firms throughout the demon continent. Groups of merchants that took full charge of the provisions and supplied them. Firms that loaned money to those who were lacking in military funds. There was a firm that was in charge of each respective Demon Lord, and in my case, it was the Keuncuska Firm. In the first place, the reason why Lapis Lazuli and I had met was due to that.
To merchants, war is an opportunity to make money.
“······.”
Tap.
I tapped my chin with my middle finger.
I searched through my memories. There was no doubt. There was a time and place where I had heard this. The information regarding which firm and merchant were in charge of Marbas. It was not because I had a particular interest in Marbas. It was a survival instinct. The firm and the merchant were coincidentally both quite important to me at that moment, and they were also in charge of ‘the person who was once severely hostile towards me’. Impressively, my survival instincts were forcing me to remember———.
“······.”
I then looked at the Demon Lord before me.
Paimon.
Rank 9th Demon Lord.
The woman who had accused me of the matter regarding the Black Death.
Once I looked at her, Paimon opened her mouth.
With a voice that sound three or four times slower than usual.
“······–······? Dan-tal-i-an?”
Paimon tilted her head ever so slowly.
I then remembered.
— Your Highness.
It was around the time I had met Lapis for the first time.
— If Your Highness does not repay the debt and interest or declare bankruptcy, then the Keuncuska Firm will have no other choice but to take Your Highness’ property and body by force.
The me at that time was in a completely different situation compared to now. I had no money. My life was hard-pressed. The urgency of my life had brought upon the criticality of time. I had to escape from my debt as soon as possible. In order to survive, I had hunted the game that was the easiest to tear apart.
— The Keuncuska Firm has a countless number of supporters. Amongst them, there are other Demon Lords like Your Highness.
— Rank 5th Demon Lord Marbas.
— And Rank 9th Demon Lord Paimon are also included.
A dark night.
Soldiers were going back and forth throughout the camp while holding torches. Similar to how the light was lengthily connected from torchlight to torchlight, my thought process was connected from point to point.
Underlings let out their final cries of agony. Decapitated heads fell endlessly. Lapis Lazuli’s voice flowed between the endless screams and boundless cries.
— Our firm is famous for being merciless to debtors who fail to make their payments.
— In the past, there was an incident where Rank ······ Demon Lord Glasyalabolas received a loan of ······Libra and did not pay back the interest for ······.
Screams. Cries. Noise.
But not yet.
Similar to a steel sword that had rusted due to the passage of time, my memories were scratched in various places. Since a long time ago, I have always been weak at memorizing numbers and doing calculations. Those parts of my memories were always the first to be worn down.
However, as a steel sword was still a steel sword even when rusted, it was sharp enough to kill a person and save my own life.
Think.
Remember it.
There are still words left for Lapis, for my memories, to tell me. What was said? What did Lapis tell me?
It was a dark night. Because Lapis was standing in a place that could not be seen, the sensation of her opening her mouth and whispering silently flooded over me. Within the space where torchlights and torchlights connected and swayed, I solely connected the light within the light.
— Your Highness.
— At that time, our firm had hired a small number of 9,000 mercenaries.
— And left them in the command of Rank 12th Demon Lord Sitri.
— Glasyalabolas could not even hold out for ······ before surrendering.
Tap.
I tapped my chin with my ring finger.
The wind blew. The torches flared up.
As they flared, the light created a long line.
Who wishes for the war to not end? Merchants.
Who is trying to interfere with the war right now? Marbas.
Which firm is in charge of Marbas? The Keuncuska Firm.
All right.
If that is the case, then who rules over the Keuncuska Firm?
I asked myself this.
I immediately answered.
Ivar Lodbrok.
An ancient vampire who has lived for several hundred years,
and the merchant who held the most hostility towards me before anyone else.
Oho. Oh dear. Would you look at this?
I quietly gazed at the band of light that was surging in our military encampment. Barbatos and Paimon, while slowly drawing their brows together, no, they were still endlessly drawing their brows together slowly, stared at me as I did that.
As I thought, Barbatos, Paimon, you two are clever. However, I shall offer you two my deepest condolences. The two of you have wound up misunderstanding something at a decisive area.
It was not a Demon Lord who had sent Marbas that letter. Ivar Lodbrok. It was the vampire who was in charge of Marbas and also did not desire for the war to end who had sent it.
I cannot blame these two Demon Lords for this misconception. Barbatos and Paimon had sincerely kept the matter regarding the purge under strict confidentiality. Only their close aides knew about it. If the information was leaked, then it was undoubtedly another Demon Lord who had done it, these two had jumped to this conclusion as if it were an obvious fact. This was their mistake.
Even if the only people who knew about the purge beforehand were the other Demon Lords———there is no reason whatsoever that the person to have sent the letter to Marbas had to have been the Demon Lord themself.
Instead of personally informing Marbas about the secret, all the information leaker has to do is lightly toss the information to the merchant who Marbas trusts. Because.
The enemy of my enemy is my ally.
That’s right.
Rank 12th Demon Lord Sitri.
Paimon’s close aide. The person who had learned about the purge faster than anyone else.
Most importantly, the enemy who is hostile towards me and is trying to bring me down.
— Your Highness.
— At that time, our firm had hired a small number of 9,000 mercenaries.
— And left them in the command of Rank 12th Demon Lord Sitri.
I do not know exactly when, but it was definitely since a very long time ago.
A relation that was close enough for the Keuncuska Firm to hire an army and leave them in that person’s command. A rare relationship that was so close that the person would strike other Demon Lords for the Keuncuska Firm and make those Demon Lords cough up money.
Since a very long time ago———the Keuncuska Firm and Demon Lord Sitri were ‘accomplices’ with a cozy relationship.
After Sitri had passed on the information regarding the purge to Ivar Lodbrok, Ivar Lodbrok had sent the letter to Marbas.
“······.”
Tap
It was at the moment my pinky had tapped my chin.
The world finally released an anxious sigh. The light returned to the light. The many sounds returned to the throes of death. Time had recovered its beating pace and flowed quickly.
As expected, Barbatos and Paimon stopped slowly drawing their brows together and spoke to me.
“Dantalian? What’s up with you all of a sudden?”
“Are you perhaps unable to hear this lady’s words?”
No.
I hear you loud and clear. So clear that I cannot hear you any better than this.
I raised the corners of my lips and smiled.
“Your Excellency ordered this one to take care of this matter before midday, correct? It is all right. Do not worry. I have a rough grasp on how things have proceeded after all.”
Both Barbatos and Paimon tilted their heads in the opposite direction from each other.
“What?”
“Pardon?”
As expected of the two women who were each other’s first love, their thought processing speed was also similar. Even the angles which they had tilted their heads in were alike. In short, they were the exact same degree of slowness.
Albeit, despite this fact, their thought processing speed was on the fast side. Is this not regrettable? The original speed is bound to be relative.
I spoke once more while matching their pace.
“Your Excellency Barbatos. Your Highness Paimon. This one has a general grasp of the situation. There is no need to wait until midday today. I shall take care of it within an hour, so please handle the preparations to withdraw with haste.”
“······Whaat? No, wait. Wait a second. ······What? You grasped the situation? What are you talking about? Don’t tell me, are you saying that you figured out who it was that leaked the information?”
I knit my brows slightly.
“That is the case, Your Excellency. I have said that with that exact meaning in mind. What other meaning could it possibly have? Have I ever ridiculed Your Highness with nonsense before?”
Barbatos shut her mouth.
Paimon spoke up from beside her.
“······How exactly? We have yet to carry out any sort of investigation. There are over 10 Demon Lords who could have possibly leaked the information. How could you have figured out who it was without having interrogated anyone?”
“My apologies, Your Highness Paimon, but investigations are actions that are carried out when one lacks information. Although this one may not know a lot of things, this one at least knows enough to figure out what must be known.”
“······.”
There was a moment of silence.
I let out a sigh.
“All right. When this one was born, this one was born possessing reasonable intellect. This one can easily figure out things which Your Excellency and Your Highness still do not know. As this is simply a fact, please accept it as so. For what reason is it that this one, who is at the tail end of ranks among Demon Lords, is able to have a private audience with lords and monarchs such as Your Excellency and Your Highness? Is it not because my noggin was appraised highly? It is nothing new. Please accept the fact that my brain has more creases than Your Excellency and Your Highness’ and let us first discuss countermeasures.”
“······That’s right. I completely forgot because I shoved you in a cell for the past week. Dantalian, although you’re reasonably good at sex and have a reasonably good-looking face, more than anything else, you’re a fucking annoying bastard.”
Barbatos sighed heavily.
“The Heavens are quite disturbingly fair. Even though they gave this bastard a good head and tongue, they forgot to package him with the most important thing, a good personality. Hey, you black lamb, if you were a bit more modest, then we would probably have had sex a hundred more times every time we did it.”
No.
I don’t need that kind of bonus. Seriously.
The ‘play’ which you forced me to do was so extreme that I honestly got freaked out every time we did it. Master or whatever. Telling me to treat you like a slave or whatever. It felt like she had a few loose screws in her head. I apologize, but even someone like me, who has both common sense and refinement, finds this to be difficult to endure.
“······So who is the culprit?”
It seems Paimon had regained her composure as she covered her mouth with her fan.
“No, rather than that, what did you mean when you told us to handle the preparations to withdraw with haste? Please explain it to us in a more calm and orderly manner.”
“I apologize, but I cannot tell Your Excellency or Your Highness about the culprit yet. Just know that this one promises to handle this issue perfectly.”
“Ah. Again. Look at this bastard roll his tongue again. Fuck, it wasn’t just once or twice that that had gotten the best of me.”
Barbatos scowled.
“How do you plan to deal with it? Are you telling us to simply believe in you with no questions asked? And what do you mean by withdrawing already? Do you not see us still dealing with those remaining pieces of garbage over there? Just those guys alone number in the thousands. The thousands. It’ll take the entire day just to wipe them all out.”
“That is what I wished to talk about, Your Excellency.”
I grinned.
“Do we really have to go out of our way to cumbersomely kill them all?”
“······?”
“Your Excellency and Your Highness. Please allow me to borrow your ears for a moment.”
Barbatos and Paimon looked straight at each other’s face.
They then, as I had expected, leaned their ears towards me at the same angle and speed.
I smiled benignantly as if I were presenting enlightenment to a couple of people who were lost in a cloud of thick dust.
Shortly after.
“———Crazy bastard. Insane bastard. Fucking bastard. No, seriously, when did you make something like that? You’re crazy, right? You’re insane, right? Fuck. How could you do that without my permission?!”
“······.”
Barbatos struck my cheek as if she intended to chew me alive right this instant. Paimon was simply gazing at me with a ‘woooow······ wow, woooow······’ expression on her face. Even though the directional nature of the two was the complete opposite, what they actually wanted to express was the same.
The fact that I was a crazy bastard.
“No! Absolutely not! Are you insane, you son of a bitch? Do you think I’d just sit here and allow that?! Get rid of it right this instant. No, hand it over. Hand it over to me!”
“Dantalian, this lady also believes that that is a bit too much······. No, of course, this is a fact that this lady was already aware of, but for your information, the only ones in the world who know of this fact are you, Dantalian, and this lady······. Barbatos had killed the rest.”
“And I’m going to kill you now!”
Barbatos grabbed me by the collar and shook me intensely.
Mm.
A man like myself was a man that had found that reconciling two Demon Lords who were once lifetime enemies was not enough and had the caring heart to even bring their personal opinions together in perfect harmony, but before I could be in awe with my own greatness, mm. I felt nauseous. I felt like I’d really throw up if she continued to shake me any more than this. My gastric fluid was shouting that they wanted to see the outside world as well.
I spoke calmly.
“Nevertheless, even if you say that. The method which this one had informed Your Excellency and Your Highness about is the most effective.”
“······.”
Barbatos froze in place.
Thanks to that, my urge to vomit was able to subside. I displayed a fresh smile. Every time I smiled like this, Lapis Lazuli would advise me in a serious tone, ‘······Your Highness, since that smile easily calls upon one’s desire to commit murder when witnessed, please refrain from doing so as much as possible’, but how could that possibly be the case? Since a long time ago, Lapis’ aesthetic sense was somewhat lacking in certain parts. When I smiled refreshingly, I knew how to actually smile refreshingly.
“Is that not so?”
“······.”
“Most importantly, there is no political burden whatsoever. What could people possibly say on the outside after having witnessed it? Could they even go around to places telling people about it? There are no losses and only a lot of merits. Even if Your Excellency requests me to suggest a stratagem that is more splendid than this, it would only trouble this one······.”
Barbatos frowned.
“······Shut up. Damn it. Since you’re the one talking, this bullshit doesn’t sound like bullshit.”
“Of course, that is because this is not bullshit. Your Excellency, accepting the truth as the truth is also the virtue of a sovereign.”
“I told you to shut your damn mouth!”
Barbatos let go of my clothes and groaned. She had started to contemplate while pulling at her hair, but it felt as if she was quite Bhuddistically exploring who I roughly was, where I had come from, and where I was going.
“······.”
Thinking.
“······Uuuuuu······.”
Anguish.
“Fuck······.”
And resignation.
“Do what you want, you son of a bitch······.”
After magnificently accomplishing the three steps of Buddhism, Barbatos gave herself up in despair. Although, regrettably, it felt like she was unable to accomplish the actual last step which was enlightenment. It was fine. I did not severely rebuke the lack of virtue of all creatures. Despite my appearance, I am quite merciful.
I spoke with a mindset that accepted all of the unsightly things of the world.
“A most accurate decision, Your Excellency. This one is always in awe when hearing Your Excellency’s voice. Although Your Excellency occasionally makes very bad decisions such as when Your Excellency had threatened me and even thrown me in prison, that is no more than occasionally, so I can confidently say that Your Excellency makes the correct decision the majority of times.”
“······Dantalian is, what should I say?”
Paimon muttered from behind her fan.
“His head is good, but he is slightly, or perhaps an incredibly unfortunate man······.”
This was quite the heated criticism.
“In any case, this one will take it as having received Your Excellency and Your Highness’ approval beforehand, so this one will be taking his leave······ Ah, right. Your Highness Paimon.”
As I was lowering my head and about to depart, there was something that I had suddenly remembered, so I whispered to Paimon. As Barbatos was still asking herself what the root of her existence was, she did not show any concern to us.
“Was it perhaps Your Highness who had spread those booklets throughout the military headquarters of the Crusaders?”
“Pardon?”
Paimon tilted her head prettily.
“Booklets······ is it?”
“Yes. Books that have gray covers. They are incredibly thin.”
“Mm? This lady does not know. This lady is not sure of such things.”
Paimon hid the sides of her mouth with her fan and knit her brows. Her expression appeared as if she were trying to think of something, but was unable to recall anything at all.
“What exactly are those booklets supposed to be that you are asking this lady about them, Dantalian?”
“Please do not be surprised. I heard that the humans in the army of the Crusaders had written down my speech on their own initiative and are reading it as they pass it around. That is the booklet which I had mentioned.”
“Oh dear, is that true? It has been a long time since this lady has heard such good news.”
Paimon was visibly delighted.
“As expected, people will understand if spoken to. If they do not understand even if they are told, then the majority of the time, it is because their education is incomplete. Their lack of education is due to the unworthiness of the monarch so the subjects cannot be held responsible. When one’s subject does not understand, it is only appropriate for the monarch to lament instead of rage. In that regard, the fact that the humans are passing the booklets around on their own volition······ that is truly, truly a joyous event.”
Paimon spoke with a complexion that was dyed with elation.
“Is there something which this lady could help with?”
Surely.
Is that how it is.
I courteously held my smile in my mouth.
“Is the sight of the people trying to stand up on their own not beautiful? Would it also not be beautiful to silently watch over the people trying to stand up on their own? If they are no longer able to endure and end up reaching their hands out, it would not be too late to take hold of their hands at that time.”
“Fufu.”
Paimon muffled her laugh. Beyond her fan, her voice was dyed in endless joy. It was a smile that was gentle because it was beautiful.
“Indeed, that is right as well. Your words are correct, Dantalian. This lady will hope that the lovely scenery will be prolonged for as long as possible.”
Perhaps, Sitri was moving behind the scenes solely for this smile.
Right when we were about to say our goodbyes while smiling at one another, Barbatos glared at us with murderous eyes like a chihuahua that had starved for roughly two days.
“Hey. Do you not see me suffering here? What are you two so warmly whispering about?”
We both turned to look at Barbatos.
“Nothing, you washboard child.”
“Nothing, O Lord who has realized the virtue of destitution.”
Barbatos lamented.
“Damn bastards······.”
I’m saying it again, but this was quite the heated criticism.
▯King’s Mistress, Mixed Blood, Lapis Lazuli Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 11 Polles, Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance
“······Has His Highness Dantalian not arrived yet? Why has he yet to come despite having called for me?”
“His Highness will be back soon.”
I spoke smoothly.
“Please wait calmly, Chief.”
“Do you know how many times I have heard that line now? After a while, in a short bit, soon······ tsk.”
We were in a tent that was shrouded in the night.
The Chief of the Keuncuska Firm, Ivar Lodbrok, clicked his tongue. He has been tapping his cane against the floor since a while ago. It is rather unpleasant.
“Chief, this one had requested you to wait.”
“······.”
“If it is difficult for you to wait, then this one will separately notify you when His Highness has returned. Do you wish for this one to see you out?”
Chief Lodbrok glared fiercely in my direction. Did my words hit a nerve, I wonder. That is surprising. I was simply being considerate towards the old and infirm merchant.
“This youngster who is still wet behind the ears······. For someone who is simply the child of a common whore, with what courage are you babbling so proudly?”
“This one sees that you possess a marvelous talent, Chief. Yes. My biological mother was indeed a harlot. It has not been that long since this one had discovered this truth either. How did you find out, Chief?”
“Do you think that I would not have attached even a single spy on you? I am also aware that you were the one who had personally taken the head of your own mother. How interesting. Your behavior of imprecating others is a glory that you are able to bask in solely due to Demon Lord Dantalian.”
“······.”
“Do you not look forward to seeing if that glory of yours is simply a brief moment behind the scenes?”
That is so.
A foul stench is destined to emanate from things that have stagnated.
This is one of the horribly rotten truths of the world.
“Your words are harsh, Chief. Please be more mindful.”
“Ha.
The day when Dantalian’s age of prosperity comes to an end will also be the day when your descent down to Hell begins. What would happen if the world were to find out that you had murdered your own biological mother? Since he has made such a boorish woman into his lover, His Highness Dantalian’s reputation will most likely plummet as well. Are you aware? There is not a single man in the world who would like a woman that could make them fall from grace.”
“······.”
The Keuncuska was the leading firm of the demon continent.
As people would say, they were a group that was referred to as the Great Keuncuska.
Even now, the firm was carrying out the role of warehouse keeper and was providing supplies for the Crescent Alliance. Adding to that, Lodbrok was a big merchant who was in charge of both Demon Lord Marbas and Demon Lord Paimon. If you were not one of the higher ranking Demon Lords, then you would most likely be incapable of even standing against this vampire who was sitting in front of me.
“When that time comes, I shall observe how violently an outcast like you will behave against the world.”
I let out a sigh.
———I see that he is hardly worth my time.
My sigh must have irritated him as the chief drew his brows together.
“Who do you think you are to be sighing before me?”
“You should also be well aware since you said that you had placed spies on this one. Although it may be more than this one deserves, this one receives deep affection from His Highness Dantalian. This one will not deliberately point out the issue regarding the fact that you are speaking informally to the mistress who may or may not be capable of exerting her influence to His Highness.”
“Oho. That is quite the high horse you are on there. What are you trying to say?”
“In the end, this one will not make His Highness Dantalian fall.”
The chief snorted after hearing my words.
“And here I was, curious as to what it was that you wanted to say. What a foolish child. Is that something that will not happen simply because you wish for it to not happen? The mere act of spreading the news of your lowly and immoral crime would be enough to immediately drop the reputation of······.”
“I apologize for cutting you off in the middle of your sentence, Chief, but how exactly could that possibly make His Highness fall?”
“What?”
The chief knitted his brow. Was he unable to understand? Or is he feigning ignorance despite having understood?
Regardless of which side it was, there should be no problem with playing along with the scrawny disposition of an elderly man. He is a precious guest. I am a person who welcomes precious guests with my utmost devotion.
“His Highness is not an individual who cares about his reputation to the world. To be more precise, as His Highness is a person who exercises caution towards the increase of his own reputation, His Highness is an individual who will instead try to lower his own reputation by any means possible. By doing so, he is able to bewitch the many beasts that live in blindness.”
“······.”
“His Highness had risen to the ranks of millionaires within the shortest amount of time in history. His Highness was the fastest person to have ever broken through the Black and White Fortresses. When Demon Lord Marbas was defeated and Demon Lord Barbatos’ forces were in danger of being breached, it was also His Highness who had obtained the achievement of rescuing the Crescent Alliance. Despite these facts, how are things like, Chief?”
I was simply speaking in a voice that was neither high or low.
“Despite these achievements, are the sounds of praise towards His Highness resonating throughout the demon continent?”
That was not the case.
His Highness’ fame was not even remotely high. Demon Lord Dantalian, who was ranked 71st, was so insignificant that he was a monarch whom the majority of the people living on the demon continent have never heard the name of. Although it felt as if his fame would begin to spread around the time the Black Death had started to spread, that was only for a moment. By making a half-breed such as myself into his fiancée and appointing a human girl as his acting general, His Highness’ reputation had fallen to rock bottom
A lecher. A fool among fools.
That was the standpoint which the majority of demonkind had towards His Highness.
“His Highness’ wealth is attributed under this one’s accomplishment as his head handmaiden. The meritorious deeds of breaching through the Black and White Fortresses and rescuing the Crescent Alliance are set as services carried out by Lady De Farnese. Chief, do you consider all of these things to be a coincidence?”
“······.”
“You threatened to widely spread the news that this one had murdered her own mother, correct? That is fine. This one will not stop you. If anything, His Highness would most likely give you a round of applause and thank you, Chief. He will presumably say something along the lines of ‘You have done a good job doing this great one’s task in his stead’.”
“······.”
“In the end, there is no way that this one could ever make His Highness fall. Because His Highness has always desired to reside in the low shadows. His Highness is an individual who prefers to dwell in the shadows whenever the noon sun is shining in the sky. This one is graciously one of those shadows for His Highness.”
Acting General, a human child.
Captain of the Royal Guards, an immensely lowly witch.
Head Handmaiden, a half-breed succubus.
As vassals, we serve His Highness for life. His Highness is a fire that will burn the world. If the fire is going to burn and shine its light as far out as possible, then, more important than anything else, a night, a dark night was undoubtedly necessary. An illegitimate child, a slaughterer, and an outcast, we are His Highness’ dire night.
“The likes of us are nothing but humble beings, but we attend to His Highness with our humbleness. As we know that this is our duty as his vassals, we have no reason to change our despicableness.”
The vampire became silent.
The cane that kept tapping against the floor of the tent had stopped as well. Even the occasional noise of him clicking his tongue had ceased. This is a good disposition. This most likely means that he has sufficiently understood my words. I nodded my head towards the chief one more time before turning around and resuming the task which I was taking care of.
Night.
A lot of things cannot be seen at night. You can only make assumptions of the places which you cannot see by using the sounds that can be heard, and in the distance, the creaking sound of wheels was echoing over the tents. Creak······. Grains of soil broke apart underneath the wheels and the sound of a person’s voice overlapped it.
— Cheap services. Will throw away, dead beggars for you. Will throw away, dead corpses lying in the corner for you. Will pick up any kind of corpses. Cheap services. Will throw away, all dead beggars······.
It was a homeless person wandering around the military encampment.
When the sun rises, these beggars gather together and gamble in a place where there is less sunlight, and when the sun sets, they search for tents with bright torches and stick out their bowls. Although the beggars who had lost even their bowls in gambling would stick out both of their hands, the beggars who had even lost their fingers in gambling would stick out their three or four fingers.
I can confidently assert that having less than three fingers on a single hand is not exactly pleasant news to a beggar. As that means they cannot retaliate properly if someone were to kick them, even if they could retaliate, it means that their efforts would be insignificant. Moreover, who would not wish to kick a beggar? From time to time, when the common soldiers kick at the beggars, the ones who have less than three fingers are assaulted without being able to do anything to defend themselves and this occasionally results in their deaths. The deaths of those beggars is natural and trivial. Similar to how normal people use their fingers to count numbers, beggars use their fingers to count the remainder of their lives.
One at a time.
One at a time.
And then it ends at one.
Corpses are thrown away in the corner of tents and left to rot. Flies gather around those rotting corpses. The annoyed soldiers kick the corpses further into the corner, but the corpses simply continue to pile up in every corner. This provides another type of livelihood for the beggars.
Sturdy-shouldered beggars, whose fingers were still fine, roamed around the military camp while pulling cheap-looking carts that came from only God knows where. On a cycle of every couple of days, they would roam around and collect the corpses in the corners. They then took the corpses far away in order to throw them out. Is this not brilliant? As someone who was originally a merchant, I rate these sorts of things highly. Until the day they gamble away their carts, they had managed to obtain a job for even the shortest amount of time by themselves.
Whenever the beggars pass by this tent while dragging their carts,
— I wonder if it’s because that incredibly dreadful bitch lives here. Spit, there’s a damn ton of dead chaps and bitches······.
they always say something as they do so.
Even their method of begging was highbrow in quite the number of ways.
I simply tossed two coins outside the entrance of the tent. There was no need for me to go out of my way to step outside. The wheels would then momentarily stop in the vicinity of this tent’s entrance before letting out another ‘creak’ and departing.
Creak, creak.
Creak······.
“Why did you toss those coins to that person?”
A voice that sounded as if it were lost in thought.
Chief Lodbrok was glaring at me firmly.
“They would have taken care of those corpses even if you left them alone.”
“That would not be leaving them alone, but pushing them away. The people do not easily forget the ones who have pushed them away.”
I answered in a subdued tone.
“The ones who are not forgotten by the people can easily fall into ruin. If you can buy the apathy of the people with a couple of coins, then it is basically like having bought it for free. Although this one may be engaging in the business of a Demon Lord’s feudal government, there has yet to be a time where this one was unfaithful to the duty of a merchant.”
“Are you trying to buy the contempt of the people because you are a merchant? Is that an item which can be handled by merchants?”
“If it cannot be handled, then why would they be revering His Highness Dantalian?”
Silence.
The candlelight flickered and dimly lit the interior of the tent.
Many things cannot be seen at night. In the places that cannot be seen, there are beggars who die while begging and beggars who live by begging. When a fellow beggar dies, there are also beggars who beg by doing the job of picking up corpses and throwing them away. In the world, each place that cannot be seen is a corner, each out-of-the-way corner is a gap, and each gap is a wall. It is possible to escape from the corner of the world by climbing up that wall, but I do not blame them for simply hanging off the edge of the cliff and spending their days shaking.
It is simply an occupation and merely a physiology.
I do not blame them, but I use them instead. Beggars, harlots, and mercenaries, these were all things that lived while placing their occupation in a crevice. Similar to how a beggar uses the corpses of beggars on a daily basis in order to live, I continue my profession while leaving the crevices of the world as crevices. The note that was being illuminated by the flickering candlelight was also a part of my job.
— Loud noises outside. Violently killed. The soldiers are going through the bordello. It is scary. A lot of fire is burning outside.
I wonder if they had written this in a hurry. The words on the memo that was sent by the spy were crooked. I checked the next letter.
— The soldiers suddenly shut up. It’s quiet now.
— Sudden inspection. All of the girls who had hidden the books were taken away. I survived because my lover had told me about it beforehand. I’m saying this because I’m lacking money this half of the month, but please send more. Would that be okay?
— My sisters are being dragged away. They still haven’t returned. I’m scared. I can’t do this any longer. Please do not contact me anymore after the next payment. I’m sorry. I won’t tell anyone.
These letters were all sent by harlots.
Whether to plant spies inside of the military tents or to plant spies in the vicinity of the military tents. Although these two options both have their own respective merits and demerits, I cannot help but prefer the latter. The lives that live while hanging off of a piece of rope that is dangling off the side of a cliff are the ones who will be the very first to realize when that rope begins to shake.
The only things which they can barely understand are signs and vague omens. The tasks of seizing the signals that are sent by them and interpreting their messages are solely my duty as His Highness’ head handmaiden.
It is fine. I am a modest peasant.
A peasant knows best about the livelihoods of other peasants.
— Increase my pay starting the next half of the month. I’ll snitch you out if you don’t.
The life which will be forfeited after snitching will undoubtedly be your life and not my own. Since this was something the person directly involved knew best, there was no need for me to be concerned. Next.
— Are you the one who had spread these booklets as well? I want to go to that side. General Farnese is a human, right? I’m a human as well. It should be fine since a human is just going to another human, right?
Occasionally, there are harlots who get confused as to whether they are doing spy work or if they are philandering. If you comfort them with gentle words, then they will provide precious information later on. There is most likely no more need for this harlot to continue following the Crusaders around.
I implicitly replied that although you are a human, you will not be able to cross over to another human. Next.
— It’s been crazy since earlier. I don’t know what the fuss is, but it’s noisy. Even the soldier that was pounding me had to stop mid-way because his superior called him. Stop mid-pounding. This is strange. Really strange.
— He still paid me properly. He was nice.
I see. It was indeed strange. Although there are occasions where soldiers stop in the middle of killing other people, there is never a time where they stop in the middle of having intercourse with a harlot.
As that was the case, if this truly did happen, then it was most likely because they were under pressure. The harlot who had sent this letter was not placed in the army of the Crusaders, but a girl who was situated in the dispatched troops of the Neutral Faction. Not only was her personality rather unusual, but her flaw was that she always sent two memos.
The speed of both the Imperial Princess of the Habsburg Empire and Corps Commander Marbas was not normal. They were targets of interest that required one to be apprehensive about in no small measure.
In our current situation, we lack the time to be able to leisurely appease the Neutral Faction. Before we can even persuade them, the Imperial Princess may rally her forces and attack us. If we do not persuade the Neutral Faction, then safely withdrawing to the demon continent would become impossible.
I see that this is a battle of speed. Will we be able to avoid the Neutral Faction and carry out our retreat first, or will the Imperial Princess lead the human armies to pursue us first······? One day. Or perhaps two. This meager amount of time was going to determine the fate of the two armies.
Next
— Although there is nothing to send, it feels as if I am sending it. If there is something to send while sending something, then it feels as if I would. Ah, if this is life, then it is hollow.
This parasite flat out wrote a poem and sent it.
This is a girl with a somewhat strange head.
I sent a reply saying ‘I apologize, but you do not possess poetic talent’.
Next.
— My older friend was caught and killed. It’s because of you. It’s all because of you.
— No. I did what you told me to do. All of it.
— Please, can you save my friends who are imprisoned? The older soldiers said that we have to provide bail. I just need this much.
Next.
Next.
Next.
Crows upon crows began to take flight. Each crow scattered throughout the night sky with a memo wrapped around their ankles.
At the latest, the harlots will receive the letters from the crows by tonight and read my reply while relying on a candlelight. The act of reading a letter which had been written in a place illuminated by a candlelight while also in a place that was lit up by a candlelight feels beautiful to me.
“What have you been continuing to send?”
A deeply thinking voice.
“Does it seem like those birds will come back with the things which you desire just because you had sent them?”
“This one simply wishes to feel out the world.”
“How foolish. Does the world feel as if it is being felt out simply because you claimed to be doing so? Lapis Lazuli. While one half is a harlot, your other half is a human girl. Even if a lowly girl like yourself were to feel out and spy on the world, it will all be in vain once the Demon Lord’s affection for you has faded. Do you believe in that Demon Lord? Or do you believe in people? Similar to how you are trying to feel out the world, will you also feel out the very bottom of people’s hearts?”
“Your worries are deep, Chief. Revealing your deep concerns is a dangerous thing to do as it will also reveal the deepest part of your mind as well, Chief. Are you trying to leave your heart with this one because you trust her? This one is the type of person who does not care even slightly about the hearts of others, and of course, your heart as well, Chief.”
“······.”
“Not only does this one not have a reason to do so, but this one does not try to pry into the foundations of other people either. This one is satisfied with simply the surfaces of people. Did you ask what His Highness’ foundation was, Chief? That is a silly question. As this one’s base is the same as His Highness’, there is no need for this one to be concerned.”
Silence.
I wonder how concentrated he was.
It was around the time the wax of a candle had melted down and formed a white, glazed pond. The sound of footsteps could be heard outside of the tent.
Step.
Seeing as how the guards are not trying to stop them, it seems another beggar has come to beg. The beggars who beg during the afternoon are the strongest and happiest, the beggars who beg during the evening are the second happiest, and the beggars who beg in the middle of the night while searching for a place that is bright are the most unfortunate. The disabled, who are among the lowest of beggars, are mostly like that.
As per usual, I picked up a coin and tossed it outside. The moment I was about to turn away since I was sure that the person would naturally leave, a voice seeped into the tent.
“Oh dear. I am finally observing the world after a week, but am I being told to take this pocket change and leave? I see that my love is cold-hearted.”
“······.”
It was the voice of His Highness Dantalian.
I took out a pocket watch and checked the time. It was past midnight. I heard that he was going to be discharged yesterday evening, but what has he been doing until now and where? The witches that were sent to fetch him had already returned with Farnese and were now sleeping in a corner of the tent.
“Has His Highness finally honored us with his presence? An individual who is quite difficult to see the esteemed face of. After having aged four generations and experiencing the eighth Crescent Alliance, I am now having a bitter experience at last······.”
Chief Ivar Lodbrok, who was seated beside me, also stood up slowly. He was grumbling in a voice that was just low enough to not reach the outside of the tent.
I ignored him and straightened my clothes tidily.
“Welcome, Your Highness. Chief Lodbrok of the Keuncuska Firm had received Your Highness’ summon and is waiting for you inside.”
Lord Dantalian then arrived at the tent.
“Oho, Chief. I apologize for summoning you so late in the night.”
Lord Dantalian greeted the chief the moment he entered the tent.
“Regardless, I believed that it would not matter since you are a vampire, Chief, so I had sent that express messenger. I am worried that I may have possibly upset your mood.”
“Far from it. A greater being had summoned this one so why would it matter whether it was in the middle of the day or the middle of the night?”
“Yes. You are right. Only when you meet with someone when you have to meet with them would it then be called a meeting. So? Have you been doing well?”
His Highness pleasantly welcomed the chief with a smile, a smile which he had once told me was his charming smile, but in my personal opinion, it was a smile that looked unbelievably wicked.
I wonder if he believed that the atmosphere was not bad. Chief Lodbrok’s expression naturally relaxed as well.
“Yes. This one should be the one to ask if Your Highness has been in good health. This one can only apologize for not being able to send his respects often.”
“It is fine. Are you not the financier of our Crescent Alliance, Chief? I have also just returned from having an urgent discussion with Her Excellency Barbatos and Her Highness Paimon. I wish to discuss that topic with you as well, Chief.”
“At once. If this one can be even the slightest of assistance to the greater beings, then this one would be honored.”
“Take a seat first. Even if we shall be conversing, we should do so while seated.”
It is night.
I can hear the sound of crickets through the sides of the tent. It seems that the crickets are letting out every last bit of reverberation in their bodies as if they absolutely had to tell someone right this instant that it was currently night. As I believe that bugs are all lives that hang off the side of a cliff and tremble, I do not think it is weird.
Although the night is a time that is easy for some people to fall asleep in.
For others, the night is a time that is easy for them to kill other people in.
“I shall cut to the chase. Ivar Lodbrok.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Please tell this one anything.”
Chief Lodbrok bowed his head while seated.
His Highness smoothly spoke towards the crown of the chief’s head.
“How dare you betray the Crescent Alliance.”
“······.”
Silence.
In an instant, the air inside of the tent became paralyzed as if the tongue of a large snake had just passed by. Since it felt as if the shadow that was being illuminated by the candlelight was that of a snake, I held my breath. What did His Highness Dantalian say just now?
“Your Highness, just, what do you mean······?”
I am most likely not the only person who thinks that they had misheard. Chief Lodbrok looked up at Lord Dantalian with a deathly pale face. Lord Dantalian still has a smooth grin on his face.
“What is the matter, Chief? Your complexion does not look good. Even if I did say those words in order to make your complexion rot, it is embarrassing if it rots so fast. More wrinkles will form on your already old face.”
It is those eyes.
The faint and partially opened eyes he would always display whenever he was looking for a prey to tear apart.
The same look which Lady Farnese, the girl who His Highness had taken in as his adopted daughter, had learned perfectly.
At times like this, His Highness would hum as if he were in an incredibly good mood.
“To be honest, I like you. You are open in both a good and a bad way. As you are able to conceal yourself well while in other places, at the very least, you cannot hide anything while you are before me. Oho, how profound. In a way, are we not already in a relationship that is somewhat similar to that of lovers?”
His Highness chuckled.
“I cherish you in a special way, Ivar Lodbrok.”
“······.”
His Highness’ elongated shadow which was being illuminated in the tent was scoffing.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 11 Polles, Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance
How long did the silence last, I wonder?
There was a color to people’s emotions. There was also a fragrance. As it was the color of their voice, it was the fragrance of their heart. Ivar Lodbrok trembled with his entire body while his voice exuded his heart.
“······This one’s hope, this one’s life aspiration, is to solely work for the Crescent Alliance. This one does not understand why Your Highness would reprimand this old soul. Please be more mindful, Your Highness.”
If you quibble over purely the time, then Ivar Lodbrok most likely panicked for no more than 1 minute. He was able to compose himself after the unexpected attack. To that extent, he was worthy of appraisal.
Regardless, it was unfortunate for him. My surprise attack had yet to even begin. Ivar Lodbrok, at most, all you had experienced just now was similar to having listened to the faint sound of horns starting to be blown on a battlefield.
I opened my mouth.
“Have you been secretly communicating with Demon Lord Sitri?”
“······.”
Flinch.
The vampire, who was trying to do whatever he could to continue speaking, stopped moving. However, the only thing that had frozen in place was his visible movements. The color of his breath became hazier. The fragrance of his heart became thicker.
I stood up and approached Ivar Lodbrok. Then, as if I were appreciating a piece of art that consisted of color and scent, I slowly walked towards the chair that the vampire was seated in. As if I were putting a wooden fence around the vampire with the sound of my footsteps. As if I were creating a boundary and trying to trap him inside.
I enunciated with a voice that contained noble affection.
“Ivar Lodbrok. Starting from yesterday, I shall tell you what you had done before coming here today. Do listen carefully.”
“······.”
Press.
I raised my thumb and gently pressed down on the exact center of Lodbrok’s shoulders. His shoulder flesh, which was covered by his mantle, felt softer than it did firm, and it was crunchier than it was soft. To be exact, his shoulders possessed the same softness and crunchiness of an apple. If broken up well, then a thick-scented juice would most likely flow out.
“You were most likely bewildered when the purge began yesterday evening. Following after that, you moved around hastily because you did not know what exactly was going on. This is obvious. As the life of a merchant depends on how fast you can obtain information, there is no one out there who knows this better than you.”
“That is······.”
“But oh dear. There was a big problem. Who could you possibly go to in order to ask for the truth? Will you go to Her Excellency Barbatos and ask her? Darn.”
Press.
I raised my pinky on top the vampire’s shoulders.
“No, you could not do that. Barbatos is a terrifying Demon Lord. She also has the tendency of valuing farmers more than merchants. Normally, you would laugh at this sort of person and call them outdated for being behind the times, but the situation changes when that outdated person has an executioner’s blade in their hand. Naturally, your desire to laugh would go right back in. Aha, it is a problem. It is a problem.”
“······Your Highness.”
“Now what could you do? Even if you approached the low-ranking Demon Lords, they would most likely claim that they did not know what was happening, and in truth, they truly did not know. Oh dear, what could you do in this situation? Should you just run up to Her Highness Paimon and ask her? Darn.”
Press.
Continuing from my thumb and pinky, I pressed my ring fingers down on his shoulders.
Similar to how a spider steps on its webs. Not too strong or too weak.
“No, you could not do this either. By all means, this was something which you surely could not do. With what face could you possibly request for a personal audience with Her Highness Paimon and ask her about the ulterior motives behind the purge? Her Highness had yet to even forgive you, this old vampire. If you were to infuriate Her Highness because of a slip of the tongue, then it would make matters into an even bigger issue.”
“······.”
“Aha, it is a problem. It is a problem. It cannot be helped. Barbatos is a woman who would even keep a secret from her own close aides. Paimon is also a discreet Demon Lord. ‘However’, is what you must have then thought. Paimon may be a discreet woman, but is she not open to a single person, her close aide and pet, Sitri?”
“······.”
Press.
I added my middle fingers.
“You then contemplated. Were you not also longtime associates with Demon Lord Sitri? The two of you have a relationship where you would exchange miscellaneous requests with one another. Surely she would share this information with you······.”
I chuckled.
“Your prediction was on the mark. It was probably thanks to that long relationship of yours. Sitri provided you with the information about the purge as if she were paying back an obvious debt. Your brain must have then operated busily. Aah. Would things not become quite busy?”
“······.”
“A purge had ended up occurring. It was obvious that the demon continent was going to be thrown into a state of chaos in the near future. It was an important issue. Will you utilize this confusion and profit heavily off of it, or will you not? If you are going to do business, then how will you go about doing so? It was truly an important issue······. And, while you were in the middle of your thoughts, Demon Lord Sitri had spoken to you.”
In a tone that sounded as if she had just remembered something.
While putting her unique smile on top of it.
I tenuously attempted to speak in a falsetto. I was not particularly used to this, but this was simply an extra effort in order to provide entertainment for the opposition. I could not refuse something like this. Let’s see, would it not have been this sort of tone?
Oh right.
Now that I think about it, you also hate the Demon Lord known as Dantalian, right?
The vampire’s complexion was ingrained in the breath he was letting out.
“Just, how······ no, what is Your Highness saying······?”
I saw this as a natural course of action. This person’s trap was a maw that had drained a tremendous amount of blood from others throughout the passage of time. He was simply breathing out the fragrance which he had swallowed until now.
I was incapable of immediately seeing what sort of expression was on the vampire’s face right now because I was standing behind the chair which he was seated in.
Not yet. I cannot appreciate this person’s final expression yet. Fear had the same kind of charm as red wine. I had to wait patiently for the fragrance to flourish sufficiently.
“Indeed. Sitri has a pure charm by nature. She must have persuaded you like this.”
······No, it’s not much. Ehehe. It’s really a simple thing.
······Ei, really, Chief. You’re going to be like this despite our relationship? Hmm? If anything, this is close to being something you have to be the one to do, Chief. You have at least one method of urgently getting in contact with old man Marbas, right? Yeah?
“······.”
“You are the merchant who is in charge of His Excellency Marbas. Since that is the case, if an incident which needs to be hastily reported to His Excellency Marbas were to occur, then informing him of it would naturally be your duty.”
Like if a purge had occurred.
Like if a bunch of Demon Lords had died like a group of beggars.
Since it was an incident that was on the same level of a calamity.
······Informing him of things like this, Chief.
······Is this not your bounden duty?
These were not excessively incorrect words.
Because they were not excessively incorrect words, Ivar Lodbrok had done so.
There will be a great profit if the war lasts longer. That was it.
He did his duty as Marbas’ exclusive merchant. That was it.
He was able to deepen his personal connection with Demon Lord Sitri. That was it.
———The price for thinking ‘that was it’.
Although someone may be pierced in the chest and die by an arrow that had been casually shot by someone else, the person who simply believes that all they did was casually shoot an arrow despite that, must receive an appropriate punishment and pay the price.
That was so. Punishment and price. I have always insulted the beasts that have tried to bite at my neck light-heartedly.
Even if that beast were the Rank 9th Demon Lord, it would not change.
Even if that beast were the Rank 5th Demon Lord, it would still not change.
Even if that beast were the vampire who controlled the greatest firm on the demon continent, it would still not change at all.
I spoke the name of the beast that had fearlessly walked straight towards me today.
“Ivar Lodbrok.”
Press.
I then finally added my index fingers on top of the beast’s shoulders.
With my five fingers alone.
I divided my strength into five parts.
And pressed down on the bulky fruits that the vampire’s shoulders were harboring.
The things which reverberated after being flattened by my fingers were most likely his blood vessels, and the things which groaned after being pushed down by my hands were most likely his bones. The thing which I had pressed deeply inside and pushed aside was the elderly greed which this person had held onto and lived with until now. While grasping this person’s blood vessels, bones, and elderly greed with my five nets, I spoke.
“Are you aware of what you had done?”
Know thyself.
After reciting this old saying, I slowly whispered into his ear.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_02_02.txt
|
Chapter 2: Disimprison
“You are a filthy traitor who had dropped the entire Crescent Alliance into a bottomless pit.”
“······.”
I gently grabbed Ivar Lodbrok’s chin. He endured by hunching up with a strength that was unbefitting of his old bones. Although he was hunched up, he was doing so while trembling. I forcefully turned the vampire’s head.
A gaze that appeared as if he were looking at the Devil was there.
Aah. I grinned in satisfaction.
I released the old man’s chin. Like a person who had taken a single bite out of an appetizing dessert and spat it back out.
“———Huuk, haa······ haa······.”
I wonder if he had been holding his breath until this moment? Once Ivar Lodbrok was released from my grasp, he exhaled roughly. I lightly tapped his shoulder.
“You will lose your neck, Chief. Is one’s necks not important? You should look after your own better from now on.”
Stillness.
I could hear the soft sound of Farnese and the witches’ breathing as they slept in a corner of the tent. In this very moment, that was most likely the only sign of life that was flowing through the tent. The crickets outside had also stopped crying, so it was silent all around us.
“······Proof.”
Ivar Lodbrok opened his mouth after a significant amount of time had passed.
“There is, no proof. This one is not in a position that is weak enough to be punished without proof.”
I laughed. Was this not nearly at the same level of a baby’s cute antics?
“What a surprising remark, Chief. It is an especially surprising remark for you to use as a method to defend yourself if you consider the current situation. Did the heads of seven Demon Lords not depart together on a group trip down the pathway to Hades just half a day ago? Her Excellency Barbatos and Her Highness Paimon had even sent them on that trip for free. No matter how I look at it, it seems that our honorable chief.”
I tapped the side of the vampire’s head.
“It seems that you are confident that your own single head is heavier than that of seven Demon Lords’, huh? I see that you calculate things with quite the amazing scale. Indeed, as one would expect from a big merchant, their scale is also incredibly special. Have your customers never complained to you that you should use proper weights?”
“······.”
“Yes. There is no evidence. But why would having evidence or not matter? Is this some formal court? Do you think that our two corps commanders would hold a special trial just for you, Chief? We are leading a purge, not a trial. Moreover, the reason why purges are purges is due to the fact that you are able to exterminate things simply because of your beliefs. Ah.”
I smiled slightly.
“Of course, the excuse that there is no evidence will last only momentarily. If we simply ask His Excellency Marbas whom he had heard the information about the purge from, then would the proof not be brazenly made? Ivar Lodbrok. Vampire who has built a tower out of blood-stained gold coins. Your position has become quite pitiful.”
“······This one has never sent a letter to His Highness Marbas. Your Highness can confirm this yourself. His Highness Marbas will also say that he does not know. Not only that. For Your Highness to say that this one had secret talks with Her Highness Sitri······. That is simply a forced deduction.”
Would you look at this?
Is this his desperate struggle in order to hang onto the rope until the very end?
However, it wasn’t just the rotten rope. Even if my assumption were correct, just as the vampire had said, Marbas and Sitri would adamantly deny the charges. There was no evidence and there were no witnesses.
Although beheading people because of one’s beliefs alone was what purges were, as expected, it was nothing more than a purge. If one were to try and swallow a large group like the Keuncuska Firm in a single bite, then your jaw would nearly crack.
Therefore, I decided to open the mouth more.
“All right. I shall accept your excuse. By the way, Chief. There is something this great one has been curious about for the past couple of days.”
“······.”
“I heard from a spy that the speech which my acting general had given was made into a small booklet and is running rampant inside the army of the Crusaders. The common soldiers have been passing the booklets around among themselves, so this occurrence in itself is not suspicious.”
I gave Lapis a glance.
Lapis understood the meaning behind my look and took out a single booklet from within a pile of documents before handing it to me. It was a booklet with a gray cover. The book where my and Farnese’s speech was written down on. I received the booklet and tap, tap, I patted the vampire’s shoulder.
“This happened too fast.”
“······.”
“It has only been a few days. Within those mere few days, it had been made into a booklet and circulated. As the hungry soldiers do not have the surplus strength to do something like that, the poor harlots lack the money to do so even more. As long as the one behind this does not move systematically, would it not be difficult to pull off?”
“Would the people not have made a united effort in order to make them? Since the cover is ragged and the pages are pitiable······.”
“Still. It was much too fast.”
Ivar Lodbrok closed his mouth. Did he intend to plead the Fifth here? If I were his lawyer, then that was an action which I would have heavily advised against in a moment like this.
“I shall acknowledge something, Chief. I have been pushing myself forward too much for a while. I had pushed myself forward incredibly too much despite being someone who did not know much. However, after piecing together the information, I was able to see an outline.”
“······.”
“If one wishes to circulate the books this fast, then there needs to be a hole in the Crusaders. A massive hole. A massive hole that will not disappear even if one were to capture some common soldiers and procurers. Do you know what that is, Chief? If it were just a few days ago, then even I would not have been able to figure out what this was.”
The Republic of Batavia.
Not a country with a couple of spies planted here and there, but an entire country that was in the hands of a Demon Lord. Furthermore, not only was it the only republic in the human continent, but it was a land in the west that was secretly established by Demon Lord Paimon.
The words of the speech were copied down inside that country’s army, copies were printed, and they were then circulated. There was no need for them to hand the booklets out one by one either. All you had to do was simply dump a bunch of the booklets in some out-of-the-way corner of a tent. Similar to how the corpse of a beggar goes to another beggar, the discarded booklets would flow from the hand of one soldier to another.
Does this not naturally call upon sympathy? The leading members of the Crusaders will most likely huff and puff as they attempt to root out the source of the circulation, but their efforts would be pointless. Similar to how there were 7 traitorous Demon Lords in the Crescent Alliance, an entire nation was the joker in the army of the Crusaders.
I twisted the ends of my mouth.
“Have you still not grasped the meaning behind my words?”
“······Yes, Your Highness. This one truly does not know.”
“I heard that you are the consultant of quite the number of Demon Lords. Marbas, the leader of the Neutral Faction and the ranked 5th Demon Lord is one of them, and so is the person whom I hold in high esteem, Her Highness Paimon. Moreover, oh, would you look at this? Surprisingly, do you not also lead the greatest firm in the demon continent and carry out trades with each and every country? Of course, your firm is just great enough to print out something like a couple of booklets with ragged covers and pitiable pages as many times as you want.”
“······.”
The sound of Ivar Lodbrok’s breathing gradually died down.
It was simple. Since there was a massive hole somewhere in the army of the Crusaders, it was possible for the booklets to be distributed. This gap was undoubtedly the army of the Republic of Batavia. The monarch who had founded the republic was Demon Lord Paimon.
Adding to that, the vampire seated before me was the merchant who acted as Paimon’s exclusive consultant.
Was this not quite the impressive coincidence?
“Nevertheless, Chief. Is this not the rather strange occurrence? As I had said earlier, I had just returned from meeting with Her Excellency Barbatos and Her Highness Paimon——— and when I had questioned Her Highness Paimon about this matter, she stated that it was not her.”
The vampire trembled.
The trembling in his shadow was more intense than his actual body.
“Chief. Oh dear, Chief. Is this not strange? Is this not bizarre and peculiar? The location of where the seditious booklets are circulating from has been determined and the location of where the booklets are being printed from has been determined as well, but alas. How could this be? Only the person who had given the order for these booklets to be printed and circulated is nowhere to be found.”
“······.”
“Chief. I am a rational person. Even if a situation that does not make rational sense were to be pushed into my face, I am sensible enough to still deduce a rational answer. Chief Lodbrok, do you perhaps know what the rational reasoning would be in this sort of situation?”
“······.”
“Oh dear. It seems that you do not know. Your head is rather lacking despite being referred to as the ruler of the Great Keuncuska. How about you, Lapis? If it were you, Lapis, how would you infer the answer?”
Lapis answered briefly.
“There is most likely someone in the middle who has superseded control, Your Highness.”
“Oh my. How could this be? How could someone dare to supersede control from the leader of the Mountain Faction? How could there be such a wretched fellow? I see that my love is able to say quite the terrifying things.”
I chatted while intentionally acting as if I were frightened. It was a cheap performance. However, if there is an audience, then even a cheap performance would seemingly have a smidgen of value. Lapis played along with my antics and bowed.
“This one apologizes. This humble one has said something which she should not have.”
“No, it is okay. What is there to apologize for when all you had done was make an inference? In any case, this is strange. As Her Highness Paimon is not a fool, if there is a person superseding control in the middle, then would she not have noticed?”
“Yes. Her Highness would have realized without fail.”
“And yet, she has not.”
“That is the case.”
“What does this mean?”
“It means that the culprit is someone whom Her Highness Paimon trusts completely and entrusts with tasks.”
Lapis answered immediately.
“It is most likely a personage who Her Highness is at ease with, as she believes that they would not dare to supersede control and deceive her.”
Precisely.
In other words, Paimon’s close aide.
Rank 12th Demon Lord Sitri.
“Oho······.”
I lamented deeply.
“If such a personage does exist, then it would be quite scary and terrifying. Would that not truly mean that there is a person out there who is able to freely ridicule both the demon and human continents? For them to impudently utilize the intelligence network which Her Highness Paimon had constructed however they please and deride the Crusaders. Although their real intention may have possibly been to please Her Highness Paimon, since they had proceeded with the insurrection while keeping it as a secret from Her Highness, it is an immense ridicule and a substantial disloyalty. How is this different to covering both of Her Highness Paimon’s eyes and playing tricks? Alas. I am deeply concerned.”
“······.”
“Nevertheless, how were the traces of disloyalty not caught? Since the intelligence network which they had used is solely the intelligence network of Her Highness Paimon, the reason why the intelligence agents had listened to that person’s orders is most likely because they misunderstood that it was an order from Her Highness Paimon. If we were to summon the intelligence agents and question them, then the truth will easily be revealed. What type of person the culprit is, what name they have, and whom they had secret talks with, this will all be exhibited out in the open.”
I asked once more.
“Ivar Lodbrok.”
Similar to the act of stabbing a spear into a beast that was already bleeding from an arrow.
I, however, questioned him smoothly and with gentleness.
“Are you still unable to fathom a guess?”
“············.”
Finally.
The ruler of Keuncuska collapsed.
▯King’s Mistress, Mixed Blood, Lapis Lazuli Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 11 Polles, Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance
······I see, this is the end.
I thought while gazing at the chief who had fallen into silence. The leading power of the Keuncuska was now done for. He may continue to live, but that will merely be a life of servitude as His Highness Dantalian’s slave.
Lord Dantalian chuckled.
“Quite the entertaining event will most likely occur if I were to tell Her Highness Paimon about my rational deduction.”
“······.”
The owner of the Keuncuska trembled his shoulders in silence.
“You had already abandoned Her Highness Paimon once back in the council chamber of Niflheim. Although the issue at that time was resolved because Her Highness was at fault as well, how do you intend to endure now? Ivar Lodbrok, will you stab yourself and take your own life like that goblin, Torukel, had done?”
“······Your Highness.”
“Now that I think about it, I should stop referring to you as a man, but as a girl. You are concealing your pretty little girl self with that appearance of an old man after all. Aha. Along with Sitri, since the two of you are miscellaneous things that no one knows whether you are a bastard or a bitch, birds of a feather flock together.”
Chief Lodbrok fell down.
He fell from his chair, collapsed to the floor, and finally, his body toppled. With his entire body, the vampire did his all to apologize to His Highness with the utmost desperation.
“This one, has never done anything that may be troublesome to the demon continent······. Her Highness Sitri has been the close aide of Her Highness Paimon for a very long time. How, how could this one have known that that was a fake command? Ever since Torukel had taken his own life, this one has been put in a state where this one could not possibly dare to refuse an order from Her Highness Paimon······.”
“An impressive excuse.”
Lord Dantalian grinned.
“Let us see if Her Highness Paimon also finds this to be as impressive as I have.”
“Your Highness······. This old man. This old bat beseeches Your Highness. Although the Keuncuska may be a group of humble merchants, it is a place that helps the rivers and streams of the demon continent connect and flow into a lifeline. Please, consider the five hundred years of service which we had done and grant us mercy······.”
Lord Dantalian smiled more softly.
“Since you have accumulated all of that gold from those five hundred years of prosperity, if we take that away, then our expedition funds will never fall short.”
“Your Highness, O Greater Being······.”
In the end, the chief broke down into tears.
While shedding an endless stream of tears, the chief kissed the top of His Highness’ foot.
“This one shall obey all of Your Highness’ commands. Please, bestow upon this one your royal grace, have mercy upon this one······.”
It is night.
I silently stared at a flickering candle in the tent. The flame continues to burn while completely oblivious to the fact that it was burning its own wick. On the floor where the wax drippings were falling, there was a single aged vampire.
Defeat is stigmatic and desecrating.
Because it has always been like that, that was what defeat was. If one is going to enter the gambling den of authority, then one must clearly know when to stop.
The gamblers who have had a peek at authority gamble whenever the sun has set and the night has begun. Betting their honor. Betting their wealth. The gamblers who have tossed their honor and wealth into gambling dens will, in the end, stake their own lives, but not only the life which they had lived until now, but the lives which they will continue to live from now on as well.
One day.
One day.
And then, one day, you realize that you no longer have any more days left to bet at the gambling den.
Until that day comes, Chief Ivar Lodbrok must devote the remainder of his life to His Highness Dantalian. That was the job which the chief had to carry out for the rest of his life.
His Highness stroked the head of the groveling vampire.
“From this day forth.”
And he then recited to him his new livelihood.
“You now have to kill the ones whom I command you to kill. Even if I were to tell you to throw away that old body of a doll, which you are currently borrowing, then you must do so without hesitation.”
“······.”
“If there is someone whom I have ordered you to spare, then spare them. Sitri may have sent you here to spy on me, but I shall send you to do the exact opposite. You shall spy on Sitri and report back to me. Become a double-spy and follow my commands.”
“······.”
“I advise that you do not even dream of betraying me. If I meet an untimely demise, then a rather interesting last will will be sent to Her Excellency Barbatos and Her Highness Paimon. I was considerate enough to make it so that even you, Chief, will be able to enjoy yourself to the fullest along with everyone else. You will also gradually come to know of this, but despite my looks, I am quite the considerate man.”
“This one has no questions, Your Highness······.”
“Tonight, the Crescent Alliance will withdraw.”
Without a sound.
A drop of wax flowed down the side of a candle.
“This has already been decided.”
His Highness Dantalian was smiling broadly.
The light formed a yellow mask on His Highness’ royal visage and trembled.
“Since you had sent that letter to His Excellency Marbas so soon, our schedule has gone awry.”
“······.”
“At this rate, we will have to face against the main force of the Crusaders and the dispatched troops of the Neutral Faction at both our front and rear, but we do not have the time for this.”
“Then how will we persuade the Neutral Faction······?”
“Is there a reason for us to appease the Neutral Faction in a deliberately swift fashion?”
“Pardon?”
“Allow the Crusaders to chase after us from behind and also allow Marbas to be filled with wrath and try to interfere with our retreat.”
“······?”
I also tilted my head at the words His Highness had just spoken.
For him to say that we had no reason to appease the Neutral Faction in a deliberately swift fashion. What did this mean? His Highness made an ambiguous smile and turned to look at me.
“Lapis. How about you try answering instead?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Starting from now, try thinking from a different perspective. Our present situation appears urgent because we are trapped in our own shoes. Now consider the enemies’ points of view. Which side is currently in more of a rush?”
“······.”
I see.
“For Marbas, a purge had occurred in the main force during his absence. Would Marbas not be in a hurry due to this? For Elizabeth, she still does not know the intention behind our purge. Therefore, would Elizabeth not be in a rush?”
I could feel my eyes narrowing.
“Our forces are busy and their forces are busy as well, however, speed is always bound to be relative. Their forces are presumably more in a rush than our own.”
“That is correct. Lapis. In situations like this, what would be the appropriate way to act?”
I thought for a moment before answering.
“······Pacifying the Neutral Faction is, of course, important. However, it is not as important as pushing our enemies into a state of confusion. Persuasion is something that can be pushed aside for later. In our present situation, our forces must focus on throwing the situation further into chaos.”
This was it.
This is the answer that I had come to. In short, chaos.
Excluding our own forces, we have to impose a battle of speed in order to prevent any of the groups from recovering their senses. By doing so, we will cause a greater state of confusion. By withdrawing before even a day can pass after we had carried out our purge, and by crossing over the Black Mountains within several days after having decided the retreat, we will push ahead and stab all of the Demon Lords who had betrayed our kind.
An unprecedented battle of speed.
That was the sole thing which the Crescent Alliance should be aiming at achieving.
What Lord Dantalian had pointed out is correct. Both the Imperial Princess of the Empire and Marbas of the Neutral Faction had reacted faster than expected, but why does that matter?
There is no reason for us to be more panicked than necessary in our current plight. Essentially, the disconcerted side is theirs and not ours. We have the initiative. They will justly fear our latent energy as we were able to carry out our purge this quickly and this neatly.
We absolutely cannot lose this initiative.
In war, initiatives are secured solely through speed battles. The Imperial Princess of the Empire and Demon Lord Marbas are veterans. If we allow them to have even a moment of time, then they will immediately grasp the situation and attempt to steal the initiative. Time. It was solely a fight of time.
It was most likely because I had given the correct answer. His Highness grinned splendidly like a blooming poisonous plant.
“As expected of my love. That is so. Our forces will retreat immediately.”
I responded.
“As it so happens, the Imperial Princess had decided to clean out her own army, so a small panic has also occurred in the army of the Crusaders. The army which the Imperial Princess leads will become stronger. However, that is a strength that will come a day after. Our current situation is to deal with our aftermath, but this is actually an opportunity for us.”
Lord Dantalian then asked.
“Good. Truly remarkable. Lapis, what should be done in order for us to add a day onto the enemy and turn their one day into two?”
I answered.
“Shift the day which our forces are currently dealing with onto them. Our forces are currently executing the common soldiers of the seven Demon Lords, but it is troublesome. Killing is also a painstaking task. While sparing the common soldiers and leaving them behind in the military encampment, the rest of us shall leave.”
The candlelight swayed.
“Aha! For the Crusaders, this would be like a bunch of free exploits had fallen from the sky. An opportunity for them to obtain quite the number of enemy heads without having to shed a single drop of blood. During this war, if you exclude the Habsburg Empire, the Crusaders have fought quite pitifully. Would the other countries not be thirsty for exploits? This would be no different to a waterhole appearing before them while they are parched.”
The light flickered.
“Yes. They will undoubtedly become blinded. Although the Imperial Princess may see through the fact that this is all a trap, it does not matter. The Imperial Princess is the one who had obtained a monopoly of all of the glory by using the troops of the other nations. The other commanders are without a doubt jealous of the Imperial Princess. The time for them to pay the price for jealousy has now come.”
His Highness met his lips with mine.
“The enemy will become divided.” (Dantalian)
I met my gaze with His Highness’.
“The enemy will become weaker.” (Lapis Lazuli)
His Highness and I, for a long moment, overlapped our breaths with the sound of the other’s breathing. Lips slipped on lips and a moan went obliquely astray. Within the air where the candlelight was swaying, we held our breaths for some time. A senile vampire was staring at us, but it did not particularly matter. If a couple were to be concerned about the watchful eyes of their slave, then how would they possibly sleep together?
His Highness and I whispered to one another as if we were fornicating with our voices.
“Since our forces will have to push ahead, it will not be an easy path.”
“Our soldiers will have to march as lightly as possible.”
“How should we handle the provisions? I am not sure who, but would it not be difficult for you if we do not have a separate person to handle the supplies?”
“Yes. Although this one is not sure who.”
And then.
Without the need to say who was first.
His Highness and I turned our heads and looked down at the vampire who was kneeling on the floor. We stared at the top chief who had the most important role whenever the supply lines of the entire Crescent Alliance are pillaged. We gazed, at the person who had just recently become His Highness’ slave.
“······.”
The vampire received my and His Highness’ gaze in silence. Even though he had witnessed the sight of one of the most sacred individuals in all of demonkind mix together with one of the lowliest, the vampire solely had a wretched complexion. It is most likely because he understands his position.
Chief Lodbrok lowered himself even further and yielded with a voice that the defeated had to have.
“Give this one your command, Your Highness. This one shall obey.”
It is late in the night.
The candlelight spread a crimson color over the low breathing sound of the witches, and the sound of Lady Farnese sleeping with gentle gasps flared out faintly.
While listening to the breathing of the shadows flowing in the night, I believed that this will be a long night.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 11 Polles, Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance
Witch. Illegitimate child. Outcast.
They are all I have. I am all they have. Since a place where the only thing everyone had was the people around them, was a place that was strong on the inside, there was no way that it could fall apart. Similar to a flame that burned as a single mass no matter how many times you broke it apart, we were one. In the end, all we needed was a small pile of wood. And a certain amount of darkness.
Elizabeth. Sitri. Marbas. They were all obstacles that were complicated to deal with. Dealing with them one person at a time would be endless and boundless.
Therefore, let us burn them all at once.
“Are you done with your preparations?”
It was the end of the night before dawn could completely approach.
I put on my coat and exited the tent. In the wide open space where the executions had been taking place, Barbatos was standing there while chewing on an apple.
It wasn’t just Barbatos.
There was also a bunch from the Plains Faction and the Mountain Faction who had avoided the purge······. There were no traitors here. Everyone here was either loyal to the blaze known as Barbatos or dedicated to the flame known as Paimon.
They roared at their units and lined them up.
— Stop making a racket, you punks. If you were ordered to do something, then do it. What’s with all these complaints? Don’t make me whip your buttocks······.
— Are you hungry for breakfast? All right. If someone finishes their preparations slower than the Mountain Faction, then I will behead that person and personally perform an ancestral rite for them, so if you wish to eat memorial service food, then keep whining······.
The soldiers had wound up moving before dawn could arrive, so they were sluggish here and there. However, I could see with my own eyes that their limbs were gradually becoming swifter. Everything was proceeding smoothly.
I spoke.
“Your Excellency. My unit has finished preparations.”
“Good.”
Barbatos grinned.
“Our Sir Dantalian, whose profound plot and lofty stratagem can cause both the heaven and earth to tremble, I acknowledge your annoyingness and somewhat acknowledge the brightness of your noggin. However, military affairs isn’t something that can be easily managed with just your head. We will now be marching vigorously for an entire week. In the end, will deadwood like you be able to follow us without getting exhausted?”
I shrugged.
“I have already experienced this sort of rigorous marching back when I was coming to Your Excellency’s rescue, but it turned out to be nothing special.”
“See? He’s an annoying son of a bitch.”
Barbatos burst into laughter.
Beside her, Paimon was covering her mouth with her fan. As these two Demon Lords respectively had pure, silvery white hair and red hair that was as crimson as blood, their figures could be clearly distinguished even during the night.
At that moment, a crow cried out from somewhere and flew up into the pitch black night sky. The crow flapped its wings above the area where the torches of the military camp could reach.
I let out an ‘Ah’ sound and spoke towards Barbatos.
“Your Excellency.”
“Hm?”
“Please kill that crow.”
Barbatos munched on her apple.
“Why?”
“It is a trifling creature which a spy had sent.”
Snap.
Barbatos snapped her fingers the moment I had finished that sentence. The sound of the air itself being split grew distant in an instant before lightly brushing through the air the crow was in. The crow sprayed black blood as it fell somewhere. Barbatos gave an order to her Royal Guards.
“Find it and bring it here.”
The soldiers brought the corpse of the crow and presented it to us around the time Barbatos had finished eating her apple and had tossed the core. There was nothing tied around the crow’s ankles. Barbatos looked at me.
“There’s nothing?”
I took out a dagger and cut its belly open. Brown and blue colors were mixed together in its entrails. I dug through it and cut its stomach open. There was something inside of the stomach. I grabbed it with my fingers and showed it to the two corps commanders.
It was a note that was folded many times over.
“Heeh······.”
“Oh dear.”
Barbatos and Paimon both leaned in to look at the note with interested looks on their faces. The note was small, so it only contained a single line. The handwriting was ugly so it was clear that the writer had written this desperately.
Month 4, Day 11. Midnight. Crescent Alliance, preparing to withdraw.
Barbatos smirked.
“We’ve taken care of the traitors, but now it’s spies. The state of this person’s army must be quite remarkable. Haa, I have no idea what hope I’m trying to bask in by going to war with these things.”
“A monarch is an ocean, Barbatos. You have to indiscriminately accept even the murky streams of the people.”
“Just like your crotch?”
“Are those actually the only words that have been inputted into your brain?”
“I don’t know. Fuck. What do you expect me to do when curses come out all on their own whenever I see your face? Either change your face or take responsibility for my death. I know. You can’t do either, right? Just take the curses.”
Even while Barbatos and Paimon were spitting out the dawn air into the heart of the night, the troops had started to gradually become more in line. The sound of metal and footsteps pushed their way into the air. The banners that represented each respective Demon Lord swayed in an orderly manner. Rank 12th Sitri, Rank 13th Beleth, Rank 16th Zepar······.
Paimon spoke.
“This lady cannot believe that there was even once a time where she had had intercourse with you. With what belief did this lady ever consider you to be even remotely charming······.”
“What a coincidence. The same goes for me too.”
A couple of servants brought a bottle of wine and a pair of wine glasses to Barbatos. Barbatos poured a single glass and handed it to Paimon. Red wine. Before going to a large war, Demon Lords would always drink wine that is as red as blood in order to substitute formalities.
“So let’s go together, you fucking bitch.”
In the center of the troops. Barbatos’ Royal Guards raised their banners. In the sky, where the sun had yet to sprout, the torches acted in the sun’s stead and released a small gleam of light, and in that spot where the light illuminated was the maxim which Barbatos had formerly written fluttering in the wind.
Cultivate with my blood.
Befitting the supreme ruler who had declared she would present extensive plains to demonkind, it was arrogant. Barbatos was holding out the glass to Paimon.
Paimon lowered her fan and let out a sigh. She received the glass and slightly lowered her back. She then linked arms with Barbatos and———held the wine in her mouth. The two Demon Lords who had once vowed that they would live solely as enemies and die solely as enemies have, at this very moment, shared a glass that signified their renewed blood alliance.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_02_03.txt
|
Chapter 2: Disimprison
I wonder if they had awaited solely this vow. The single group of flag bearers that followed Paimon raised their banners high.
Glory.
Perpetuity.
Eternity.
Make glory perpetual and bask in eternity.
Befitting the supreme ruler who had promised the demon continent eternal peace, it was a haughty maxim. Once Barbatos and Paimon had raised their banners, similar to when a signal fire is lit and the other signal fires on a mountain range follow suit, the other Demon Lords raised their banners wholly according to their ranks.
Our devotion is for her······
My wrath is larger than your fear······
Thou shall ask after the enemy······
All at once, the soldiers threw their torches on the ground and extinguished them. Darkness enveloped the world. It was still deep in the night, and as all of the flames to kindle the deep night had been extinguished, everything became silent. The instant the flames had disappeared, the maxims which the banners were proudly displaying were all plunged into darkness. The banners were extinguished and only their outlines remained in the darkness.
And then, after several dozen banners.
Since my banner was the final signal fire, it was the final banner to waver as an outline. It was deep in the night. Since it was shrouded in darkness, I had no way to see the words written on my banner. However, why would that matter?
During this war, I have constantly faced against things that I could not see. As long as this war was my war, this world was also my world, and that banner will command this and that side of the Black Mountains as solely my banner. Similar to how I am able to figure out many things despite being unable to see them, I knew the words that were fixated there.
Authority for blood.
Blood for authority.
Like a fire that burned as a single flame even if it were separated into many parts.
Even when Barbatos and Paimon argued heavily, the expedition of the Crescent Alliance continued. There was no need to even say it now since they have joined hands. We were strong. And we shall burn even stronger.
Barbatos spoke as she sipped the wine.
“One day, one of us will probably die.”
Paimon spoke.
“We will die eventually anyway. This is an undeniable fact.”
“Did you know? The way you or I will die has roughly been determined. If you die, then you will do so by my hands, and if I die, then I will do so by your hands. We have a relationship that has determined how the other will die.”
“So what? That is similar to the line which you had said to this lady 500 years ago when you had confessed to me.”
“No, I was just curious. As I said, if we die, then we will do so by each other’s hands, and as you had said, we’re going to die anyway. If that’s the case, then think about it. If I end up being the one to remain, then wouldn’t that mean I’ll be killed by someone other than you? Who would that be?”
Barbatos smiled.
“If it’s not you, then I wonder who’s going to end up killing me. I can’t imagine myself being killed by anyone other than you. The fact that it can’t be imagined, the fact that it can’t be predicted. Isn’t this the biggest problem for people like us? Hey. Paimon. Can you imagine it?”
Paimon beamed.
“Stop talking bullshit and just drink the alcohol.”
“Haa, bitch. We don’t understand each other.”
Slowly.
The two Demon Lords emptied their wine glasses.
The Demon Lords threw their glasses on the ground and shattered them at the same time. The glass broke into a million pieces and scattered. Boisterously. Irreversibly. The wine which represented blood will go into their respective prayers and linger. Since the glasses were shattered and they had lost their way back, the vow was eternal.
“Well, whatever. Now then······.”
Barbatos took out a piece of parchment. It was the letter that was sent by Marbas. Once Barbatos held the letter tightly in one hand, a wavering that was like a pure white blizzard burst out and reduced the piece of parchment to ashes in an instant.
Yes.
We are simply going to ignore this letter.
Whether Elizabeth pursues us or Marbas blocks our path, let them do what they want. We shall ignore them all and return deep into the Black Mountains. Pursue us and try to block us as much as you want.
Demon Lord Barbatos, the girl who always lived as the fiercest flame grinned.
“———Shall we go home, you dogs?”
Now then.
Let us dance.
▯Kinslayer, Imperial Princess of the Empire, Elizabeth von Habsburg Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 11 Polles, Bruno Plains, Army of the Crusaders
Our military encampment had become disorderly at night and we had beheaded twenty-two harlots. Seven small-fry administrators were made to disembowel themselves and two hundred forty-seven soldiers were burned alive. Once we had captured the two common soldiers who had escaped and dismembered them, the disorder in our army had vanished. A late spring fog had settled at dawn.
“······.”
It was quiet.
It was excessively silent.
Since a purge had started yesterday evening in the army of the Crescent Alliance, it was only appropriate for a couple of crows to have flown over here by now and given us the news about the aftermath. However, the only sound that could be heard was from the birds that lived in the wild. There was not even a single crow flying over from the other side of the Bruno Plains.
On the open ground where the heads of the harlots were hung and the soldiers were burned to death, the priests sang all at once.
— Forgive them. Forgive them. O Goddess of All who resides in the clearest of skies, please do not toss away these deeply sinful children even if they rise up. We shall look into their deep sins and devote our lives to allowing their souls to pass on. Watch over the heavens with mercy and magnanimity. Please forgive them, please forgive them. Please take in the souls of heaven with the mercy of heaven······.
All of a sudden, the silence felt ominous.
When it is silent on all four sides and you are unable to grasp anything, there are people who favor that silence and there are people who are hostile towards it. I am a personage who always prefers the latter.
I ordered my commanders.
“Send in our scouts. Send them close. Since the morning fog is thick, it will be difficult to carry out espionage. Reconnoiter closely, but do so while crawling on the floor and not on horseback.”
“What should we tell them to scout for?”
“Anything.”
Once the time it takes to have a single meal had passed, the scouts returned.
“We could not see anything, Your Highness. Loud shouting and screams could occasionally be heard, but we could not hear anything more than that. Although we could not see properly due to the fog, it appears that the enemy’s camp and wooden fences are still sound.”
“How close did you go to scout?”
“We had crawled just close enough to be barely in the firing range of the enemy crossbows.”
“Go further. Go further in and report back to me.”
Another feeling of unease was added onto my heart. The scouts returned after taking twice the amount of time than previously.
“Your Highness. We could not see anything. There are no enemy guards in their watchtowers. There are torches burning in each watchtower, but there is no enemy soldier looking after the fire, so it is extremely bizarre. The fog is indeed severe, but once we peered between the narrow gaps of the wooden fences, we were somewhat able to make out the enemy’s border area. There was no one wandering around the outskirts.”
“Were there even no patrols?”
“Yes.”
“Were you still able to hear the shouts and screams?”
“Yes.”
“Go in further. Climb over the fences and scout even the enemy camp. If it feels as if there are no obstacles, then go in deeply and take a look around. I shall allow you to go on horseback. I shall leave it to you guys, so move at your own discretion.”
The ominous feeling continued to stack and stack until it eventually blackened my heart.
The sound of Demon Lord Dantalian laughing softly attached to that blackness like a scab. ······Did that man. Did they. Around the time an ember had sparked and was about to engulf my heart in flames, the scouts returned after a very long period of time.
“Your Highness. In the center of the enemy camp, there were corpses lined up and common soldiers, the numbers of which reach up to nearly the thousands, bound in either chains or tied up by ropes. They were all groaning as they had fallen into a pit. They are not prisoners from our side, but solely demonkind. We had gone through a couple of the enemy quarters, but there was no one. There were several scarecrows awkwardly looming over the wooden fences and the torches were all burning, but that was it. Other than that, there was some tower of skulls that was piled up high, but other than that, nothing else could be seen.”
“Is there truly nothing at all?”
“Yes.”
The commanders looked at each other with perplexed faces. It was then that the ominous feeling which was licking at only my heart had seeped out and flowed into the mouths of the commanders. The commanders carefully glanced at me.
“Your Highness. We cannot lower our guards. The enemy may be using a deceitful tactic in order to draw us in······.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“They have run away.”
“······.”
“Inform the other armies of the fact that the enemy has retreated. We must tell them quickly. Inform them that the Imperial Princess of Habsburg wishes to have a conference with them.”
The group of priests was still performing their memorial service within the military encampment. While ringing their handbells, they conveyed their hymn past the fog which the eyes of the people could not see through. Since the deaths of humans were an urgent situation to the priests, it seems they had to notify the world of it with their hymn and bells.
— Forgive them, please forgive them. Even if these children do not know the depths of their sins, please do not cast them away. We shall bury these children, so, O Goddess of All, if there is a soul which we were unable to entomb, then please nurse them in Heaven. Please bestow upon us your benevolence. Forgive them, please forgive them······.
Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 11.
The army of the Crescent Alliance is retreating.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_03_01.txt
|
Chapter 3: Hell
“———Look here, Your Lordship.”
It happened late in the night.
We were making our way through a woodland path. Farnese, who had been marching as the spearhead of our troops, steered her warhorse towards my direction. She dismounted from her horse and pushed something out towards me. It was dark, so I could not see properly. Whatever she had in her hands looked similar to rubbish or gunk.
Once I examined it a bit more carefully, I realized that it was a kitten.
“Its life has been injured.”
To be exact, a dying kitten.
Half of the kitten, the other half of which having already declined into being a corpse, was also diving into the River Styx minute by minute. I wonder what sort of terrifying beast had gotten to this little critter. Despite it being late in the night, the sight of its internal organs oozing out from between the cracks of its injuries was being shown without any mosaics.
Speaking of no mosaics.
In this world, things such as adult videos, a modern convenience that is also referred to as porn, obviously did not exist.
According to the classification of sociology, a society where porn has yet to be invented was, at most, nothing more than a society that was on the border of being referred to as primitive. Despite my looks, I am also one of the Demon Lords who represent demonkind, so is this situation not woeful? This great one has the duty of enlightening these barbarians as quickly as possible.
I had immediately gone into action.
Among the many magic tools, there was an item that recorded the scenery before it. The high-priced commodity known as the Memoria Artifact was an item which had a bad past record with me as it had screwed me over on various occasions. I had utilized this. The price was disgustingly high, but who cares? The billions of perverts of the past, present, and future all combined were cheering me on, I was certain of this.
That was why I had filmed it. The several times where I had slept together with either Barbatos or Lapis. In secret, without having received any sort of prior agreement with them.
And.
‘What is this, Your Highness?’
The very first adult video in the world was discovered in less than half a month since it had been completed.
‘Calm down, Lapis. Compose yourself and listen to my explanation. Even you will end up praising this lofty invention.’
‘Interesting.’
Lapis nodded. Fortunately, there were no signs that showed that she was upset. As expected of my lover who boasted a coldness that lasted all year round.
I harbored hope. If it’s Lapis, then she would definitely appraise this item accurately for its political value.
‘However, before listening to Your Highness’ explanation, there is something this one wishes to talk about. Your Highness, this is a rather serious topic.’
‘All right. Ask me anything. Be it the influence this invention will have in the world from now on, or the impact it will have on the continent———.’
‘Give this one at least a single reason why she should not kill Your Highness right this instant.’
She was incredibly pissed off.
I completely ignored something like my honor or whatever and prostrated. Everything was my wrongdoing and crime. In particular, the fact that I did not receive her consent was most likely the worst part.
The artifact that contained Lapis was disposed of on the spot without debate. In the end, I had forever lost the opportunity to leave my name in the history books of mankind as the founder of adult videos······. “Your Lordship.”
And then, Farnese called out to me who had become lost in thought about the lack of mosaics.
“Why are you suddenly staring out into empty space with eyes that appear as if they had given up on everything in the world? Has Your Lordship’s brain perhaps become vacant? Hurry up and heal this life.”
Heal?
The cat’s breathing was nearly at its end. At the soonest, within 30 seconds. At the latest, its life will most likely come to a complete halt in less than 3 minutes.
I had also just sent the witches out on a reconnaissance mission. Even if I were to call them back in order to make them heal this critter, there would not be enough time. As this was a fact which anyone could tell simply by looking at the kitten, Farnese surely was not unaware of this either. Despite that.
“This young lady wishes to save it.”
Farnese looked straight up at my face.
When we had entered the Crescent Alliance and carried out an opening ceremony for our newly enlisted soldiers, you were the one who had personally cut down the miserable pack of dogs which you had cherished and raised with care, so how could you be opening your heart to the death of a kitten which you have no connection with······I, did not ask her this.
Through war, you have taken the lives of others repeatedly. Just the number of common soldiers you have slaughtered already reaches the tens of thousands, so what is your intention behind now referring to a single kitten as a life and requesting me to save it······I, did not inquire this.
Even now, the kitten’s wound is causing it to languish and suffer eternally so, if anything, the kitten would be better off if you put it out of its misery with your own two hands. What do you think about carrying that small life, putting it in your memory, and holding a funeral for it within your mind······I, did not give her this piece of advice either.
I waited.
“Your Lordship?”
Farnese tilted her head.
“Your Lordship.”
Farnese expressionlessly looked down at the kitten held in her arms and then gazed up at my face, she then repeated this motion over and over again, until eventually, an entire minute had passed. The kitten had a small head. Before long, the faint breathing of the small creature stopped. Once the breathing stopped, Farnese’s gaze also got caught there and paused.
“······.”
I slowly got down from my horse. Since I had not given the soldiers a separate military command, they forked around the two of us and continued their march. Dirt continued to crumble underneath the feet of the soldiers.
I knelt down before Farnese’s feet.
I sat up straight.
I then lowered my head all the way to the ground.
“I am sorry.”
“······.”
“The reconnaissance mission was urgent. I had temporarily sent all of the witches out. It was my decision. I did not predict that something like this might occur.”
The soldiers passed by us and continued to advance. I could tell because of the footsteps that were shaking the dark ground around me.
Although the footsteps occasionally hesitated and tried to stop next to me at times, the footsteps had no other choice but to continue onward because of the marching of the comrades behind them. From time to time, instead of footsteps, the low sound of whispering could be heard as well. I left those alone and allowed them to pass by.
“Why.”
I heard Farnese’s voice after a very long pause.
“Why are you apologizing, Your Lordship?”
“Due to my decision, you were unable to save a life.”
“It is a coincidence. Is there responsibility in a place where there are no intentions? How can an apology be spoken in a place with no responsibility? Sending witches on a reconnaissance mission is an everyday occurrence in military affairs. On the other hand, trying to save the life of a small critter is not related to military affairs at all. As Your Lordship’s general, this young lady is a personage who carries out the military affairs of a general. Rather than Your Lordship, would it not be appropriate for Your Lordship to reprimand this young lady for being unfaithful to her military duties?”
“I would have admonished you if you had requested that of me as a general. However, did you not come to me merely as a child with hope?”
“······.”
“Currently, the witches are unable to utilize their familiars too much. This is also an order that I had given to them the other day. Because they do not have enough familiars to use as scouts, the witches have to personally fly up into the night sky. I am sorry.”
I could vaguely hear the sound of a war song coming from the line further ahead of ours.
Uhu uhu······ like that, the soldiers attempted to alleviate their struggles from marching throughout the night by singing. Since our forces were making their way out of the woodland path, the singing easily mixed together with the sound of the wind that flowed through the forest. Woosh······ uhu rya······. The song which mixed together the sounds of the wind and forest sounded more like the disconsolate cries of a feathered creature or a wild beast than the sound of a person.
“Why does Your Lordship have to apologize?”
“Because I am your lord.”
Farnese spoke.
“And is it because Your Lordship considers this young lady to be your daughter?”
“And because I have taken you in as my adopted daughter.”
“This young lady understands.”
Farnese laid something down beside my head. It was the kitten’s dead body. The internal organs which the kitten could not completely let out while it was dying were finally all released once the kitten had died. Like so, because the distinction between the inside and the outside was gone, the kitten was now going to return to the soil.
“This young lady wishes to forgive Your Lordship.”
Farnese sat up straight with my head held in her hands. As she stretched her knees and stood up, she lifted up my body as well. Farnese stroked my cheek.
“So this young lady shall forgive you. Father.”
“······.”
I was forgiven.
I gazed down at the life that had ended and spoke.
“Child, are you not going to create a grave and give it a burial?”
“What are you talking about, Your Lordship? What a weird thing to say.”
Farnese pointed towards the kitten’s dead body, the soil which the dead body was placed on.
“Did this young lady not bury it in this world just now?”
The child was smiling brightly.
I stayed silent for a moment while I stood before Farnese who now knew how to smile well.
When I looked around, the soldiers were marching.
Similar to a bunch of will-o’-the-wisps heading towards the afterlife, tens of thousands of soldiers were illuminating the night sky with the torches held in their hands. The radiant torches connected with one another and further intensified the illumination. The shadows shone by the torches easily hummed war songs.
It was a barbaric scene. Many of the goblins snickered while they moved their bodies around. Whenever the wolf people at the front of the formation raised their maws and howled, the wolf people behind them would follow suit, causing the military march to be lengthily connected by howls. The shadows danced and howled on the roadside.
Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.[1] These words automatically came to my head.
Farnese spoke.
“I see that demons have quite the amount of nocturnal habits since they are not growing weary during a night march.”
“Even if nocturnal habits are a part of their physiology, does that make a march any easier? They are most likely joyous because they are returning home. The soldiers who leave on an expedition always welcome the order to go home the most.”
“Surely. If that is the case, then that would mean that the soldiers without a home would be less joyous.”
“That is so. We have a long way to go. Let us go quickly.”
We remounted our horses and grabbed onto their reigns.
If one were to turn around, then you would no longer be able to see the outline of your home.
▯Kinslayer, Imperial Princess of the Empire, Elizabeth von Habsburg Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 11 Polles, Bruno Plains, Army of the Crusaders
Our army led our soldiers and approached the enemy encampment. It was quiet. The enemy troops that should have come out to oppose us were nowhere to be seen, but instead, only a dreary atmosphere loomed over the camp.
“······.”
“······.”
Since the nobles were strangers to this sort of bleakness, they did not utter a single word even as they scoured the enemy base while on horseback. Even though this was the very enemy base which they wanted to crush and destroy so much, now that they were actually here, there was nothing to crush or destroy. One of the nobles simply pointed at the lofty tower of human bones that was located in the center of the enemy camp once they noticed it.
“What exactly is that supposed to be? How bizarre.”
“That is a tower which the enemy general, Farnese, had collected and piled up.”
I answered. The enemy general was not considered as a noble since she had been sold as a slave and had murdered her own biological father. Perhaps she was not even considered as human.
“They all appear like skulls in my eyes.”
“Be grateful that your eye sockets are healthy. That is a tower made solely from the skulls of humans.”
“······.”
“I heard that the enemy general has a hobby of beheading humans, skinning their heads, and making them a part of her eternal collection if they are to her liking.”
We brought our horses close to the tower of skulls. The sky was low since the fog had yet to recede, so the tower was tearing into the center of the low sky.
The nobles murmured. Their voices were filled with fear.
“Was the enemy general not a youngster who was clearly either 17 or 18 years old?”
“A 17-year-old girl with beautiful blonde hair. With her charming beauty, she would have received a lot of adoration if she were to have gone to social circles.”
The nobles went silent.
“Is there a problem, noblemen?”
The ones who could not stay silent vomited at the feet of the tower of skulls.
In the place where the Demon Lords must have rested as recently as yesterday, the leading figures of the Crusaders held an emergency meeting.
— The enemy has evaporated.
With the current situation of the Crescent Alliance having abruptly retreated before them, this is what the nobles had declared. That they evaporated. Because the way the nobles played with their words was foolish, I slowly knitted my brows.
“The word you noblemen are using is unusual. The enemy forces did not disappear spontaneously after being here for a moment. They have led their troops towards the opposite end of the Bruno Plains. Therefore, it would be correct to refer to this as a retreat and not an evaporation.”
“Your Highness, regardless of whether you refer to this as a retreat or an evaporation, is this still not a peculiar occurrence?”
“Sir, since your breath still reeks of vomit, I suggest you go and wash your mouth out first. Once you have washed it out, do it once more. I am unsure as to whether you have always had a foul breath or not, but your breath is severely rancid at the moment. It is making me dizzy.”
“Pardon······?”
“Could it be that your wife has to smell this stench every morning? Your wife’s mornings must be quite blessed now that you are out on a distant battlefield. Since you are gifting happiness to your wife even while a long distance away, you are indeed worthy enough to be known as a model husband throughout all ages. Please give my regards to your wife.”
“······.”
Shortly after, the noble returned.
The imperial family of the Habsburg Empire is no different to a rotten pile of garbage among piles of garbage as their basis is in incest and they have also made a side-branch in adultery, but there is a single good thing about being born there as the imperial princess, and that is the fact that I am able to freely berate aristocrats. I am not boasting, but I am an imperial family member that has a lot of expertise in berating nobles.
Once we had thoroughly investigated the enemy camp, the day had already become dark. Soldiers were illuminating the surroundings of the meeting room with their torches.
“······What should we do now?”
A noble from the Republic of Batavia opened his mouth.
“I was dispatched from my country after being given the order to defend the Bruno Plains at any cost. If the demons have given up on the plains and retreated, then regardless of any military merits, I have already performed my duty faithfully.”
“With all due respect, but that is the same for this major general as well.”
A young duke from the Empire of Francia continued.
“The royal command His Highness had given to this major general was to protect the humankind that resides beneath the plains. If the enemy has retreated, then would that not mean that they had run away to the other side of the Black Mountains? There is no humankind there that this major general has to protect. No, it would be troubling if there were······.”
The young duke let out a sigh as he shrugged his shoulder. The other nobles chuckled.
Hoh.
I raised the corners of my mouth.
“I have no idea what you noblemen are saying. The enemy forces have urgently retreated in the middle of the night. How large were their forces? Were they not lacking a little under a hundred thousand? An army of a hundred thousand had curled their tails between their legs and retreated, so how could they possibly be in good order?”
“······Nevertheless, Your Highness. Even if they are no longer in good order, their military strength is still a hundred thousand. If they take thirty thousand from that hundred thousand and attach those troops at their rear, then breaking through that would be an incredibly strenuous task.”
“Are you now trying to make me laugh to death? If someone else were to hear you, then they would most likely assume that our military strength is only twenty thousand and not a hundred thousand. Whether the enemy forces make thirty thousand troops defend their rear or situate fifty thousand troops at their rear, why would that matter? All we have to do is sweep their troops and overwhelm them in a single moment. I am asking you all this just in case, but noblemen.”
“······.”
“Are you perhaps afraid?”
Silence.
I looked around.
All of the nobles avoided my gaze.
It was strange, so I rephrased my words.
“I asked you all. Are you noblemen trying to take it easy because you are afraid of Farnese, the enemy general?”
“······.”
Aha.
These noblemen were trembling.
It has only been a couple of days since our entire army of a hundred thousand had been toyed with by the seven thousand troops led by Farnese. Their memories of that day were still clotting their hearts with fear. These fellows who respectively claimed to be generals and boasted about being knights were quite the impressive sight.
“The other day, I had rescued you noblemen from a crisis. Since the crisis of that day was a crisis where your lives were on the line, you could say that I had saved your lives. The person who had saved you is now commanding you to pursue the enemy. Do you intend to disobey?”
One after the other, the nobles opened their mouths, but they soon shut them. They repeated this several times until eventually, they all began to speak indiscriminately.
— The favor which Your Highness, the Honorable Imperial Princess of Habsburg, had done for us is so deep that there is no true path of paying back our debts, however, Your Highness is not this major general’s king. If the order from this major general’s own country and Your Highness’ order were to go in the same direction, then this major general would more than gladly obey Your Highness’ commands, but in a situation like this······.
— Your Highness, and my fellow noblemen. I am ashamed to be the one to say this, but more than anything else, we must always consider the worst-case scenario. What will we do if this were all simply a stratagem to lure us into desperately pursuing after them······?”
— The general is right. If the enemies are not defending themselves with twenty or fifty thousand soldiers, but instead, they are protecting themselves with all one-hundred thousand of their troops, and by that, if we are not the ones in pursuit but are actually the ones being lured into an ambush······.
— This one apologizes to Your Highness, but······.
— We are honored, but······.
Words.
Underneath the place where you could clearly see up the tower of skulls, underneath the pitiable skulls that were dead and thus had no eyes in their eye sockets and no mouths in their mouth holes, the nobles continued to speak in a tone that sounded as if it did not matter what they talked about or what they looked at.
“······.”
I slowly shut my eyes. Once they were shut, the blood and guts that were spilled by the corpses during the purge yesterday approached me as a scent. Even though there were a lot of still living demons tied up in the enemy camp, the nobles before me were delighted since they were treating those demons as free exploits of war.
Do they intend to be satisfied with the trash given to us as a free share from the enemy army’s winnings?
Do they intend to behead the prisoners whom the enemy had left behind as a contribution and use them as exploits? If they split this up among the nations here, then each nation would be able to take several hundreds. If they hang up the hundreds of demon heads and return triumphantly to their own countries with them, then it would make for quite the pathetic pretext. Instead of trying to win as defeated dogs, these men were already desperately trying to not be defeated······.
Fools.
They were looking down on the people.
The soldiers you are returning to your countries with are no longer simple soldiers, but germs that have been infected by Dantalian’s poison.
Even if only one out of ten soldiers possessed the booklet with the speech written on it, that will spread to a hundred once they return to their homelands. That hundred will infect a thousand and it will run as rampant as the Black Death. Are the emperors and kings whom you all serve good and wise kings? We are currently in a turbulent period where revolts occur even when there are no epidemics, but do you believe that you can prevent those flames? With what courage are you trying to hold onto the flames which you are unable to block with even your bodies?
There is no other choice but to place an even bigger flame down.
I opened my eyes.
“You are all noisy. Stop babbling wantonly and give me a short answer. Those of you who will obey my military command and pursue the enemies, quietly raise your hands. The rest of you, shut up.”
“······.”
The useless words naturally subsided.
While the majority of them kept their mouths shut, hands started to go up by ones and twos.
The General of the Kingdom of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Grand Master of the Kingdom of Teuton, and the mercenary captain who was working for the army of the Kingdom of Brittany, but was left in a vague situation as the queen had returned to her home country······.
Good. With these three people combined, we will just barely have a military strength of about thirty thousand. The three of them were all nations that had cavalry units, so it was perfect. They most likely raised their hands because they were confident in their ability of pursuit.
“I am the successor of the Habsburg Empire. I am not the successor of the family which you all respectively serve. Will you still heed my commands?”
The General of the Kingdom of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth lowered his head.
“Since you have saved my life once, I shall devote my life to you once.”
The Grand Master of the Kingdom of Teuton put his helmet on.
“Our king had ordered us to put an end to as many demons as possible. As the major general, this is in spite of myself, but it appears that joining forces with Your Highness the Imperial Princess is the correct path to carry out our king’s royal command.”
The mercenary captain lowered his back slightly.
“Her Highness the Queen of Brittany had left without giving us the rest of our pay. I am only saying this because she is not present, but she is deplorable to a certain degree. If she were not present in this world entirely, then I would have said that she is really deplorable, but since she still resides in this life, I have to practice good manners. I heard that Your Highness the Imperial Princess provides generous compensations. If Your Highness the Imperial Princess pays the remaining half of our backed pay, then we will follow your orders.”
I nodded.
“Not bad. Since a person who knows honor, a person who knows loyalty, and a person who knows money have gathered here, with just us alone, we can easily rival the strength of a single nation. I order you, noblemen, to pursue.”
I then turned to look at the dogs and hogs that did not raise their hands.
“You all can rest easy here. It seems that there is no reason for me to tell you all to know shame. As there are expectations one should have towards others and expectations one should not have towards others, would telling you all that you are barefaced not be a part of the latter?”
“······.”
“Regardless, there is a trivial request which I would like to ask you all. Share with each of us one of your banners. I know. It is a difficult request to heed. I shall request something more difficult. Take out one thousand and five hundred of the captured prisoners over there and hand them over to me. If you believe that these are truly difficult requests, then consider these requests as the same value of the lives which I had saved and let us call it quits with these.”
The nobles slowly bowed their heads.
The Grand Master then asked.
“When shall we begin the pursuit?”
I looked across the plains. The night was falling upon us.
I ordered.
“Now.”
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 12 Polles, Army of the Crescent Alliance
A battle of speed. From now on, it was a battle of speed.
In our perspective, the Demon Lords who lived an idle life north of the Black Mountains were traitors, and in their perspective, we were a rebel army. Who the traitors are and who the rebels are, this will most likely be determined by the victors of the war. This was obvious. In order to become victors, we had to cross the Black Mountains and return home as soon as possible.
I spoke.
“Do not be concerned about whether it is day or night and simply continue marching. The armies of the Plains and Mountain Factions withdrawing, in and of itself, is what is important. Do not allow the group of traitors to even call together their soldiers. It should be fine to rest momentarily once you have reached the Black Fortress.”
It was exactly for times like this that I had captured both the Black and White Fortresses.
The bridgehead that was the fastest path to advance into the continent was also the fastest pathway back to one’s mainland. I did not capture this strategic point in order to simply attack the enemy. It was in order to easily receive supplies and also be able to calmly counteract if the situation in the mainland were to ever become problematic. Going through all that arduous effort in order to take the head of Margrave von Rosenberg was worthwhile.
Barbatos spoke.
“I also agree that we should retreat quickly, but what are we going to do about our rear? Dantalian, as you had said, don’t the Crusaders have an imperial princess who was born between a monster and a beast that had incestual relations and interbred?”
“It is fine. I shall do what I can to block the pursuers.”
“Hooh? Do you think you can manage the pursuers all by yourself?”
“If I am to be more exact······. I am incredibly sorry, but among the people here, the only military service member who is capable of managing the Imperial Princess Elizabeth von Habsburg is my acting general. Your Excellency Barbatos. Your Highness Paimon. Asking the two of you to do this would be asking too much.”
“······.”
Even if you glare at me with such dissatisfaction, it cannot be helped. Before it was a matter of ability, it was a matter of talent. The kid, Farnese, had a gift that was capable of grasping battles themselves as melodies. Similar to how there are people who are lunatics since the moment they are born, there are people who are born while possessing these sorts of talents.
“There is also another reason why I must be the one to manage the rear more than anyone else. In the first place, for what reason did Your Excellency Barbatos keep me alive? Is it not because Your Excellency had keenly felt from your previous defeat the fact that it would be difficult for Your Excellency to handle the Imperial Princess of the Empire all by yourself? Since Your Excellency has spared my life, I should be worth my keep.”
“You’re barefaced as well. Why are you the one saying that?”
Barbatos snorted.
“All right. Dantalian. There’s no reason for me to stop you if you’re going to volunteer to take the short stick. Go ahead and try to obstruct the Crusaders’ pursuit with the seven thousand troops you brought with you.”
“······.”
Paimon was looking this way with a worried expression. Her eyes appeared as if they were asking ‘would it really be okay?’ as they also worried about my safety. I smiled slightly.
“This is for the sake of the demon continent. Do not worry, Your Highness.”
“Dantalian······.”
A somewhat moved expression appeared on Paimon’s face.
I could hear the sound of affection points going up in real-time. At this point, my image has most likely been glamorized in Paimon’s head as a schemer who uses any means necessary for the sake of the peace of the demon continent. The comical thing was the fact that she was not excessively far from the point.
“Ah—.”
While Paimon and I were both imagining separate goals, a languid voice came from the side. Once we turned our heads, there was Demon Lord Sitri standing there with her left hand raised.
“Big sis. About that, can I also go to the rear and block the pursuers? The most difficult job in this retreating battle is obstructing those pieces of garbage that are pursuing us, so I feel like it would be shameful if we left that all in the hands of our youngest protege.”
······Again she’s.
Paimon blinked.
“Oh dear. If you say that you are willing to do so, Sitri, then I would naturally feel reassured, but······. Is that all right? Sitri, you should be aware since you have also faced against the Imperial Princess. This will not be an easy task.”
“Ehehe. Well, I’m not exactly going to be stopping her by myself. I’ll be planning together with our protege here and the human girl. That’s okay, right, Skinnybones?”
Sitri looked this way and smiled gently. Her smile was as natural as the fragrance of dirt emitting from a country woman.
“Despite my looks, I’m confident in my fighting ability more than anything else. If we fight together, then I’ll definitely be of some help. Ah. Would I perhaps be a hindrance to you if I’m present?”
“That is not so.”
I bowed my head.
“If Miss Sitri provides this one with her assistance, then it would be like receiving a thousand troops and horses. This one welcomes Your Excellency with open arms.”
Since the Mountain Faction had sent a Demon Lord, the Plains Factions could not stay idle. Among her subordinates, Barbatos sent Rank 16th Demon Lord Zepar. The meeting was adjourned like that.
On my way out after the meeting was over.
Because we had marched throughout the entire day, it was already dark. After resting here momentarily, Barbatos and Paimon will resume their retreat. I gazed at the other side of the sky and imagined the hooves of the enemies that were approaching.
Was the Imperial Princess Elizabeth chasing after us without rest right now? How many troops did she have with her? We had purposely left the prisoners behind. How well did my dissolution tactic work, I wonder······.
The pursuing forces will most likely have less than fifty thousand troops, but more than twenty thousand troops. The imperial army of Habsburg will obviously take part in the pursuit. The other nations I should be anxious about would probably be the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Teuton. Those two nations share their borders with the demon continent after all. No matter the circumstances, those two nations have no other choice but to be hostile towards us······.
If these three nations all participate in the pursuit, then their military strength will reach an astounding number of thirty thousand. This will not be easy. There was no reason for us to wipe out the pursuers. Holding on until Barbatos and Paimon safely cross the Black Mountains. A delaying tactic. That was enough······.
“Seems like you have a lot of thoughts running through your head in various ways, Skinnybones. Why is it that you have a lot on your mind whenever I see you?”
At some point, while I was heading back to my quarters while also in deep thought, Sitri was at my side. I put my thoughts aside and bowed respectfully.
“The Imperial Princess of Habsburg is a terrifying human. The pursuers will be precipitous and tenacious. There is a need for our side to also be fully prepared in order to fight back.”
“Mhm. You have to stubbornly declare that the Imperial Princess is a scary human after all. If you don’t, then no one will forgive someone like a human girl for going around acting like a general. Isn’t that right? The reasons why you should have a head attached to your neck would also decrease.”
“······.”
“You’re really hardworking, Skinnybones. I don’t get bored no matter how much I watch you. Yup. How should I say it? Do you not have that kind of experience? Those times when you absently stare at an ant wiggling around on the ground for no reason whatsoever. That kind of feeling—.”
Ehehe, Sitri laughed.
“Sorry. You wanted to monopolize the exploits by blocking the pursuit by yourself, right? By doing so, you would have been able to raise the reputation of the human girl you bring around with you by that much. But that’s too bad, hm? I can’t sit around and let you monopolize the ball, Skinnybones.”
“Your Highness. I will not deny that I did not have that sort of intention, but······.”
“Yup. It’s not that you didn’t have that sort of intention, but that that was the only intention you had.”
“······.”
“Insects are interesting. Just watching over them is interesting. Why do ants move around like that without taking any breaks? How are honeybees able to easily maneuver when hit by the rain even though they have hair? Why do fireflies live while illuminating their bodies and entice humans by doing so? Although there are times when I get so enthralled while watching these insects that I unconsciously end up sentimentalizing that they are all doing these things in order to make the world beautiful······.”
Whenever the soldiers walked passed the two of us with torches in their hands, they would salute us. We did not receive their salutes. Sitri was smiling with her eyes and looking at me only.
“Ei. That’s a misunderstanding. They’re just doing all that because they want to live. Isn’t that right? In order to live, they either become beautiful by chance or they become unsightly by chance. You’re the same, Skinnybones. To the exact same degree, you’re like a bug.”
“······.”
“For the peace of the demon continent? For the glory of the Crescent Alliance? Ahaha. You may be able to deceive big sis with those words since she’s someone who sincerely believes in those things, but Skinnybones, I know for certain that you aren’t that kind of person. You reek. The scent of a bug that has rolled around in shit for all of its life emanates from people like you to an intolerable degree—.”
Yes.
That was a fact which I could not deny.
Since a stench that could not be obstructed even with that innocent smile of hers was also exuding from the beaming woman before me.
People were capable of recognizing their peers. In that regard, Sitri and I were undoubtedly similar types of people.
It was a matter of course that people would be capable of recognizing others who have lived their entire lives in a way similar to their own, but there are times when those relationships work out well and advance into being first loves, and there are other times when those relationships make the two people into mortal enemies. The standard by which those relations were divided, was most likely excessively simple.
“Your Excellency.”
“Hm?”
“Are you that afraid of being at Her Highness Paimon’s side and attending to her?”
Sitri tilted her head.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Is Your Excellency not also referring to yourself as a bug-like fellow?”
The night.
As the soldiers went further into the distance, the line of torches followed suit. Similar to how there was a lasting mute vibration after the end of a song, even as the light grew distant, it illuminated the darkness of the road before vanishing. Sitri became shrouded in darkness and stared at me with turbid eyes.
“Your Excellency enjoys reproaching this one, but this one apologizes. In the end, the words which Your Excellency spit at this one will simply return to Your Excellency as is.”
“This is strange.”
Sitri tilted her head further and become further enshrouded by the night. Her face was expressionless.
“This is really strange. Was it yesterday, or the day before that? Didn’t we clearly define our standings? Is it perhaps my memories that are faulty? Or is there a problem in my brain—? Cause from what I can see, you’re messing with me right now, Skinnybones.”
“Your Excellency will probably be incapable of feeling interest towards words such as peace and glory throughout the rest of your life. I understand. The intriguing part is the fact that Your Excellency feels as if that personality of yours is, from beginning to end, wrong.”
“Skinnybones.”
“Does Her Highness Paimon appear that blinding to Your Excellency?”
“Dantalian.”
“It is only right for all people to be equal. If there are no nations like that, then you just have to make one from now on. With just that simple reason, Her Highness Paimon had erected a republic. There are people in the world who live simply because of that reason alone. There were······. Did Her Highness Paimon, did Her Highness Paimon’s form, appear beautiful to such an extent?”
“I, definitely warned you.”
“Compared to her, how is your own self like? Is Your Excellency not a piece of trash who does not feel inspired by anything······? My apologies, Miss Sitri. Your Excellency has already admitted it. Your Excellency has acknowledged that while living, one will become beautiful by chance and become unsightly by chance. If we follow Your Excellency’s pet theory, then even if Her Highness Paimon appears beautiful, this is solely by chance, and even if Your Excellency is as unsightly as a bug, this is also solely by chance. In the end, it is all the same. It is the same standard. There is no need to deny it. There is no special difference between Her Highness Paimon and Your Excellency———.”
White static flickered before my eyes.
Once I had come to my senses, I found myself on the ground and breathing heavily.
A sticky feeling. The sensation of something shattering.
I instinctively gripped my right shoulder. A sizzling pain was running rampant. My skull felt prickly. Sitri had grabbed my shoulder and broke it in an instant.
“······Hu, haa······.”
“Ah.”
The tone of her voice sounded like a person who had done something by accident. A tone with a weight that felt as light as that was flowing over my head.
“Sorry. I sometimes, really sometimes do things like this. I lose my rationality. But don’t blame me too much. Normally, I give about two warnings before I lose my rationality, but you’re the one who ignored them, right? Does it hurt a lot?”
Sitri lowered her back. I was barely able to muster enough strength to look up, but once I did, I saw that Sitri had a sincerely worried look on her face.
Her eyes looked so feeble that if I had forgotten my own family tree, then I may have mistaken this woman as my biological older sister. Is it not fortunate that the child who could have possibly been my biological older sister was stillborn?
Sitri muttered to herself ‘What to do, what to do······’ as she stroked my injured shoulder.
“So why did you act up like that?”
She then dug her finger into my injury.
“————!”
An intense pain.
I tried to let out a cry, but it was impossible. Sitri had blocked my mouth with her other hand. Press, preeesss······. Slowly, while opening up my wound, each time Sitri’s finger wiggled inside of my flesh, an electric current went down my spine. All of the nerves in my body felt like they had been torn.
I lost the strength in both my arms and legs and fell forward. Sitri received that body of mine in her embrace as if she were some benevolent priest. She whispered into my ear.
“Yup, good boy. Good.”
“······! ······uk, ······.”
“You’ll be nicer from now on, right? Don’t act so conceited. Don’t act like you know it all either. Don’t get greedy in order to get somewhere too high up, and don’t get unreasonably jealous just because you want to know too much······ Okay?”
This damn psychopath.
“I know. I know you better than anyone else. Big sis Paimon doesn’t know you and Barbatos probably doesn’t even try to know you. Skinnybones, children like you are the type of people who I understand the most in the world. It’s hard, right? It’s difficult to endure the world since you were born much smarter than others, right······?”
“······, ······.”
“You want to live while looking down at them all. You want to live while crushing them all beneath you. It’s really fine. People, even Demon Lords, can be modest to others. Isn’t that a relief? The fact that a bug like you can also be modest. Skinnybones, how many people have you killed so far? You even started something like a war······ haa. It’s all your fault, isn’t it? In the first place, you’re a person who was wrongly born. A child who shouldn’t have and would have been better off not being born. So······ from now on, let’s live while atoning for your sins, okay?”
Sitri removed her finger from my wound. I let out a gasp. Sitri then grabbed hold of my face with her hands and held it in place so that I was staring straight at her.
She touched the corners of my eyes. They were wet.
“Don’t worry. You may be a dirty beast, but big sis Paimon isn’t. Skinnybones, you should also devote yourself to big sis’ ideals. If you do that, then even your body will at least be a slight bit useful. All right? Don’t misbehave. Even that succubus girl with arrogant eyes who has forgotten her place.”
Lapis Lazuli as well.
“Even that human girl who should have just obediently killed her breath while living in a whorehouse after she was sold as a slave, but was instead taken under your wing and is now slaughtering her own kind.”
Laura De Farnese as well.
“Even your royal guard girls who survived until now by spreading their asses to all sorts of Demon Lords.”
Humbaba and the other witches as well.
“Although you’re all rotten mongrels. Although you’re all pieces of trash that would have made the world a better place if you all weren’t born, it’s okay. It’s all okay while you’re following big sis Paimon. You can breathe. Realize your baseness by yourselves and become modest. Okay?”
I did not answer.
I simply glared at Sitri with pain-filled eyes.
Sitri smiled as if she were feeling sorry for a troublemaking child.
“What a pitiful thing.”
“······.”
“A pitiful thing that is beyond salvation and was born astray. A thing that was born broken. A thing that has become more broken after birth. Why is it that venomous snakes like these continue to be born into the world? If they’re going to be born broken, then it’d be better if they just died the moment they’re born. It’s a difficult thing. It’s a difficult thing to understand. I’ll sympathize with you all. I’ll guide you all. It’ll probably be difficult to throw away your greed, but I’ll help you throw it aside. It’s a difficult path. I understand. I’ve walked that path before after all. Even the small grains of dirt scattered across the road will hurt if you step on them with your bare feet. You guys don’t know pain because you’ve been steeping on dirt with the soles of your leather shoes. Your greed is your leather. Take it off. Throw it away. Acknowledge the fact that you all are worthless and unnecessary pieces of garbage. Yeah. It’s a difficult path. It’s difficult to do.”
However, Sitri uttered and stroked my cheek.
“Repent as best as you can.”
“······.”
“I’ll repel our pursuers. If I make my soldiers lie in wait around the narrow path and ambush the enemy as they pass by, then even that Imperial Princess won’t be able to do much. They’ve most likely been moving nonstop throughout the day and night after all. Skinnybones, just go to the back and be on standby. The hardest task for people like you is being made to wait without being able to do anything, isn’t it?”
Although I was twisting my body in pain, I managed to barely raise the corners of my mouth. This Demon Lord had pointed at me and said that I was pitiful. It has been a long time since I last received sympathy from someone, so it was not that bad. The problem was the fact that, as expected, I was starting to feel sympathy for this woman as well.
“······With things like this······ I am unsure as to which side is trying to monopolize the exploits now. Are you that afraid, of this one’s acting general······ standing tall as the ruler of the battlefield?”
“Yup. It’ll be troubling if you freely touch the political situation any more than this.”
So is that why you are saying that you will be the one to obstruct Elizabeth Atanaxia Evatriae von Habsburg?
That girl. That girl who was born as an emperor’s daughter and had torn off the skin of her siblings with her own hands. That girl who, in the original timeline, had exterminated all of the Demon Lords and established an empire. That monster.
All right. On one side was a woman who had thrown herself away, and on the other side was a woman who had thrown the world away. Watching the two of them oppose one another and seeing who wins was not that bad of an idea. However, I shall make a single prediction.
You will be defeated.
Ungracefully. Without even being able to counterattack. You are competent, but since a person who is more competent than you is your enemy, you will face utter defeat.
What sort of expression will you make? Will you resent the world? Will you curse at yourself? Will you forever abandon the world as something to resent and eternally leave yourself as someone to be cursed······?
Similar to how you are sympathizing with me, I sympathize with you as well. O Demon Lord whose hair color is the same as both water and fire. What else can the world be to you except Hell?
It was at the time the two of us were pushing each other back with our breaths.
“———Sitri? Are you over there?”
Paimon’s voice could be heard from a distance away.
Twitch.
Sitri’s body moved. I also drew my brows together. Once I looked over her shoulder, I could see Paimon tilting her head towards our direction from about 20 footsteps away.
It was night.
A peculiar tension bound itself around Sitri and myself. In her position, it was most likely fortunate that she was holding onto me. My body was exquisitely hidden so Paimon could not see me from the position where she was standing. Sitri glanced at my eyes for an instant before speaking in a voice that sounded no different to her casual tone.
“······Yeah, big sis. I’m here. What’s up?”
“You did not return to our quarters no matter how long I waited. Rather, is something the matter, Sitri? Why are you crouching on the ground like that?”
“Ah, it’s just. I found a dead stray dog.”
Sitri spoke in a voice that sounded jubilant. With only her gaze, she spoke to me with the coldness of her eyes.
Be quiet. Shut up.
“A stray dog? Really, Sitri. Even though you cut down humans with ease while on the battlefield, you are kind to animals like cats and other creatures of the sort. Is it already dead? You are trying to bury it, right? Let this lady assist you.”
Ehehe, Sitri’s mouth laughed.
“No, it’s okay, big sis. This fellow spilled a lot of blood as it died. I have no idea how it survived with this much blood in its body······. I’m, sort of really soaked. I don’t want to show my dirty appearance to you, big sis, so you can go back to the quarters first.”
If you move your mouth even slightly, Sitri’s eyes spoke.
“Truly, this child is warmhearted······. All right, this lady understands. But do not return too late. This lady will be departing with Barbatos soon. Sitri, we will be unable to see each other for a while, so let us share some drinks.”
Big sis, Sitri’s mouth was delighted.
“Of course. If I don’t go to see big sis off, then who will? I’ll be there as soon as I bury this dog and get washed up, so wait for me there. I actually have a bottle of alcohol that I’ve been keeping to myself for a long time just so I could drink it with you, big sis.”
I’ll kill you, Sitri’s eyes threatened me.
“······.”
To her, the world was simply an enemy, a danger, and a wall. I called the lives whose worlds were enemies, dangers, and walls, beasts. Is she a beast? Was she a beast?
“Oh my, this lady is looking forward to it. Your preference in alcohol is surprisingly luxurious after all. This lady will make sure to drink it all.”
“Ei, drinking it all would be just mean. Big sis is also a surprisingly good drinker. Make the one on duty today prepare some snacks. I’ll definitely be there soon.”
I simply watched the one-man play this woman was performing from up-close.
While I watched her, I recalled the noises that I had left behind in my previous life. The study. The loud shouting flowing in from outside of the door. The woman who had rushed to me and apologized. The sound of music······.
Yes. It was music. It was a melody. What sort of gap must they cross in order for it all to become a melody?
To some, life was nothing more than a couple of noises. Once, twice, thrice, and if you are lucky, it sparkles four times. Something that struggles shortly but ends as a short vibration before coming to a close.
Something that could have possibly been connected, but, in the end, could not be connected because it had been forgotten.
Something that will never be able to stretch itself even once in its life. Therefore, something that can only be seen on the ground throughout its life, so it ends up reaching its end while following the footprints left behind by others. Something that truly comes to an end. Truly. Was that and solely that not the problem?
Who would save that sort of life?
······.
Paimon left. Once a single woman left, the area became silent as if no one had come here in the first place.
Even after Paimon had left, Sitri glared at me for a long time. After glaring at me, she too eventually left. Although the last remaining woman had also left, this area was dark and still as if no one had ever left in the first place.
It happened late in the night.
▯King’s Beloved Slave, Berbere Witch Sisters, Captain of the Royal Guard, Humbaba Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 14 Polles, Vistula Forest
“Should we really be goofing around like this?”
“Weeell, it’s a superior officer’s order. It’s our duty as peasants to do what we’re told, even if it’s to show our asses.”
“Whisper whisper.”
We witches were having a pleasant chat while enjoying a tea ceremony. Yeah. Well. What? It may be surprising, but even we have tea ceremonies sometimes. Although we usually don’t.
Despite our appearances, we’re cultured people. Ahah. Although it’s a tea ceremony where we roll dice and the bitch who rolls the lowest number has to gulp down a mouthful of muddy water, it’s natural for highly sophisticated groups to add some spice to their recreations. If anything, you can measure the level of a group’s sophistication according to how stimulating their seasoning is. Tea ceremonies where you just drink tea with no added seasoning is actually considered to be fairly barbaric. In that regard, I can confidently say that we possess a considerable amount of refinement.
Yeah. Well. What? Do you have a problem?
“Pour! Drink!”
“There’s not a lot of muddy water in this vicinity. Drink carefully. This is extra precious water. We went really far to get this just for you. There was a pool of muddy water with a lot of bugs in it and a pool of muddy water with not that many bugs in it, so I contemplated about which water I should bring back to you, but no matter how much I looked at it, I felt that the water that was more full of life would be of higher quality. In order to prove that the muddy water’s quality is good, I also scooped up the bugs that were living in it. Wow. Even when I think about it, I feel like I’m extremely sincere when it comes to my comrades.”
“That’s more damnably sincere than it is extremely sincere. To be more exact, you have quite the damned personality, but that’s only if someone like you even has a personality.”
“Whisper whisper.”
If there were problems, then it was probably three things.
First, the fact that these bitches are crazy.
Since this is an issue that’s no different to the usual, it’s an irrationality that can’t be fixed until the world comes to an end. Yup. The end. It can’t be helped. My dear fellow witches. They were crazy since the moment they were born, so please look over this.
Second, the fact that our surroundings are rather arid.
The spring rain which had started in the north had now completely gone south. Although there was a swamp area if we went further ahead from here. Right now, we couldn’t go there carelessly. Because of that sloppy bitch, Demon Lord Sitri’s order, our forces were currently waiting in ambush.
Third, the fact that not only was our surroundings dark, but it was really dark as well.
It was night, but we were also in an aspen forest right now. Not a small forest, but one of those so-called sea of trees which covered the entire area. If you wished to go in a straight line from Bruno Plains to the Black Mountains, then this was the path which you had to take no matter what.
We were currently hiding at the tail end of that forest. We couldn’t even light our torches since we were waiting in ambush. It was so dark that these damn bitches couldn’t even properly see the results of their own dice tosses. You could easily tell that this was the case because every time these bitches rolled their dice, they would keep reporting that they got the best result.
“Ah, I got double sixes again!”
“What a coincidence. I also got double sixes.”
“Whisper whisper.”
“Oh? To my knowledge, the chance of rolling double sixes is about 3 out of 100, so this is quite the astounding situation. For something that has roughly a 27 out of 1,000,000 chance of happening to have occurred here in this very spot.”
“What are you talking about? Since she and I got double sixes, wouldn’t the probability be around 9 out of 10,000?”
“Mhm. I’m saying that because I also rolled double sixes.”
“It wouldn’t be enough even if these bitches were to lose their wrists. They’re bitches that’ll somewhat be worthy of entering gambling dens only if they actually lose their heads. There’s nothing surprising about this at all. They’re crazy bitches after all.”
In the end, because every single witch who joined the gamble had miraculously rolled double sixes, we all had to drink the muddy water. The sound of bugs being crushed and chewed on resonated throughout the darkness. How beautiful. Do you now understand why witches normally don’t do insane things like having a tea ceremony?
Within the aspen forest where the fragrance of spring was reverberating and the odor of female beasts in heat was pungent. Only the spot where our master, Dantalian was located was being lit by candles. General Farnese was whispering to our master beside him.
“The exact size of the pursuing army······.”
“Mm. Since the enemy troops will also move while utilizing the darkness of night, detailing their military strength would be.”
Referentially, our master’s troops were completely alienated. It was Demon Lord Sitri’s dogmatism. Thanks to that, our seven thousand troops were all waiting here as a reserve.
Although our master all of sudden had his shoulder pierced, it seems he wasn’t that upset about it. He even went as far as to say that ‘if anything, being set as a reserve is fortunate for us’.
Yeah. Even I don’t want to go face to face with someone like the Imperial Princess of the Empire. People were capable of recognizing their peers and the fact that General Farnese was peculiarly obsessed about that Imperial Princess meant that she was a woman who was as insane as our general.
“Whisper whisper.”
“······By the waaay. Euryale. Why have you been chanting ‘whisper whisper’ into my ear since earlier? Have you gone crazy? No, you are crazy. Sorry. Let me ask that again. Have you gone more craaazy?”
“Master ordered us to whisper if we wanted to talk, didn’t he? I’m simply being loyal to our master’s orders like a dog.”
“Saying that you’re being as loyal as a dog doesn’t sufficiently explain the basis of your behavior. If you phrased it as being as loyal as a pup, then and then only would you be able to articulate your behavior.”
“Woof woof?”
“······.”
“Bark?”
Like I said, if there was a problem, then first off, it would be the fact that these bitches are crazy······ no, whatever. I’ll stop. There isn’t a single sane person underneath Master Dantalian’s flag anyway. I’m saying this while including our master in that list. Despite my looks, I’m actually the sanest among the people here.
Yeah. Well. What? Do you have a problem?
It wasn’t until a fair amount of time had passed after midnight that the sound of an explosion resonated. We had been leaning against each other and dozing off, so we got up in a panic. Should I say it was like a boom? Or should I say it was like a boom boom bang? In any case, we heard a tremendous boom.
“What?”
“What was that?”
“What happened?”
I believed that the fact that we’re able to form a well-ordered harmony according to our own rules while even in a situation like this was an aesthetic that was unique to us Berbere Witch Sisters. There’s a reason why I love these girls. Be it an explosion or something else, it was something to deal with after we have carried out our customs first.
“Whisper whisper.”
Are you still doing that? Just how many hours have passed since······ no, whatever. In any case, we turned our heads towards the direction of the forest where the sound of the explosion had come from.
The aspen trees were tall, so we could only barely see the night sky, but we could still see a red glow from the barely visible night sky.
Even if it appeared small due to the distance, it was clearly a burning glow. The glow didn’t reach up towards the sky, but instead, it flicked its tongue below the sky. It’s a fire. A large fire had undoubtedly occurred over there.
In no time at all, Master Dantalian put on his mantle and stood up.
“······A fire attack, is it? I see they are using the oldest trick in the book.”
General Farnese stood up beside him.
“It is still effective. Indeed. Instead of charging through the forest head on, they intend to set it all on fire and invalidate any of our chances to ambush them.”
“Considering how they have created such an immense fire, they must have used all of their powder. Would the enemy forces’ aerial mages not have to fly around while possessing no gunpowder pouches now? Why······.”
General Farnese shook her head slightly.
“Look, Your Lordship. Look at where we are.”
If you looked around.
We were in a sea of white aspen trees that reached far up into the sky.
“Since the battle is occurring underneath the trees, the mages have no way of discerning friends from foes while they are in the sky. Furthermore, is it not the middle of the night? The Imperial Princess is aiming for a confused scuffle. Not only will the mages be unable to carelessly drop their gunpowder pouches as they do not know who the enemies and allies are, they will also be unable to descend properly as the tree branches will stab at them. From this point forth, the magic-casting troops are no longer an Aerial Mage Force. They are simply mages.”
“······.”
Master’s breathing expanded close to the ground.
“······Our forces’ effort of painstakingly placing our troops around in order to wait in ambush for the enemy was in vain, I see. Since this is a battlefield where gunpowder cannot be used, Elizabeth used up everything she had. Does she intend to turn this place into a raging inferno?”
Another explosion resounded in the distance.
Nevermind, it wasn’t just once. Wow. It was as if the very first explosion was merely a sample as a chain of explosions then resounded once, twice, thrice, four times, and several more times after that. The soldiers panicked and made a fuss as they lowered their bodies to the ground.
On the other side of the night sky, several branches of fire were already surging upwards. The pitch black sky, which didn’t have even a single visible glowing star in it, was now dyed in a dark amber shade.
Underneath that sky, the soldiers led by Demon Lord Sitri and Demon Lord Zepar were most likely cowering. It was an unrelenting bombardment. Even us witches who rated fire watching second to spectating fights didn’t feel that excited here. At this rate, I don’t know whether I might pee myself or not tonight.
—- ······.
— ······, ······!
As the sound of foliage shaking, the sound of branches burning, and the sound of beasts roaring like a pack of dogs mixed together———the sound of a faint, hoarse voice. Eventually, the screams and shouts coming from soldiers as they clashed against one another started to rush towards us from a distance.
It approached.
— ······th···em!
And approached once more.
— ······Kill······!
It approached again and again.
Even the sound of the foliage tilting because of the wind, even the sound of the branches gently proving their existences by crumbling, and even the sound of the beasts roaring like a pack of dogs while desperately trying to erase their own existences, they were all erased.
— ······kill them!
— Slaughter them!
— Kill the traitors······!
As metal collided against metal and clashed ostentatiously, as lives struck lives and bellowed furiously, and as fire consumed fire and burned violently, the world became filled with only these sounds.
Mm.
Was this at the level of being screwed?
It probably wasn’t. It, most likely, wasn’t. Despite our looks, you know? For the past 300 years, we’re things that have selected only the dirtiest of battlefields and rolled around in them.
We all turned our heads and looked at our master.
“Maaaster?”
“We aren’t really giving Master this advice because we’re possessors of Quadriphyllous medals and have gone through around three or four Crescent Alliances, but?”
“If you add decades on decades, go to war, and be gone to war against, then a thing called ‘intuition’ forms, you know?”
“Of course, even if we say it’s our intuition, there may have been a lot of times where we were right, but we’ve also been wrong a similar number of times. Moreover, when we’re wrong, I can’t say that there has never been a time where we were so severely wrong that our bodies wailed bulkily?”
“If.”
“That isn’t taken care of soon.”
I nodded. As the head witch who represents the Berbere Witch Sisters, as the captain in charge of the Royal Guards, and as one of the ten witches who possesses a Quadriphyllous medal.
“We’ll probably encounter an incredibly fucked situation.”
I advised our master.
While speaking in a tone that was faster than usual.
“This, is an action that was purposely carried out in order to dirty the battlefield. There isn’t only one or two dirty things about this either. First, the fact that our ambush has failed. Second, the fact that this is a night assault. Third, the fact that the terrain is a forest. Fourth, the fact that aerial battles are impossible. Fifth, the fact that even after creating this scuffle, the enemy general is brimming with the confidence that she can win this battle and is also leading the enemy troops while aware that her goal isn’t some pipe dream. Master.”
“Continue.”
“We, the entirety of the Royal Guards, recommend the withdrawal of our forces.”
I bowed my head and the other witches followed suit.
“Master, you possess a force with incredible air superiority known as your Royal Guards, but they’re useless on this current battlefield. Whether it be Sitri or Zepar, Master, you must retreat and escape from the forest while our allies on the frontline are at the bottom of the swamp with the enemies. Although the place will most likely be slovenly, we’ll at least be able to stand a chance if we set up a stronghold and reorganize our formation.”
“The ones dying on the frontline are our allies, and the ones dying in flames are also our allies.”
“If we abandon them now, then we’ll be able to save them after half a day. If our allies flee, then won’t they instinctively flee towards the backline? If Master establishes a stronghold at the back and raises your banner high, then wouldn’t they run to us? This is the first advantage of the recommendation which the likes of us are suggesting.”
The other witches opened their mouths one by one.
“The second advantage is the fact that by the time this happens, the enemy forces will have used up all of their gunpowder. On the other hand, we’ll still be at our peak condition. Even if we’re unable to properly create a stronghold, the sky will be on our side. The night should have completely fallen by then, so in short, it’ll be a world for witches. Yup. I was perfectly logical just now.”
“The third advantage is the fact that Master’s acting general will be able to engage the enemies on a familiar terrain. General, you’ve never experienced a true scuffle before, right? I’m talking about an actual mud fight. There’s no skill involved, so no one knows how things will really end up. We can’t fight in an obscured place. Let’s retreat.”
“Whisper whisper.”
Euryale lifted her head up. This blue-haired girl, who was second to me in terms of combat experience, had been pressing her ear flat against the ground during our conversation.
“Sound. The sound of hoofs. There’s a lot of hoofbeats······. A real lot. I don’t know the direction. It’s shaking the earth enough to reach here······.”
“Shit.”
Our situation was making me swear automatically.
“This one is adding another factor to why the battlefield is dirty. Six, the enemy troops most likely have a shit ton of cavalry units. If you think fighting cavalries on a plain is annoying, then fighting cavalries in a forest is fucking annoying. Who knows where they’ll come out from.”
“Thus, because of the six aforementioned problems, we recommend a retreat.”
“And with the three aforementioned advantages, let’s prepare for the next battle, Master.”
Our master became silent.
The flames ignited more fiercely every passing minute while our master stayed quiet, and loud cries occasionally erupted even louder. In battle, time was momentary and an instant of continuity. If you aren’t able to make appropriate decisions each time continuity approaches, then you’ll lose your life.
Yes.
We believed that we gave an advice that befitted the group of mercenaries that was still alive after 300 years.
We probably aren’t being conceited.
“······.”
Master Dantalian turned his gaze and stared at General Farnese. While we were picking up on the progress of the battle and reporting it as fast as possible, the acting general with blonde hair had been expressionlessly staring at the other side of the forest. This girl, no, this general was also a weird species.
The heat of the fire had yet to even reach our vicinity, but there were already several beads of sweat on the general’s cheek. If I remember correctly, there was once a time where I had heard that the general had a constitution which would sweat more profusely the more the general was absorbed in her thoughts.
Our master spoke.
“Farnese. You are the one who handles my military affairs.”
“This young lady is aware, Your Lordship.”
“What do you wish to do?”
“The Imperial Princess of Habsburg must have come close.”
Hey, that kid just gave an irrelevant answer.
“The more chaotic battlefields are, the more afraid the soldiers will be to step foot into them. If the current battlefield is a swamp, then no one would attempt to dive into it. Despite that, since flames have surged and the enemy troops have approached, there was undoubtedly a hero who had led the way by setting foot into the swamp before any of the enemy soldiers. This young lady is certain that that was the Imperial Princess.”
General Farnese finally turned to look at our master.
“This young lady will go out and return after taking the life of the Imperial Princess.”
This crazy bitch.
There were a lot of crazy people among the vassals who serve our master, but among those vassals, the Acting General was especially nuts. As you could tell by how he treats this especially mental child in a special manner, our master was also insane to a formidable degree. Because,
“All right. Do as you wish.”
he said that and nodded.
All at once, we witches made an expression that appeared as if we had chewed on shit. If you’re curious as to how we know what sort of expression one would make when they chew on shit, then······Yeah. Well. What? Do you have a problem? What do you expect from people who have tea ceremonies with muddy water?
“It is not like the advice given by our Royal Guards is unreasonable either. It is worthy to be graded as a wise thing to do.”
That means she thought of the wisest thing to do. How haughty.
“Therefore, Your Lordship, lead the infantrymen to the back and construct a stronghold. If there is a defeated ally, then Your Lordship will have to embrace them.”
······Whaaat?
“This young lady will take only the cavalry units in order to assault the Imperial Princess. Oh right. It is obvious, but Your Lordship’s Royal Guards will be going with this young lady.”
······This crazy bitch?
“Since this young lady will return triumphantly before the break of dawn, Your Lordship, please prepare a delectable meal. Since a long time ago, have the commanders not said that wars are fought with the energy that comes from a meal?”
We all turned to look at our master.
With a gaze that begged him to please ignore this mental general. Desperately.
And then, our master smiled so benevolently that he appeared like a true saint.
“Have a safe trip.”
Eh?
What?
Whhhy······.
Eeeee······.
Eeeeek······.
Nonono.
▯Demon Lord of Honor, Rank 5th, Marbas Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 14 Polles, Near the Vistula Forest
“······Your Highness. Should we not help them?”
The Demon Lords under my command gazed at me anxiously. We were in the vicinity of the Vistula Forest, the dark sea of trees. While placing a fair distance between us and the forest, we gazed at the pillars of flames that were surging up towards the night sky.
Barbatos and Paimon had chosen the worst course of action. They had ignored the advice we, the Neutral Faction, had given them and simply made a dash towards the Black Mountains. Without even a single word of apology or understanding······ now, we have no other choice but to oppose them.
In order to pursue the army of the Crescent Alliance when the moment arrives, I had gathered my troops and brought them close to the Crescent Alliance. However, there was no one who had expected the current situation. The Crusaders had chased after the Crescent Alliance and had bitten them by their tail, causing a battle to break out.
“Your Highness Marbas, your orders.”
The Demon Lords turned to me. They appeared as if they were urgently awaiting my command. It was unbearable. On one side, there was the Crescent Alliance that had betrayed our kind, and on the other side, there were the Crusaders who have always been the mortal enemies of our kind······.
It would be troubling if either side were to gain an advantage. Thus, we could not attack either side or assist them. A mud fight, is it? Do we have no other choice but to sit here and await the conclusion······?
“We will not be taking part in this battle.”
“Lord Marbas!”
“This is a royal command. Be on standby until they have finished vying for supremacy. If there are stragglers escaping from the forest, then hunt them down and capture them regardless of whether they are from the Crescent Alliance or the Crusaders.”
Once the battle is over, both the Crescent Alliance and the Crusaders will be completely exhausted. If we rally our troops at that time and subjugate the two forces, it was uncertain as to whether we would be able to kill two birds with one stone or not. Regardless, that was a problem to be discussed after the battle was over. Right now, there was no other correct answer than to stand here and wait.
“But, how can we look on with folded arms while our fellow kind is dying······?”
“Did they not kill their fellow kind?”
“······.”
“I had given them a single day of leave of absence because of your pleas, but what did Barbatos and Paimon do with that day? They did not apologize. They did not even try to come to an understanding. They were busy ignoring us and carrying out their retreat. Do you still not understand?”
“······.”
“They are no longer our allies.”
The old moon of the Crescent Alliance had finally ended up breaking apart. I had busied myself for the past several hundred years in order to make the Plains and Mountain Factions reconcile, however, the moment the two had finally joined hands, we were the ones who ended up being ostracized. Was this a paradox, or was this a self-evident political consequence? How bitter······.
“Your Highness, over there.”
One of my men pointed towards the entrance of the forest. A single group of soldiers was making their way out of the forest while maintaining their ranks. They were escaping from that Hell. Although we could not tell who they were affiliated with, seeing as how they were retreating through the darkness while fluttering their banners, it seems they were not a rabble of common soldiers who had lost disgracefully.
“Mm. For the time being, we shall capture them.”
“······Is it really all right? Allies. No, they could be a unit that was recently our ally.”
“It does not matter. I shall not order you twice.”
My subordinates obeyed my command and led our troops. Our war horses charged with light steps and instantly surrounded the target unit with ease.
The retreating unit, the affiliation of which was unknown, started to talk noisily once they saw us. They had approximately around a thousand troops. Even while they were retreating, they had managed to take a defensive stance with their spears and raised their weapons at us. It was a well-ordered retreat. Excellent.
I brought my horse to the front and approached them. Once they entered the range of our torches, I realized that they were an army of demons and not humans. They looked terrible. Putting aside the fact that they were covered in dirt, there were people who were scalded, covered in blood, and those who were being supported by their comrades because they had become crippled······.
It was clear that they had most likely survived a fierce battle. They also made a commotion once they realized that we were not humans either. They appeared to be confused as to what was happening. I cleared my throat and shouted.
“I am the Honorable Marbas! If there is a commander who is in charge of you all, then come forth and receive my questioning!”
The soldiers started to talk noisily.
Amongst them, there were even a few fellows who had started to carefully point at me and whisper to their comrades. It’s true, I’ve seen him before from a far distance, it’s really His Highness Marbas······.
Shortly after.
A monarch with a robust frame made his way through the soldiers and came forward. I immediately recognized the man’s face. A man who appeared to be in the later part of his middle-age period and had a neatly trimmed white beard. The close aide who Barbatos referred to as ‘my left atrium’. Rank 16th Demon Lord Zepar.
“This one shall meet the honorable monarch of the Crescent Alliance. Your Excellency Marbas, what brings a noble personage like Your Excellency to a place like this······?”
Even Zepar appeared haggard as he had also gone through the same fierce battle as his soldiers had. The panic on his face the instant he saw me was evident. Zepar was a seasoned general, however, he most likely did not predict that he would encounter me here.
“Is your superior not retreating after having mistreated me? I was disappointed, so I had led my troops and followed Barbatos here. To think that I would helplessly chase the tail of a woman even at my age. I am quite pathetic.”
“······.”
“So what will it be? Will you fight your last battle against me for your superior? Or will you obediently surrender?”
Zepar knitted his brows before letting out a sigh.
“······There is nothing more foolish than fighting against Your Excellency Marbas while carrying out a retreat. We shall surrender. Please bestow upon us your royal grace.”
“A wise decision. I shall treat you with respect as according to our customs.”
I ordered a servant to bring some alcohol for Zepar. Since he had just escaped from the battlefield that was running rampant with flames, he must be parched. Zepar politely bowed his head in order to show his respect and emptied the horn chalice in an instant.
“So, how is the progress of battle?”
“······We were ambushed, so we did not have the time to survey the battle.”
Zepar answered in a subdued tone. How much was he allowed to say? What must be kept a secret? While carefully scratching around these boundaries, the surrendered general continued.
“We heard an explosion in the distance and it was not long after that that an explosion erupted right above the heads of my troops. Although there were only a small handful of people who were actually injured by the explosion, the disturbance was severe. The fire spread faster than we had expected, so we were unable to calm the disturbance. The enemy forces were most likely aiming for the confusion of our troops.”
“Are you the supreme commander?”
Zepar shook his head.
“No, this one is not. Sitri is the one who is holding that position.”
Surely.
If Zepar was Barbatos’ hands and feet, then Sitri was Paimon’s hands and feet. No, referring to her as simply hands and feet would not be enough. The most trusted warrior and the concubine who was favored the most······.
The two Demon Lords had sent their own respective close aides in order to erase the trouble that was behind them. And they had failed. To be exact, they were currently in the process of failing.
“We tried to hastily unite with Sitri’s army, but we were forced to give up due to the intensity of the flames. Since my troops were lying in wait after having been split up into many smaller groups, we could not get in contact with Sitri who is commanding her own troops.”
There was a bitterness in Zepar’s voice. I nodded. When a general has to report about their defeat, then it was natural that a wretched feeling would penetrate deeply into their heart. Especially for generals who have fought earnestly and carried out their duties sincerely.
“Is this all of your troops? Since you have not lost your energy even while withdrawing, more than this should have survived. Where did the rest of your military strength run off to?”
Zepar did not answer. He simply looked this way and shook his head slightly. This meant that he was not going to tell me this bit of information. Since long ago, he has been a man with a right-minded will.
“How much military strength does the enemy troops have?”
“······.”
Zepar shut his mouth momentarily in response to my question.
“······I am unsure.”
“You are unsure?”
“By nature, this is a battle that had broken out in a hurry. I was barely able to figure out which nations of the enemy forces are currently involved as their flags were only briefly illuminated by the fire. Sardinia, Castile, Francia, Batavia······. By the looks of it, it seems that almost every human nation is working in unison in order to pursue our forces. It is a massive army.”
“······.”
“Most importantly······ the first ones who had charged at our forces were not the humans. It was our own kind.”
What was he saying?
I furrowed my brow.
“I do not understand. Explain.”
“······I am referring to the common soldiers that belonged to the seven Demon Lords who were purged. Your Excellency, the humans had placed those common soldiers at their front and pushed their way into the forest.”
“······.”
Our surroundings were silent.
Before I knew it, the flames had reached the edge of the sea of trees and were burning everything to ashes. The trees snapped and groaned as they collapsed. The sound of the now homeless animals wailing in sorrow continued for a while before coming to a stop.
Zepar spoke slowly.
“The humans had used their prisoners as slave soldiers. There is no doubt that they had threatened them with spears and pushed them into the forest. Because of the sudden appearance of our own kind, we could not attack them properly.
Aah.
I lamented. Was that how it was? Was this the price for purging our fellow kind? Barbatos, Paimon, the two of you are receiving the crimes, which the two of you had committed, in full.
“Zepar. I see that you have given me a false battle report.”
“······”
“The enemy did not set their gunpowder ablaze first. I am certain that this happened later. The first thing the enemy had done was push the backs of our fellow kind and forced them into the depths of the forest. Then, while you all were lying in wait, you thought that the ones who were approaching were the enemy, so you had ambushed them. Your ambush did not fail. If anything, you had succeeded and killed your own kind!“.
“······.”
“A battle must have broken out. A commotion must have occurred. While you all were panicking due to the confusion, flames started to rain down from the sky. Do you still not understand? Due to the commotion you had caused while fighting and killing your own kind, you notified the enemy of your position. The humans heard the sound of your fighting and carried out their bombardments on those very spots. Am I wrong?! You, if you are going to answer, then do so!”
Zepar’s shoulders trembled.
The white aspen forest was vast. If the Crescent Alliance had spread their units out and made them lie in wait throughout the forest, then did the humans have something like Apollo’s eyes in order to have pinpointed those positions? Were they able to accurately pinpoint those positions and bombard only those spots out of pure luck?
No. Of course that was not the case. The humans originally did not know the ambush positions. Thus, they had first tossed the group of demons into the forest as slave soldiers.
Under the shroud of the night, Zepar and Sitri mistook our kind as the human armies and assaulted them. They ambushed them. They shot an endless barrage of bolts and killed them. They most likely realized later on that the ones they had shot were our fellow kind, but it was already too late······.
Once the battle occurred, chaos followed after. Once the humans had grasped the locations of the ambush points, they sent out their aerial mages and dropped flames onto those spots without any hesitation. Explosions, booms, flames······.
“That.”
I gnashed my teeth in rage. I grabbed Zepar’s cheeks and turned his head. I forced him to stare at the Vistula Forest. A raging inferno was before us. A Hell that was scalding and burning our kind.
“That, is not a Hell that was made by the humans. You all. That is a hell which the Plains and Mountain Factions had made all by yourselves! Look at it! Can you not see straight?!”
“······.”
“Did you say that you were unsure as to how many soldiers the enemies had? That is obvious. Because the people you had ambushed and shot to death were not the enemy but our own kind! You pieces of trash that will be chased out of even the underworld due to Hades’ curse······!”
I could no longer hold back my anger and pushed Zepar away. The horn chalice fell to the ground and rolled. Zepar only lowered his head and did not say anything in return. Does he have a sense of honor? Did he kill his own kind because he knows honor? Is that your petty honor? I spat.
“What was that, a purge? A purge to thin out the traitors? That is perfect. You did very well. Since it is now your turn to be thinned out, this is retributive justice. The Gods will take extra care of you all.”
“······.”
“Oi! Tie up this defeated general and load him onto the wagon. Disarm the troops led by this man and treat them as prisoners. One day, I shall definitely ask Barbatos about what should be done about these men.”
The commanders dragged Zepar away. Even while he was being dragged, the surrendered general did not utter a word. Once their leader was captured, the rest of the soldiers knelt down and accepted their bindings without any sign of resistance.
I gazed at the Vistula Forest with my still burning heart. It felt as if the sound of our kind burning to death, the groans of our kind killing our own kind and the other way around was flowing out.
Aah. What else was this place other than a raging inferno? Barbatos, Paimon, you two have pushed demonkind into Hell······. Now with what face will you two repent with······?
▯Kinslayer, Imperial Princess of the Empire, Elizabeth von Habsburg Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 14 Polles, Vistula Forest
The night had become completely dry. Similar to how a temperature somewhat remains in my heart even after a person has left, a heat lingered in the place where a fire had once burned. White ashes crumbled underneath my feet and the night rustled.
“······This is quite the grand sight.”
The Grand Master of Teuton marveled. He trod through the clumps of ash and stood next to me.
“It was difficult for me to understand why Your Highness the Imperial Princess would go through the trouble of painstakingly dragging those dirty demons here, but······. Surely, now I understand. I now understand that when Your Highness had rescued the Crusaders during that previous battle, it was not by luck.”
“I am merely suppressing fire with fire.”
I gazed at the burning forest. Each passing second, the white aspen trees became darker as they burned, and once they had fully deteriorated, they snapped in half and died.
The Grand Master muttered while brushing some dirt off of his breastplate.
“If a scuffle had occurred within the forest just as the enemy forces wanted, then we would have been delayed. The enemy’s main army would have crossed the Black Mountains during that time, and our forces would have most likely run around like a dog chasing after a chicken. Instead of going along with their plan, we annihilate them within a single night of fire bombardments, huh······.”
The Grand Master lamented. His tone sounded somewhat playful. The language of Teuton and Habsburg had the same root, but the tone and words were different.
“I see that the number of things which I must report when I return to His Majesty has increased. The fact that the heir to the Empire is a monster and that we must avoid facing her on a battlefield at all cost. Sheesh. I thought we would be able to relax after Margrave von Rosenberg had passed away, but an even larger wall has been placed at our border······.”
“You are resting for too long.”
I spoke coldly.
“The enemy soldiers are still resisting while having been spread out here and there. Even if the embers are small, they are still embers. Are you unaware that those embers are what grows into flames? We will not achieve victory by overwhelming the enemy with our military strength, but by simply subduing time itself and pushing ahead. In truth, our forces’ center is more feeble than expected. If you have the time to stand around and tell jokes, then take a banner and sortie.”
“······Despite my looks as an official, I have already carried out six charges tonight. Would it not be acceptable for this one to have a short moment of rest······?”
“You will be able to rest for all eternity once you are buried in your grave anyway. Do you wish to be buried?”
“No, absolutely not. Understood. As Your Highness commands. Haaa······. Shall I sortie with Sardinia’s banner this time······?”
The Grand Master saluted and departed.
How rash. He was a man who spat out a lot of noise.
The Grand Master of Teuton picked up the banner of a noble Sardinian household and disappeared into the darkness. A group of foreign soldiers followed their leader and vanished into the darkness as well. While watching that sight, I thought of the man who was hiding past that darkness.
“······.”
Dantalian.
You had used the busy niche of war and carried out a purge. Like this, you most likely intend to charge into your backline and unite the demon continent. After the demon continent has been unified, they will become so powerful and mighty that they will reign over humanity as an unprecedented evil. That was your groundwork and first move.
It was a terrifying move.
I had utilized your purge and detoxified my own army as well. You were so caught up in your own household business that you were unable to take advantage of the opportunity which appeared while I was cleaning my own home. Although the poison which you had spread using your acting general will infect every corner of the world, it will never be able to seep into my nation. I had used your head start and made it into my own. This was my groundwork and my response.
Dantalian.
You took advantage of the opportunity which had appeared while I was detoxifying my household and retreated within a single night. You must have clearly known that I was in a state which could not pursue you with ease. A purge should be an extremely difficult and strenuous task for you to perform, but you had simply abandoned the common soldiers who you were supposed to purge and passed that strenuous task onto me. You had grasped my advantage in reverse and used it to your advantage. That was your move with your knight piece and your response.
I had used the luggage which you had passed onto me, not as luggage, but as a sharp weapon. The soldiers who you had tried to purge were full of spite. Because they had nearly been killed by their own kind, their resentment was cold. You may have hidden ambush spots within the forest, but how did you feel when those ambush points had foolishly assaulted your own kind? Once more, I had changed your advantage into my own. This was my game changer.
Dantalian.
What will you do now?
Are we not in a relationship where we continue to respond to one another as we desperately turn this into a gamble? Have we not wagered our lives and deaths with one another? I believe that you will not dare to end this high and low here. The time to calmly set down your groundwork has passed. You and I are currently contending with our lives and deaths.
Will you run away? That is also good. That means I will be adding 1 win under my belt in my match against you. I will not refuse the opportunity to win by a wide margin, nor is it an excessively bad thing.
Dantalian.
Hurry and burn me. I cannot see your shadow even though I have set this forest on fire. Do I have to burn down this entire sea of trees in order to reveal where you are hiding? Must I truly go that far? I have come. Elizabeth Atanaxia Evatriae von Habsburg is here. Did you not promise me beauty? Have you already forgotten that hollow ground where that female and male dog mated? Was it a lie? Was it a joke? Was it a rash promise? Was it my greed? Was it another type of my avarice for having expected something from you? Have I overtaken you? Aah, still. Will you still not come? Do you intend to never come?
Dantalian.
Dantalian.
Dantali———.
“N-Now.”
“······.”
“We attacked them just as you had ordered, Imperial Princess of human descent. We had stepped into the perilous forest first and fought for your army. We have charged into their positions three times and taken down their positions twice.”
Noise.
I turned towards the noise indifferently. The noise was covered in black ashes and appeared like a clump of ash. The noise also had a maw which humans did not have.
It was unpleasant.
I gave it a single chance.
“Keep silent for a moment.”
“D-Did you not promise us? You promised us that if we followed your orders, then you would spare only our unit. Since your empire is extensive and lofty even among the humans, a promise made by you should also be just as heavy.”
I revealed that the opportunity which I had given it was a chance.
“I had ordered you to be silent.”
“If you back out of your promise now, then in what nation would we be able to live? Our fellow kind had abandoned us. We are subjects who have been thrown away. We had charged at those sons of bitches who had abandoned us because you gave us your word······. I cannot possibly ask you to look at us like your fellow humans. There are caves where beasts can return to and there are nests where feathered creatures can rest. Even if we are not humans, are we beasts? Are we feathered creatures? Are we something below even beasts and feathered creatures? We wish to live. Please keep your promise, Imperial Princess of the Empire. No, are you not the very person who had promised this to us? Please give us permission. If you give us your permission, then we will leave and······.”
“Habsburg had granted their faith to you a single time.”
“What?”
“Trash.”
I glanced at a commander.
The commander pulled out his blade and struck down the noise.
“······, ······.”
The chunk of flesh was penetrated momentarily. The momentarily penetrated chunk of flesh fell to the ground and could no longer get back up. It grabbed at its own neck.
“······Kuh, kack······! Huek······!”
Blood flowed down from the noise’s neck. The forest floor which had become a pile of ashes consumed the blood with ease. I wonder if it saw the sight of the ground of the world, which had given birth to it, consume its blood. The noise laughed while it groaned.
“······Kuh, ha···. Ha, haha······. Ah·········.”
The noise laughed for a long time. Although it was only briefly in my time, as it was a sound it was making as it died, it was surely a long laugh.
As if it had contracted malaria, the noise twisted its body several times. It was a laughter that was similar to a twisting convulsion. It had chosen to leave behind a ridiculing laugh as its final moment in the world. In order to throw away and deny the world which had spat it out. Once, twice, thrice······ four times.
And it stopped.
I ordered.
“By any chance, if the demons we had pushed the backs of come back alive, then pretend to accept them before killing them all afterward. Do not hesitate. They are not our kind. They are pieces of trash which I do not need in my nation.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
I gripped the reign of my war horse and went further into the burning forest. The commanders of the Empire followed behind me. The imperial soldiers advanced while raising the banners of all nations.
It was late in the night, so we could not see deep into the forest. We could not see the enemy. The screams of the enemy were the only things to mix together with the flames as they surged upwards to the sky. Even though we could not see the enemy, since their screaming was distinct, we headed towards that direction without reserve.
— Kill the traitors!
— Kill them······!
Demons tore each other apart there. The sound of demons being torn apart and killed was chaotic and overflowing.
With that overflow, the things that were born on the earth simply made the earth which they were born on into a viscous swamp. Since there was no way out if you fell into it, and no way to survive if you were set ablaze, this was a sea of fire. As no one could swim out or survive, it was also a grave.
Demon Lord. A sea of flames has been placed between us.
When will you come? Will you be able to reach here?
Even here?
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_03_02.txt
|
Chapter 3: Hell
▯King’s Beloved Slave, Berbere Witch Sisters, Captain of the Royal Guard, Humbaba Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 14 Polles, Vistula Forest
“Shit! Fuck! Shit! Shiiiiiiit! No! I can’t! I won’t! I absolutely can’t! I won’t do it no matter what! Just kill me instead, you crazy bitch! Kill me! If you’re going to commit suicide, then do it by yourself, Your Excellency Acting Generaaaaal! How do you expect to find a path in this forest?!”
“A witch’s life is spent while avoiding being burned at the stake all their life. In the end, it’s a witch’s fate to be burned to death. At that point where life and fate intersect, resolution blooms and eventually sings······!”
“Instead of resolution blooming, I feel like bullshit is running rampant!”
Shit.
There’s a reason why we’re all desperately shouting. This, crazy bitch general, is currently forcing us to rush through the aspen forest as fast as possible. I’m not sure if you forgot, but it’s night right now! Furthermore, it’s a night where flames are scorching on all sides of the forest! We’re speeding through a place like this while flying low on our brooms, so of course swear words would come out all on their own.
“Whisper······! Whisper······!”
No. You don’t have to shout, Euryale.
What do you mean ‘whisper whisper’? That isn’t whispering anymore, is it? At this rate, we’re going to have to rip the word ‘whisper’ apart and redefine it. Has your heart taken a direct hit from the phrase ‘whisper whisper’ tonight? How? Why?
“Whoa, fuck!”
I urgently turned my broom and dodged a tree. Sheesh, hey. Sheesh.
I nearly died because I got so focused on Euryale’s antics for a second. I nearly collided with the aspen tree that had slipped through my view. Grouchy words emotionlessly flowed from directly behind me.
“······Can you not fly a bit more carefully, Captain of the Royal Guards? If this young lady were to die, then there is no possible way for our allies to win this battle. Pay more attention.”
That’s right. It’s Acting General Farnese.
Of all things, this crazy fellow decided to ride behind me on my broom. It’s a personage that shows how much of a vital responsibility my low-altitude flying has. It’s quite the damn responsibility.
Currently, we Berbere Witch Sisters were leading the unit as the spearhead. General Farnese was also going with us. The cavalry unit was following right behind us. I’m not sure if they’re keeping up with us properly······. Ah, seriously. I should have smoked one more time before this.
General Farnese whispered into my ear.
“Captain. Go left. If we go right, then we will end up in Hell. Blow the horn and give the signal to the cavalry unit.”
“Ah, roger.”
I immediately raised the horn with my right hand and blew into it.
— Baaaah······.
I then turned my broom left.
The witches escorting us also turned the heads of their brooms and flew towards the left side of the forest. I see that they’re doing a good job following us while avoiding the aspen trees. The sound of hoofs followed behind us.
“Right.”
When General Farnese orders this, I would blow a horn that sounded completely different to the one blown earlier.
“Further to the left.”
When General Farnese orders this, I would blow the first horn which I had blown earlier for a bit longer. Yes. This was all there was to the signal system which we had decided prior to the battle.
There were no flags. Hand signals were impossible as well. Due to the flames burning all around us, it was hard to open our watery eyes properly. Even if we tried to open our watery eyes, all we could see were aspen trees.
— Gooooh······.
— Baaaaah······.
Two horn sounds.
By relying on these two sounds alone, Master Dantalian’s Royal Guard and cavalry unit were speedingly fervently through the forest. We also brought the horn that signaled the command to charge, but I have no idea when and how this was going to be used. Seriously.
“With what belief are you so confidently commanding us to go left and right?! We’re actually going somewhere right now, right? Yeah? Heeey? Your Excellency Acting Generaaal? I don’t really care where we’re going, but I’ll be grateful if there isn’t a gravesite there—!”
“Be quiet.”
General Farnese ordered in a subdued tone. Although her voice lacks emotions like usual, the difference is that it feels as if she’s really pissed off somewhere deep in her mind and it’s flowing out.
“Captain. Putting everything else aside, your mouth is too careless. Your voice is noisy. It doesn’t distinguish when it should and shouldn’t shut up. This is this young lady’s command, but right now is the time for you to be quiet. Do you understand?”
“Roooger. If you tell me to shut up, then I’ll shut up.”
“······Haa.”
The Acting General then let out a breath.
It wasn’t a sigh. I could feel a hot sensation on my back coming from the general’s breathing as it seeped through my clothes. Since earlier, General Farnese has been continuously letting out a heated breath like a girl with a high fever. Each time General Farnese let out a breath, my back would gradually become soaked. Whoa, this sticky feeling······.
“Hoo, mm······.”
Honestly, I’m already drenched. At this very moment, the entire body of the general who was latched onto me was as hot as a ball of fire. She’s really sweating nonstop.
Even if the forest around us was burning, we were flying at quite the speed. There’s no reason to be sweating right now. Despite that, General Farnese was sweating so profusely that she had gotten even me drenched.
Fever of Wisdom.
It seems that the general behind me was arduously enduring the fever which Master Dantalian had named as such. I could occasionally feel her shoulders tremble in agony.
“Haa······ mm, haa······ hoo, uu······.”
······At this rate, who knows if we’re going to end up with an unconscious girl.
In any case, we followed General Farnese’s command and darted left and right through the forest.
The trees quickly zoomed in and out of our visions. Occasionally, we’d go by places where flames had yet to reach, places that have completely burned and become ashes, and places that were engulfed in flames. All of those sceneries quickly flew behind us.
“Your Excellency Acting General? Where should we go now?”
“······.”
Instead of a response, there was only breathing.
A sound of breathing that became hotter by the second.
The girl’s breath was sticky like a swamp.
“Generaaal?”
“······.”
“Your Excellency?”
Once I turned around.
———The girl was closing her eyes.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_03_03.txt
|
Chapter 3: Hell
Translator's Notes
[↑] Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, also known as Hyakki Yagyou.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_04_01.txt
|
Chapter 4: Hope
“This young lady loves you, Your Lordship.”
“Yes. I see that your bullshit is bitter. Just go to sleep.”
It seems Farnese had gone insane for some unknown reason as she had abruptly confessed her love to me, but I had kindly turned her down in less than 3 seconds. This girl has always been crazy, so her confessing to me was not even slightly bewildering.
Farnese expressionlessly contemplated.
“······How strange. What is the issue? Humble as this young lady is, this young lady’s beauty is quite exceptional. If this young lady were to speak closer to the truth, then this young lady has yet to meet a woman who is more beautiful than this young lady. Is Your Lordship truly a eunuch?”
“Oh? Is it because you have just returned from playing with fire? You’re spouting nonsense with that mouth of yours.”
“······This young lady loves you? I love you, Your Lordship? This young lady believes that she loves you, Your Lordship. I adore you. I cherish you? I am loving you? This young lady truly loves you. This young lady devotes her time to you, Your Lordship. This young lady’s sun. This young lady’s midday. This young lady’s light and melody. The sunlight that shines down upon the clumps of ash.”
“Now you are spouting bullshit.”
“This young lady wishes. This young lady hopes. This young lady desires. This young lady wants Your Lordship to turn this young lady’s time into a melody. Your Lordship······? Oho. I see. Ehem. Was that the problem?”
What did she realize?
Farnese looked at me confidently.
“This young lady loves you, father.”
“······.”
I hit Farnese by the back of her head.
What she referred to me as was not the issue here. My daughter who is sick at heart. This lunatic child.
“Who’s this? Who could this beee?”
Additionally, the witches had all returned with their lives intact and they were now in the middle of bullying Ivar Lodbrok. Ivar Lodbrok was sitting motionlessly in our camp, so they were skipping around him and spieling amongst themselves.
“No matter how I look at it, it appears that there’s a familiar bat here. As his mug is a bat and his physiognomy is a bat, there’s no doubt that this is seriously a bat-like bastard. The fellow who made me believe that, throughout my entire life, I would never be able to meet a person who’s more bat-like than him, seems to be right before my eyes—?”
“Strange, how strange. From what we can remember, this is definitely a fucking bastard, but why is a fucking bastard residing in our master’s military camp? Has our master finally decided to take in even fucking bastards? Aha aha, as days go by, our master’s royal grace is becoming more ravenous.”
“······.”
Ivar Lodbrok stayed seated and merely kept his mouth shut, not giving the witches any sort of response. However, if I were his lawyer, then once more, I would have advised against pleading the Fifth here. To the witches, the opposition’s response did not matter to them by even the smallest, littlest, or tiniest amount after all. Look. Are the witches not happily performing a circle dance around Ivar while holding each other’s hands now?
“We thought—.”
“Thought and thought again—.”
“Thought like a person who had nothing to do except think about that—.”
“The fact that our master was confined in a cell for a week.”
“Aah, that fact means our master was unable to wash for an entire week.”
“Aah, that fact means our master was unable to fap for an entire week———.”
“Ah, such grief. La-di-da, such grief.”
“We thought.”
“Since ancient times, if a male skips a day of fapping, then it’s both joyous and sorrowful.”
“Thought and thought again.”
“If they skip two days, then it’s a tragedy. If they skip three days, then it’s an atrocity.”
“Thought like a person who had nothing to do except think about that.”
“Aah, alas, such grief. Our poor master, our master who was unable to fap for an entire week. As your faithful subjects, there’s no way that we wouldn’t sing a song about it.”
“Ah, such grief. La-di-da, such grief.”
“We thought.”
“About Master’s long period of no fapping?”
“Thought and thought again.”
“About Master’s pitiful no fapping!”
“Thought like a person who had nothing to do except think about that.”
“Ah, such grief. La-di-da, such grief.”
“Look at those dwarves with small maws, look at those wolf bastards with long maws, look at those sons of horses with long and pointed mugs, and look at those pigs with plump stomachs. Ah, everyone come close and look at the blood-sucking old man over there. We’ll sing a single plaintive melody, so listen.”
“······.”
In the end, those crazy girls started to sing in unison.
An old man asked
Which Demon Lord has the largest penis in the world
We answered
The person’s name is Dantalian with a sorrowful penis
The old man inquired
How impressive must it be for you all to praise it so
We replied
It is a penis that shoots faster than the wind
It is a penis the hair of which is denser than a forest
While it is a penis that is hotter than fire
It is a penis that is more steadfast than a mountain
But what is the point
Since there was no place it could be used for over a week
That is clearly the most pitiable penis in the world
Thus, we sing like this
The person’s name is Dantalian with a sorrowful penis
Dantalian with the saddest penis in the world
“······.”
I went silent.
“······.”
Ivar Lodbrok went silent as well.
“Ah. Referentially, this young lady was the one who had composed this song, Your Lordship. Since this young lady’s genius, which resonates throughout the world, has gone into this, you can be moved and cry as much as you desire. Even this young lady must admit that quite the good chord has gone into this.”
The lunatic did not go silent.
Eventually, Humbaba, the leader of the witches and the Captain of the Royal Guard, spread both of her arms out wide.
“Dantalian with the saddest penis in the woooooorld—.”
It wasn’t until she had sung this line passionately that the madness had reached its zenith and then subsided.
It seems that the witches were most likely under the illusion that they were actresses in a cheap opera right now. It was an incredibly eccentric scene, but at the same time, it was not eccentric at all. If you considered the fact that their brains are usually in the state of being steamed by drugs, then this was not strange at all.
“See? I said that I made a super great song, didn’t I? Ahahah. How was it, my beloved fellow witches? Do you girls now admit that I do indeed possess quite the amazing artistic talent?”
“I admit it.”
“I concede.”
“It’s something that I must admit.”
“It’s also something that I can’t not admit.”
“Sorry, Master! We were originally going to come back to your side a little sooner, but listen to this. There were human prisoners loitering about waaay over there, you know? Ehem, aha, ehem ehem, as experts of both torture and execution, it’s not like we couldn’t bestow upon them our kindness.”
“Well, executions nowadays aren’t able to vivify the feeling of the past no matter what they do. Compared to the past, the world has become quite weak.”
“That’s right. Back in my day, when they cut your flesh, they didn’t cut it normally. If anything, you’d be thankful if all they did was cut your flesh. They used to tear off all of your skin, pour a potion on top of your bare flesh, healing you completely, before tearing it off again. I was able to endure that twice, but it started to get difficult after the second time.”
“Eh, only two times? Are you saying that as if that’s some sort of experience? I’m able to stay sane for at least the first 5 times, girly.”
“I’m not trying to brag, but I didn’t lose my senses even when my internal organs had been cut into pieces and my flesh had been peeled off thirty times. On the contrary, my mind became clearer each time my flesh was ripped off, so it felt as if something like torture could not possibly invade my prestigious mind.”
“I wonder about that. Instead of saying that you didn’t lose your senses, I feel like that just means you were never sane since the moment of your birth.”
What the hell are these girls talking about?
I had a faint headache.
If a person possessed a mouth, then they should be making sounds, but these girls were babbling while only letting out noises. Therefore, I was certain that the things which these girls possessed were not mouths, but assholes.
“You all may not know this, but I’m a witch who had her blood sucked by a vampiric archduke back when I was really popular. It’s a bit embarrassing to say in front of you girls, but in truth, my lineage is so great that I actually shouldn’t be hanging around with girls like you.”
“Rather than words being said to our faces, those sound like words you’re saying to our butts.”
“I smell a fart coming from somewhere. Did someone fart?”
“It wasn’t me.”
“It wasn’t me either.”
“Why are you looking at me? It absolutely wasn’t me either. You can easily tell just by looking at my innocent face that my butt isn’t a butt that would fart.”
“It’s more suspicious because you’re denying it that much. The thought that it’s undoubtedly you since you’re denying it like this comes to mind. Ah. I was perfectly logical just now.”
“You’re suspicious for suspecting me so much. I don’t know if you’re perfectly logical or not, but I know for certain that you’re a perfectly crazy bitch.”
“Judge, please enter.”
“Now then, now then. From what I can tell, this is quite the foul incident. Just from its scent, you can tell that this flatulence doesn’t have the normal kind of foul stench.”
“What is the verdict, then, Your Honor Humbaba? The people are currently rioting outside of the court of law. Please remember that it was the people who had appointed you as the city’s judge.”
“The political judge who accommodates witches should step down!”
“Step down! Step down! Step down!”
“Ehei, ehem. Sheesh, this is troubling. Calm down, you lot. If it wasn’t you, me, or any one of us, then I’m certain that the one behind this flatulence incident is none other than our master.”
“What was that?”
“This is an unexpected conclusion.”
“Do you have evidence? Evidence?”
“The smell of the flatulence itself proves who its owner is. The reason why the smell of this flatulence is so foul is due to the fact that our master had held it in throughout the entire week he was imprisoned and had just now let it loose.”
“That’s nonsense!”
“Were those words just now or was that a fart? The judge is the one farting right now!”
“Boooo! Witch trial! Let’s do a witch trial!”
“Whoa there. Ehem. If you perhaps object to this verdict, then this judge will have no other choice but to suspect that one of your adorable butts was the one to have committed this crime······.”
“A flawless verdict.”
“Acknowledged.”
“As expected of Captain Humbaba. That was a beautiful verdict.”
“······For Lord Dantalian to have been the culprit behind the fart······. This is all my fault. If I had known sooner, if I had realized a little sooner······.”
“No, Euryale. It isn’t only your fault. Our apathy towards His Highness Dantalian’s butt is what had brought upon this tragedy.”
“Big sis······.”
“My son!”
“Damn it, this is touching. It’s been over 50 years since I was appointed as a judge, but this is the first time I’ve witnessed such a sorrowful scene. It’s impossible for this judge to not shed tears here.”
“What a coincidence. After watching all of your conducts, this great one could shed tears of blood.”
I was watching over these crazy girls while wondering how much of their brains they had thrown away in a ditch. The more I watched them, the more I grew curious about the name of the bastard who was crazy enough to make these girls into their Royal Guard. If it weren’t for the fact that that crazy bastard was me, then I may have been a bit more curious.
“Ahahah, master.”
Hop.
Humbaba skipped towards me and stuck out her cone hat.
Curious as to what this girl was now up to, I looked down and saw that there was a bunch of dirt inside of her hat. After examining the muddy pile of dirt a bit more, I saw that it was a pile of dirt with several dandelions sticking out of it.
Did she put them in her hat without even dusting the dirt off from their roots? There were dandelions contained in the witch’s hat. I knitted my brows.
“What is this?”
“We contemplated and contemplated about what the likes of us could possibly give to you, Master, as a gift to celebrate your release. No matter how much we thought about it, we weren’t able to think of a gift that could make you happy, Master. Even if the likes of us were to offer Master our bodies, Master has always been a eunuch, so what good would that do when you won’t taaaake us?”
“I see that you girls believe that every male in the world must respond to you. How should I fix that misunderstanding of yours? If anything, do you not know that there are only a small minority of males in the world that will respond to you girls?”
“Master’s absolute majority is mistaken. History proves otherwise.”
“I do not wish to know about that sort of history······.”
For there to be a history where responding to these girls was the correct thing to do and not responding to them was the wrong thing to do. What was that supposed to be? The Necronomicon? Was this like a textbook of evil or the Devil’s scroll of incantations?
Humbaba shoved her left hand into her hat. The left hand which I had maimed by severing the ring finger of at one point in time.
There was a lot of moisture in the clump of dirt, so the inside was exceedingly dirty. Even if it was unclean, that dirt was unclean because it was alive. The small witch in front of me plucked a dandelion, which was unclean because it was still alive, with a ‘snap’.
“Master. Ahah. It’s a bit late, but.”
After she placed the dandelion behind my ear.
“Congratulation on your release!”
She smiled radiantly.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_04_02.txt
|
Chapter 4: Hope
“······.”
I was at a lost for words for a moment.
The witches giggled. It was light. It was truly a light sound. The sound of laughter easily spread into the sky and permeated with ease. And I believed that that lightness, was like that because it had thrown a small bit of its life away somewhere.
Farnese spoke.
“Your Lordship. It seems that among the masses, people consider the act of putting a flower behind your ear as proof of one’s insanity. Coincidentally, it appears that there is a flower behind Your Lordship’s ear. This young lady is not trying to go out of her way to provide an additional explanation or anything, but it is just that, this young lady simply wishes to say that Your Lordship has coincidentally become an insane person.”
“If my brain has yet to necrotize, then Farnese, were you not passionately confessing your love to me only a few minutes ago?”
“······? What of it? Is there a meaningful correlation between Your Lordship’s lunacy and this young lady’s love?”
This young girl who was tilting her head and sincerely questioning me as to what sort of correlation the two had, was the child I had taken in as my adopted daughter in this world. How insane. Truly regretful. By the looks of it, it seems that this life will be dirty just like my previous life.
Nevertheless, I did not excessively complain today.
I simply.
“······Hoeh?”
“Hoi?”
With my right hand on Farnese’s head.
And my left hand on Humbaba’s head, I stroked both of their heads and spoke.
“Thanks.”
For winning a difficult battle.
For being the first person to gift me a flower ever since I had fallen into this world.
I am grateful to you both.
My Acting General and Captain of the Royal Guard looked at each other for a moment before eventually smiling radiantly like a hydrangea and a dandelion that had bloomed side by side.
“This young lady loves you, Your Lordship.”
“I really like you, Master!”
Regardless of what sort of enunciation that love was said with and regardless of what sort of hope that like was said with.
We were already a family.
The advent of the Crescent Alliance.
It was most likely thanks to the fact that we had strongly obstructed the pursuers in Vistula Forest, the sea of trees. Barbatos and Paimon, the main army of the Crescent Alliance were able to cross the Black Mountains without having to face any danger whatsoever.
On the very night the battle had ended in the sea of trees, the two Demon Lords had both sent a letter. Barbatos and Paimon were currently busy pushing ahead with their march. They had both only written a single line in their letters.
— Thanks. We’ll be going first. Follow.
— Sorry. I’ll leave Sitri in your care.
When in a situation where one had to say thank you and also apologize to a single person, then there are people who would say thank you first and there are people who would say sorry first. Barbatos was the former. Paimon was the latter. The difference between the former and latter was definitely due to the rift that had torn the two apart in the past.
I strolled through the military camp which we had set up throughout the entire night and gazed up at the afternoon sky. A group of soldiers noticed me as they were passing by and saluted to me. I shook my head and omitted their show of respect.
“The monarch should be the one to show their respects to the soldiers who have triumphed. You all have fought well. You all have held out well. A lot of meat has been provided, so today’s meal shall be substantial.”
The soldiers expressed their gratitude and continued on their way. Even if I was nothing more than ranked 71st, I was still an honorable Demon Lord. What cute fellows. I chuckled at the natural modesty of the officers and men and went into deep thought once more.
······Elizabeth, the Imperial Princess was defeated. She had lost some of her troops. Her perfect record of victory had been smeared as well. However, defeat was nothing more than an immediate disgrace, the Imperial Princess had obtained something larger.
The fact that when the Crescent Alliance retreated, she was the only person to have declared for the battle to continue until the very end.
The fact that she had actually led the pursuit in person with her royal standing.
The fact that while she was leading and fighting in person, her royal body had actually been injured.
I lamented by myself.
“······The commoners of humanity will most likely cheer. They will cheer loudly.”
Justification.
When the other nations were reluctant to step forward and the majority of the armies were chickening out, the justification of having stood forward without any hesitation in order to exterminate the demons.
The battle in Vistula Forest was fierce, desperate, and severe. Both of the individuals who could be referred to as the heads of each respective side had been hit by a bolt. If they had been even slightly more unlucky, then they could have died.
Soldiers naturally respected generals who would charge forward even while in the face of danger more than anyone else. It was not only the soldiers. The simple commoners will also cheer the birth of a hero······.
The undefeated blonde general who was favored by the Goddess Athena. That was Laura De Farnese. Imperial Princess Elizabeth was no different.
“On one hand, there is a blonde general, and on the other hand, there is a silver-haired empress.”
These two could only be stopped by one another. It was like that in the original history as well. In this life, I had accelerated the inevitability of history more fiercely. Even in the future, the continent will most likely rock under the military ability of gold and silver.
Last night, Imperial Princess Elizabeth had lowered her guard. She had mistaken Farnese for a dead corpse or a puppet······.
A bitter mistake, O Elizabeth. She may have been like that when you had met her previously, but that was not the case last night. Farnese had bloomed in less than a couple of days. I, this child’s lord and father, had made this happen.
In consequence of the time of a mere couple of days, you were defeated yesterday. You were most likely unable to predict this. You may have even thought of this as cheating. Regardless, the place where your absence of awareness was located was where your incompetence laid, and the point where you considered this as cheating was where your limit was placed.
‘There is no way that someone could change within a few days.’
That was the incompetence and limit which you possess. A person is able to change within a few days, and if they have the assistance of another, then even more so.
From this point on, the war you and I will create will always possess the time of several days. Perhaps, it will be a war that vies for the time of several hours. Even on the noon of the day where an unparalleled victory had been obtained, I am already predicting the next war.
It was in that moment.
“Mm······?”
In the distance, a single group of cavalry units was approaching from the other side of the military camp. Were they friend or foe? If they were neither, then were they deserters? I narrowed my eyes and gazed into the distance.
The cavalry unit was holding up 3 banners. First, a white flag which represented that they wished to negotiate and not battle. Next, a black flag with the dark moon of the Crescent Alliance engraved on it. And finally, a fluttering flag that displayed who they were affiliated with and radiating a golden shine.
A maxim was written on the banner.
Know thyself.
“······.”
A banner that was half white and half red. Adding to that, a maxim that was sewn on with golden letters. The one who strives to coexist between peace and war, and strives to bask in the glory of gold while within that coexistence.
Ranked 5th on the demon continent.
The lord in charge of nobility.
The sacred and inviolable representative of absolute dignity.
“······Demon Lord Marbas.”
The monarch of the Neutral Faction was lurking in the distance.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 15 Polles
‘This is reckless.’ Lapis remonstrated.
‘This young lady will be unable to protect you.’ Farnese advised.
‘Well, Master is nuts, so if need be, this one will die together with you!’ Humbaba offered.
While having refused the remonstration, keeping the advice in mind, and shouldering the offer, I, Dantalian, headed towards the Neutral Faction’s military headquarters.
The night was dark as midnight had passed. The only one who could be called my guard was Humbaba, but even then, she had been disarmed. Additionally, they had gone as far as to inspect Humbaba’s undergarments after having stripped her of them. Her flesh which had been torn due to the long period of torture she had endured was displayed in plain sight.
“Ahahah. I haven’t hidden anything, I have nothing to hide. I really don’t have anything on me. Do you think I’m crazy enough to mess around with the Demon Lord who has a mortgage on my soul? I’m Humbaba. The head witch that leads the Three Nightmares. I’d be delighted if you showed some respect to the Quadriphllyous medal that’s attached to my hat.”
“······.”
The sentry looked Humbaba up and down before giving a nod. Humbaba was then allowed entry to the Neutral Faction’s camp. It was really after they had checked every nook and cranny of her body.
Humbaba was all smiles.
“Did you see that, Master? It’s because of behavior like this that I end up believing that the absolute majority of the males in the world desire my body. Even if I try to go somewhere comfortably, they do this kind of nonsense.”
“My God. Your entire life is your own self-torment.”
“Aha, I can’t deny that. As expected of Master. If you added the fact that my self-torment is my own torture, then it’d be perfect.”
We walked together as master and servant while murmuring to each other. The soldiers of the Neutral Faction followed us closely on both of our sides. The torches held by the soldiers illuminated their expressions. As one would expect from elite soldiers, they were all expressionless, but despite that, they would occasionally furrow their brows whenever they glanced at Humbaba.
How long did we walk for, I wonder.
We were guided to a particularly massive tent. It was a military tent that was made by connecting tiger pelts together. Due to the fact that both Barbatos and Paimon did not have a personality that quibbled over the luxury of their quarters, the tent that I was currently seeing was the most luxurious one I have ever seen.
All of the sentries that were standing guard at the entrance had a Diphyllous medal attached to their helmets. The medal that was in the form of a leaf was an honor that was only bestowed upon those who had participated in a Crescent Alliance and had performed a meritorious deed.
As this was the 8th Crescent Alliance and the expedition had yet to end, those medals were undoubtedly from the 7th and 6th expeditions. This meant that the sentries, whose numbers reached slightly over twenty, were all veteran warriors who were able to survive for the past 200 years. Humbaba needlessly behaved like a restless shih tzu and pointed at her own cone hat.
“MasterMaster. Look at this. This one has a Quadriphllyous.”
“······.”
“At most, all they have are Diphyllouses. Ahahah. This one is twice as strong as them!”
Wow.
The sentries glared daggers at us the instant Humbaba had spat out those words. I am still a Demon Lord in spite of my appearance. I passed my hand over the horn attached to the back of my head and whispered.
“······Even if you say that you have four leaves, did you not receive your fourth leaf by kowtowing before Her Highness Paimon after having performed some trickery? I beg of you. Keep in mind the fact that we are in the middle of an army that may or may not abruptly become hostile towards us.”
“Eeh. But I have a chronic disease where I become sullen if I close my mouth for even a moment.”
“At the very least, can you not whisper in a voice which only I can hear?”
“Gasp. Don’t tell me, was that perhaps a secret confession to this one? You mustn’t, Master. This one already has a master who she has devoted her affection to, so this one cannot possibly give Master this one’s body······!”
Yeah.
Whatever.
What more could I have expected from you?
Just grow up healthy.
While receiving the clear glares of the sentries, Humbaba and I continued to chat. Once nearly half an hour had passed, a low voice resonated from within the tent.
“Demon Lord Dantalian, enter.”
The tone of the voice was antique. However, a harsh growl which could not be entirely placated by the antiquity lingered in the voice. I wonder if this is how it would sound like if a brown bear were to learn the language of people.
I brushed Humbaba’s hair behind her ear.
“I will be back.”
“Yes, Master.”
Humbaba smiled brightly.
“This one will be waiting. Always.”
Similar to how the military tent appeared grand on the outside, it was vast on the inside as well. I believed that I resided in a luxurious tent because of how much money I had spent on it, but the quarters which the head of the Neutral Faction resided in was on a different level.
12 attendants were all lowering their heads in silence. 6 royal bodyguards with either a sword attached to their waist or a spear held in their hands were gazing at me. A red carpet was laid out on the floor of the tent and a large throne was situated on the edge of the carpet. A monarch was obliquely resting his back on that very throne.
Within a place that should not be referred to as a tent.
But would be better off being referred to as a palace located in the center of an enemy campsite.
“Dantalian.”
The monarch spoke.
“It is admirable for you to have come here alone. Are you here to answer my call?”
Marbas stared straight into my face.
His face was close. His gaze was unwavering. The monarch’s many years of experience were spread across his face as wrinkles. The monarch’s firm persistence spread through his steady shoulders. As someone who did not distinguish between beliefs and life, a monarch who has only gathered beliefs with life and life with beliefs was seated in front of me. He was a perfectly firm monarch.
“The last time I saw you was immediately after the speech declaring the onset of war. Were you not imprisoned?”
I lowered my head and answered.
“This one’s sins had been forgiven, so this one was released.”
“So I have heard. Were you released on the same day on which the tragedy on Bruno Plains had occurred?”
“Yes, Your Excellency. That is the case.”
“I have also heard that you are Barbatos’ lover. Allow me to ask you this; were you, in any way, involved in that tragedy?”
“······.”
I contemplated for a moment.
Lying in this situation was an easy task. I was confident in my ability of deception as well. There were also many different ways of answering this question in a vague manner. However, feigning ignorance was most likely not what was important right now. Naturally raising the favorable impression which this monarch has of me was more crucial.
‘In good terms, he is a principlist.’ Paimon had commented.
‘In better terms, he’s a damn aggressive old fossil.’ Barbatos had commented.
‘And he is a bald old man.’
‘And he’s a bald old man.’
These weren’t particularly important comments.
I shook my head as I mentally marveled at my own accursed memory.
“Your Excellency, this one had witnessed the tragedy with this one’s very own two eyes. As this one could not stop it despite having witnessed it, even if this one could stop it, this one would have not done so, therefore it would be shameful if this one were to claim that this one was not involved in that tragedy in any way.”
“That is an appropriate and sound argument. Raise your head.”
I did so.
The monarch was wearing a monocle over his right eye. The candles located here and there throughout the tent would occasionally angle themselves towards the monocle and cause it to shine. Although it was difficult for me to look straight at the monarch’s face, the monarch looked me up and down entirely.
“Dantalian, since you are the youngest amongst us and have the lowest rank, I assume that you had barely any involvement with that incident. Even on the very day where blood was shed, you were most likely unable to get involved at all as you were doing your time behind bars. Amongst all of those fellows who are going around claiming to be the Crescent Alliance, you alone are innocent.”
“This one is honored, Your Excellency.”
That wasn’t the case at all.
I regret to inform you, Marbas, but if one had to pick out who was the main culprit behind the bloodshed, then I am the very first person who should be pointed at first. Originally, I am the one who you should be hostile towards the most. Regardless, there is no other choice but for you to have this sort of misunderstanding.
Because.
“Barbatos and Paimon had mercilessly set you at the rear, they had left you behind and made you take on the approaching humans. There is no doubt that they had turned you into a sacrificial lamb under the condition of your release. Do you not feel vexed?”
Yes.
Because no matter how you look at my situation, people would only be able to see it like this.
“······.”
Aah, I laughed inside of my head. In spite of all of my consideration, Imperial Princess Elizabeth and I were the same. For us, the victory and defeat of battles were nothing more than secondary issues.
Victory was beautiful and sweet, however, was defeat not humiliating and disgraceful? In the very rare chance you are faced with a battle where you can be humiliated and disgraced, you must make sure that it is a battle where you are able to obtain something even if you are defeated. Traditionally, engaging in only these sorts of battles was the proper thing to do.
The Imperial Princess was defeated. Despite that, she had obtained a justification. That justification was an item which she could obtain regardless of her victory or defeat. Hence, that was the reason why the Imperial Princess had pursued us to the sea of trees without any hesitation.
I had triumphed. However, even if I were to have lost, my innocence would have been proven either way. To the other demons, I was a poor, pitiable, and pathetic individual, an underling who had been played around by Barbatos and Paimon before being tossed away like a hand of cards.
I had won. However, even if our forces had won, what had I been doing? Where was I when Farnese had been hit by a bolt and the witches were putting their lives on the line? In the rear. I was setting up an encampment in the safe backline and taking in the stragglers.
Although I had won, since it was a victory which was clearly not due to my own efforts, I was standing one step to the side of the glory of victory. Some people may consider this treatment to be unreasonable———but I deem this to be the most beautiful conclusion imaginable.
I felt as if I could hear the public ridiculing me from even here.
— Demon Lord Dantalian. An individual who had somehow gained a windfall, however, he wastes his wealth unsparingly for his lowly lover because he is a fool.
— Demon Lord Dantalian. He was fortunate enough to somehow recruit a genius as his general, however, he never goes out into battle himself because he is a coward.
— Demon Lord Dantalian. An individual who was somehow able to survive to this day due to pure luck, however, he is constantly used by Barbatos and Paimon because he is an idiot among idiots.
A lecher. A coward. An idiot.
How beautiful these whispers are.
On this vast continent, the number of monarchs who are aware that I am acting behind the scenes can be counted on a single hand. Barbatos, Paimon, Sitri, Ivar Lodbrok, and Elizabeth. There was no one else beyond these individuals.
Five people.
A mere five people.
It was a performance where I had to face only five people.
On the other hand———aah, Elizabeth. O Elizabeth whose silver locks are elegant. Imperial Princess who was born with the other half of my soul, behold the countless number of rivals whom you must face!
O Elizabeth. Every sovereign that is currently reigning in the human continent is afraid of you. This is because they had a premonition of you becoming a storm that will raise a new wave and swallow up the coast of the current age.
O Elizabeth. Even your aged biological father, the Emperor of Habsburg, is afraid of you. This is because he knows by intuition the fact that the blade which you have been sharpening until now will be used to stab him in the back and take his life.
O Elizabeth! Have even the Demon Lords of the demon continent not come to recognize you? You, who should have been silently subduing the human continent south of the Black Mountains, were discovered 10 years early. This is because I had courteously invited you to the stage.
O Elizabeth.
O Imperial Princess whose red eyes resemble the color of blood.
O Empress who, during the previous night, had shed blood for a moment after having been assaulted by Farnese in the darkness. You are competent to no end. Because you are competent to no end, you will no longer be careless when going against Farnese. Thus, in the next battle, you may even possibly bring Farnese to her knees. Not only the next battle, but the battle after that, and the battle after that, you might even come out victorious in the fourth battle and the fifth battle that follows after that. Even if everyone in the world does not believe in your victory, I alone shall believe in you. You are an empress who was originally destined to conquer the world, that is how sublime you are.
‘But for how long?’ a single lecher asks.
‘For how long will you continue to win?’ this coward taunts.
‘Will you win forever and triumph eternally?’ this idiot scoffs.
Are you trying to handle Farnese by herself? Manage her. You will be able to do so. I am aware that you are capable of handling her with ease. However, are you also capable of handling every sovereign in the human continent and every Demon Lord in the demon continent at the same time? Is that something which can be handled just because you said you could handle it?
Look. This lecher, coward, and idiot is asking you a question. A question that is more important than anything else. A question shared solely within our breaths as they mix together.
O Elizabeth.
Can you handle the entire world?
I can. Aah, it is more than possible for me. Why? Because I had made it so that I had less than five cast members to deal with early on!
Five! Even if I possessed a talent that is slightly lacking when compared to yours, I am not obscure to the point of being incapable of dancing around with a mere five people.
Five! Even if my plots are insufficient and my schemes are poor when compared to yours, they are more than enough to toy with five people and run the show.
Five! One of those five fingers, Ivar Lodbrok, has already fallen and is now my slave. Now the number of people I have to deal with has decreased by one. What have you decreased while I was lowering my numbers? By some chance, did you not actually increase your numbers?
Five! One of the obvious five fingers, Demon Lord Sitri, has descended to a position where it was now difficult for her to raise her face while in front of me because she had lost to you. According to my intelligence, she and Zepar had been captured as prisoners by Demon Lord Marbas. Very good. How pleasant.
Sitri still refuses to submit to me. It was too soon to pull down her final bulwark. However, not only was her fall going to happen soon, but this was also a preordained plan. Once it happens, this will mean that another leading actor among the main five will step down from my stage.
I spend my time leisurely while on my gradually diminishing stage. You are the complete opposite. The stage which you must handle will continue to broaden ad infinitum. I shall give you my applause and cheers. Go ahead and try to perform a one-man play while on a stage that goes against the world.
Will you not be beautiful?
Will you not crumble beautifully?
Will you not exude a fragrance when you crumble?
Elizabeth, Atanaxia, Evatriae, von Habsburg······.
Even in this moment, I draw you in my mind.
Do not be too disappointed just because you were unable to meet me in the forest of white aspen trees. If we were unable to meet, then that simply means that it was not yet the time to meet. Be patient. You and I are each other’s fate. When waiting for one’s destiny, that wait is simply a happy melody. Until the day our fate strikes the earth like a thunderbolt, we have to be happy by waiting······.
“Dantalian.”
Look.
A supporting actor who was as terrifying as a bear was standing over there.
However, no matter how terrifying he was, he was nothing more than a supporting actor. Was that not the case? Now let us listen to what he has to say.
“You no longer have to be afraid of Barbatos and Paimon who have tossed you away. Be embraced within my shade. I shall take you in. Stand underneath my banner. I shall lead you. Look towards the direction which I point. I shall promise you.”
Good. This was the language of a monarch who lived life. I could smell the scent of dirt. How beautiful. Clouds of dust would most likely billow if war horses were to charge on top of this ground which had been dried by the sun.
“I promise a crown land where our kind will not kill one another. I vow that it will be a kingdom where people will not be killed even if there is a reason for them to be killed. Even if I collapse and break apart, at least this promise and vow will be eternal. How about it, Ranked 71st Demon Lord?”
The monarch continued.
“Will you follow me?”
“······.”
I made the smile of my heart stop at my heart and composed myself.
My expression was still calm and my complexion was temperate. My voice did not reflect the temperature of my heart so it was serene. I slowly lowered my head to make it appear as if I was being pressured by Marbas’ grandeur.
“······Your Excellency. Your Excellency’s royal grace is immeasurable and inscrutable. If this one were allowed the opportunity to rest underneath Your Excellency’s shade, then how could this one possibly refuse? However, before this Dantalian, this humble one can entrust this one’s pitiable body to Your Excellency, there is something which this one must tell Your Excellency first.”
“Do you wish for a private audience?”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“You all may leave.”
There was no one who dared to question his order.
The sound of both the attendants and bodyguards’ footsteps seeped into the carpet before it soon subsided. The sound of breathing coming from slightly over twenty people had disappeared in a single effort. The extravagant military tent was more forlorn because of that very extravagance.
The monarch spoke.
“What do you wish to tell me?”
“This one is the emissary of both Barbatos and Paimon.”
“······.”
The air was cold.
Marbas looked at me quietly. I wonder if he was angry or if he was looking at me carefully. It was hard to fathom. Similar to how I had composed the temperature of my heart and did not let it appear in my voice, it seems that Marbas did not allow the temperature of his chest to flow out from his gaze.
“If you are an emissary, then does that mean you have a letter which you must deliver to me?”
“This one does not have such a thing.”
“Then how is someone like you able to consider yourself as an emissary?”
“Because this one has an item which proves that this one is an emissary.”
“Show me.”
“This one shall present it to Your Excellency, but.”
I bowed my head once more.
“Before that, this one must first convey the words which both parties had passed on.”
“I shall allow it. However, bear in mind the fact that your life is resting on top of a blade.”
“This one always has the preservation of this one’s own life as this one’s utmost priority, Your Excellency.”
I cleared my throat.
I adjusted my clothes and raised my head.
I stared straight at the man before me. A large physique with a shoulder span that was wider than my own by three times, was looking down at me. However, I could not be overawed. Since I had set myself up as the emissary of both parties, I was no longer ranked 71st, the youngest of Demon Lords, and was now the representative of both the Plains and Mountain Factions.
“I convey this message not to the Neutral Faction but to Demon Lord Marbas alone.”
“······.”
“We purposely did not inform you of our plans beforehand.”
“······What?”
A wavering appeared in the gaze of the monarch who had resembled a serene lake until now. Of course, it was not a well-disposed wavering towards me. As if he intended to give me a single opportunity to explain myself before releasing his wrath, Marbas frowned as he glared at me.
I explained.
“Your Excellency, both parties did not inform Your Excellency about the purge on purpose. Although this action is a behavior that is nothing short of ridicule, it was, at the same time, for Your Excellency’s sake as well.”
“Those are fickle words. How was it for my sake?”
“From this point on, the Crescent Alliance will be engaging in an all-out war against the Demon Lords who had remained on the demon continent. Nevertheless, even if we will be engaging in an all-out war, is there a need for us to wipe them out? How could uprooting every single commoner who resides in the territories ruled by the other Demon Lords be the will of both parties?”
“······.”
After all is said and done, Barbatos acted for the sake of the people. It was an arbitrary love and hatred. Paimon also loved the people. It was a self-righteous affection. Although they were arbitrary and self-righteous, there were no other monarchs who acted for the sake of demonkind more than these two Demon Lord.
“If the war lasts for a long period of time, then a time where a ceasefire is necessary will come. Even if it is not a ceasefire, an agreement will be established. If an agreement is to be established, then would there not be a need for a person to be in the middle in order to mediate the two sides? Would it not be difficult for a person from either side to act as a mediator?”
“······.”
“Your Excellency, the sin for having betrayed the Crescent Alliance and selling out our fellow kind is unspeakably immense and deep, but if both parties were to have discussed this matter with Your Excellency first, then they would have been able to convince Your Excellency with ease. This one assumes that several parasites hiding in Your Excellency’s shade would have been sent to the afterlife as well. However, if things were to have gone that way, then coming to an agreement would have been next to impossible and we would have been faced with an excruciatingly difficult situation.”
The monarch went silent.
“So was I excluded for the sake of the peace that will follow afterward?”
“That is correct.”
“What are your true intentions behind not having brought the information you had conveyed to me in a letter and presenting it to me like that?”
“There are too many eyes around Your Excellency. Starting from Rank 1st Baal and all the way to Rank 4th Gamigin. Similar to how their eyes were looming close to the Plains and Mountain Factions, they are most likely hiding within the Neutral Faction in an identical manner. If this one were to have brought a letter, then there is a chance that it could have been revealed when this one’s body was searched. Regardless of whether the contents of the letter were revealed or not, the very information that ‘Dantalian had a secret letter’ would have been passed on to someone. Conveying the message and trust through a letter was dangerous.”
“······.”
“Your Excellency, I beg for your understanding.”
Understanding.
The act of looking deeply into a candlelight.
By simply looking only at the light burning in a lamp, looking past the things which can and cannot be seen and feeling them out.
Fathoming the connection between light and light.
Similar to how I had connected smoke with smoke all the way to the other side of the Black Mountains, the ones who were capable of pulling this off were monarchs, and they could only be monarchs by managing this.
“Please believe in Your Excellency’s comrades of both parties who have been together with Your Excellency on battlefields for over four hundred years. Her Excellency Barbatos and Her Highness Paimon are sworn enemies, but for what reason does Your Excellency think that they had joined hands for? Would it not be because there are parasites that are more scornful than their own sworn enemies lying dormant behind them?”
“······.”
Marbas closed his eyes.
The silence lasted solitarily within the military tent. The silence was tenacious. The monarch’s wrinkles which could be seen through his monocle were dark.
The monarch’s mouth finally opened after a long period of time.
“······Those ladies who frolic so much that the world aches. Do they intend to give me the hardest role?”
“Yes. That is how it is. Your Excellency must pretend to fight and quarrel with both parties. If Your Excellency’s performance is poor, then the Demon Lords north of the Black Mountains will see through it with ease.”
I bowed with respect.
“Your Excellency, please take me hostage and breach the Black and White Fortresses. Pursue the two parties as if you are chasing them as fast as possible. At this moment, the Demon Lords north of the Black Mountains are most likely preoccupied because of the Crescent Alliance’s withdrawal. Their field of vision will become narrow and Your Excellency will most likely be the first person to appear in their field of vision. Take advantage of that.”
“I have already captured Zepar and Sitri. Do I need more?”
“The more, the better, Your Excellency.”
“······.”
The monarch groaned slowly.
“It is you who is the loyal subject to all of demonkind. Despite having been sent to prison by them, you follow both Barbatos and Paimon without any complaints and you offer yourself as a hostage for the sake of the demon continent. Dantalian, I give you my respect.”
The monarch then stuck out his left hand.
I surmised that Marbas wanted to shake hands with his left hand and not his right hand. It was from now on. The act of pretending to be hostile towards the Crescent Alliance was going to start from this point on.
“This one is honored, Your Excellency.”
It was at the moment I was about to accept his handshake.
“Mm.”
Squeeze.
Marbas grabbed my left hand with his rough grasp. For an instant, an immense pressure pressed down on the bones of my hand. Marbas gripped my hand just strong enough that it was barely short of making my bones creak and forcing my flesh to scream. Thanks to this, my expression had crumbled quite a bit.
“Your Excellency, what are you······.”
“Where is the evidence that proves you did not tell a lie?”
Marbas glared at me carefully.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_04_03.txt
|
Chapter 4: Hope
“I am already aware that you are a smooth talker. I too was present in Niflheim when you had made Paimon kneel. How will you guarantee me here that you do not have treacherous intentions and that you are not planning to ridicule me and taunt the Crescent Alliance with that eloquence of yours?”
“······.”
“Where is the guarantee that we will not be ambushed while we are in the middle of making our way through the Black and White Fortresses after having been tricked by you? Dantalian, your expression is gentle and your eyes are soft, but there are plenty of swindlers out there in the world who are capable of camouflaging their complexions. How will you prove to me that you are not just ridiculing me?”
Surely. This was not bad.
The man before me did not waste his days as the head of the Neutral Faction in a slovenly way. This much wariness was obvious. Because it was obvious, I was obviously able to predict it. While an intense pain was going through the bones of my hand, I smiled slightly.
Yes.
I have been earnestly waiting for this very moment.
“O Honorable Marbas, if it turns out that this one had deceived Your Highness, then that would mean that this one was deceived by the two parties as well. This one has already requested Your Highness to take this one hostage. If an ambush were to actually occur at the Black and White Fortresses, then would it not be this one’s neck that would be sent flying first?”
“That is correct.”
The monarch nodded.
“Therefore, the problem is very simple. How much do Barbatos and Paimon trust you? This is the only issue which I must verify and you must prove. If Barbatos and Paimon possess a brain inside of their heads, then they would have definitely left with you a token of their trust. Have you brought one?”
“Of course, Your Excellency.”
I slowly took something out from my pocket.
An item which looked normal at glance and was something anyone who was reasonably rich would carry around with them.
Marbas knitted his brow when he saw the item.
“Hm? Is that not a pocket watch?”
“It is not a pocket watch, Your Excellency. It is a memoria artifact which contains essential evidence. The witches that are under my command enjoy enchanting pocket watches with memory magic, so I have been using it quite handily.”
“Hooh.”
The pressure that was grabbing my left hand gradually diminished.
“That is considerate. If an emissary were to come with only a verbal message, then they would easily be doubted, but if you were to hide it within a watch, then you would be able to avoid this suspicion.”
“Your grace is immeasurable, Your Excellency.”
“All right. I am certain that that is a record which will display the weight of the trust that is lying on your shoulders. Go ahead and play it. I shall watch it carefully.”
“It is too soon for such words, Your Excellency.”
Without any hesitation, I started to turn the hour hand of the pocket watch once I had been given the order to do so. Once at midnight. Once at midday. Once at midnight again, and back to midday. The hour hand, minute hand, and second hand of the pocket watch started to spin fiercely while letting out an audible ‘vrrr······’ sound before smoke started to flow out from the crevices of the watch.
And then.
Once I shined the watch on the smoke, it started to project the recording.
— Auh···, heuuuh······!?
“············.”
Marbas froze.
The sound of moans flowed out consecutively from the pocket watch. The silence of the military tent was broken capriciously. The honorable Demon Lord Marbas was simply staring up at the air with the same expression which his face had solidified into 10 seconds ago.
— No! Stop! Please, hey, wait, don’t······!?
— When did I allow you to speak words? A pig should oink like a pig!”
— Mm, oink······oinkoink, ooink······!
I grinned widely.
Although the work of art that had recorded Lapis had been destroyed and will no longer be able to obtain the honor of being the world’s first, this work of art here was undoubtedly the world’s first to feature a Demon Lord in the leading role.
“······.”
“Your Excellency had instructed this one to show you the evidence of how much trust Her Excellency Barbatos has in this one, correct?”
Now then.
I smiled broadly while displaying my rare and valuable work.
I was being projected on the smoke and in that scene with me was a woman. The woman coincidentally had hair that was white and gave off a silver shine, coincidentally had horns sticking out of her head, and also coincidentally had golden pupils.
— All right. What am I? Go ahead and say it with your own mouth. What am I, Dantalian, to you?
— Master······. Lord Dantalian, mm. Is my, Barbatos’ master······!”
And coincidentally, her name was Barbatos.
“·········.”
Without moving even a single inch, the head of the Neutral Faction was like a statue as he watched the recording which displayed the head of the Plains Faction referring to me as Master and being ridiculed. It seems that he had received the biggest shock he had ever experienced in his life and it had struck him right on his head. Space was also infinite and time was eternal.
5 minutes passed.
It was a beautiful 5 minutes.
“······.”
“······.”
Marbas was still.
I was smiling broadly.
“······That.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t tell me.”
“Yes.”
“······No, but?”
“That is the case.”
“Truly······?”
“Surprisingly.”
“But, no matter how you think about it, the roles are.”
“This one thinks so as well.”
“Thus, it was not done by force but voluntarily······?”
“This one shall mention that in this recording, this one did not have any free will whatsoever or even an inch of initiative.”
“······.”
Silence.
Marbas opened his mouth.
“Nevertheless, contrary to my expectation, are you not enjoying it as well?”
“Your Excellency, never once in this one’s life has this one ever suspected Your Excellency’s political neutrality, but that statement just now is raising a slight bit of doubt in this one. By all means, please be discerning.”
“Surely.”
Marbas let out a long groan.
“Barbatos, that reckless girl has finally obtained her mate······.”
“This one does not wish to mention it, but instead of getting rid of this one’s doubt, Your Excellency is increasing it more. This one can assure Your Excellency that that body type is not this one’s preference. If this one had to choose, then this one believes that Her Highness Paimon is splendid.”
“Paimon’s appearance is indeed quite marvelous. She is worthy of her title of Queen of Mares.”
I nodded.
I then asked Marbas.
“Does Your Excellency now understand how trusted this one is?”
“······.”
Marbas covered his forehead with his palm.
Marbas let his groans flow through the cracks of his fingers. It seems that he wished to pull at his hair as he contemplated, but due to the fact that no such thing was present on his head, it seems that he earnestly believed that this fact was quite unfortunate. Roughly, it seems that Marbas was Bhuddistically seeking out who I was, where I had come from, and where I was going.
“······.”
Thinking.
“······Mmm······.”
Anguish.
“Surely······.”
And resignation.
“I understand. I shall trust you, Dantalian······.”
After magnificently accomplishing the three steps of Buddhism, Marbas let out a sigh. Regrettably, it seems that he was unable to fulfill the final step of enlightenment, but who cares? It was fine. Regardless of how foul my temper was, I am not so cruel that I would scold the sadness of a bald man.
Therefore.
“This one will be in Your Excellency’s care from now on. Your Excellency Marbas, it may be rude of me to ask, but will Your Excellency be willing to listen to a single immediate ‘request’? Please consider this as a reward for this one as this one had come all the way here at this one’s own peril.”
“······All right. No matter the wish, I shall willingly grant it as long as I am capable of doing so.”
I smiled truly refreshingly.
Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 15.
A secret alliance has been concluded between the Plains and Mountain Factions, and the Neutral Faction.
However, it is said that the number of people in the world who know about the decisive evidence behind the formation of the alliance can be counted on a single hand······.
FIN.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Intermission_01.txt
|
Intermission
▯King’s Beloved Slave, Berbere Witch Sisters, Captain of the Royal Guard, Humbaba Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 15 Polles, Near the Vistula Forest
Sheesh, hey. Sheesh. Look at their violent temper.
As expected, even the auras of a high-rank Demon Lord’s royal bodyguards were on a different level.
Be it the sentries or the attendants, they were all glaring at me and whispering to each other. It can’t be helped. They’re the ones who want to badmouth me, so, by all means, I should allow them to eat tastily. It’s fine, everyone. Chew properly, okay? Eat well. Chew. They say that you shouldn’t even mess with a dog when they’re eating, and in spite of my appearance, I’m a well-mannered girl. Ahahah.
— ······To make a witch one’s captain of their Royal Guard······.
— How could such a noble personage appoint this kind of lowly peasant······.
— Harlots of souls with worn-out asses······.
Is it not amazing? Not only do people spew words from their mouths, but they spew words from their eyes as well. Yup. Strictly speaking, before putting an eyeball into those eye sockets, were those sockets not also holes?
Holes are holes. Something is either rammed into those holes or flows out from them, and that is what people believed in. Similar to how words come out of mouths and shit comes out of asses, something flows out from the eyes as well.
Scorn.
Ridicule.
Contempt.
In any case, similar to how people require their daily bread in order to live, to them, those were things they required in order to live in their own way.
— Hey, look at that. They say that’s a witch who’s lived for several centuries.
— She looks completely like a child······.
— She’s looking this way. She really looks annoying.
No. These were all irrelevant words. Hey, you young attendants over there.
Clack······ clack······, it’s starting to get really annoying because they’ve been tossing pebbles at me since earlier. You could easily get a grasp of the beautiful color and charm of their personalities by the fact that they were throwing pebbles and not stones. If I were injured by a stone, then regardless of the fact that he’s at the tail end of the Demon Lord rankings, it would mean that they had assaulted me, Master’s Captain of his Royal Guard. Thus, pebbles. Haah, these cheeky fellows.
······When’s Master coming back?
He’s late. A bit.
There’s nothing to do, so I might as well hum the song that I had written the lyrics of.
“The old man inquired— How impressive must it be for you all to praise it so—.”
Ah. I’m not saying this because I had created this, but this is a complete masterpiece. I’m serious. Be it the humans or the demons, in the end, monarchs compete in order to see who has the bigger penis.
The likes of us had mused over this, but no matter how we looked at it, the one who has the biggest penis in the world is our master, Dantalian.
“The person’s name is Dantalian with a sorrowful penis—.”
Master was that.
Not only was his penis big, but a peculiar lamentableness gloomed over it as well. It feels as if it should be called either sorrow or regret, but if you were to try and find an appropriate expression, then there was the shade of a person whose life was either fucked or had been fucked. Alas. Thus, as Master’s penis is a large penis, it was also the most sorrowful penis······.
My God.
Even I get shivers if I think about it. How perfect is my gift?! If Apollo were to see me, then he would despair so much that he wouldn’t come to work that day and make the world dark for the rest of the day. In other words, my gift is so formidable that it is capable of inadvertently stopping the sun itself······. If the sun stops, then everything in the world would stop, and if everything in the world stopped, then there would only be the last breaths of all things there, so, in other words, my gift is so tremendous that it could destroy the universe······. If the universe is destroyed, then even if space is infinite and time is eternal, there would be no point to them, so, in other words, my gift is so destructive that it could instantly make time and space useless······.
Humbaba.
How sinful this woman is······.
I know. I am well aware of my deep sin. I was gifted with a fate that could threaten the sun and all things just by being born. Every wandering minstrel in the world envies me and every flower bud in the world begrudges me, so the world has no other choice but to struggle against me by forming an anti-witch alliance.
So even those young attendants over there had received the mission to repel me, as they were the so-called informants among informants of the alliance······. How could this be? Without even being aware of their situation, I······ you insane pieces of shit throwing pebbles, it wouldn’t be enough to shove a stick up your asses, set those sticks on fire, and burn all of your internal organs, you’re fuckers who will only be able to fart for the rest of your lives······ had thought this, oh no······. Cry a little bit here, I went a bit too far, didn’t I······? I’m sorry. I apologize. From now on, I will try to understand everyone by considering each one of your situations a bit more······. Add some more tears here, I, Humbaba, will be born anew and pay everyone a visit as a better me······.
Now then, was that enough? Haah, these cheeky fellows.
— It’s true. She really isn’t reacting at all······.
— See? She’s just singing like a crazy person.
— ······They say they don’t have a soul. That’s why they stay as kids and stop growing······.
Yeah, It’s fine.
Go ahead and throw things at me. Everyone. Throw. If throwing that is what is needed in your lives, then it can’t be helped. In spite of my appearance, I’m a generous girl.
Tear me apart. While people live their lives, there are periods where they must bite into other people’s necks and have a taste of blood. It can’t be helped since all of your lives are broken. This generous girl will understand your desires to blame something which cannot be blamed.
Burn me. What can be done when burning people is something that’s needed in your lives? If you have to burn someone, then burn them. Chew properly. Have a nice meal. Eat. Despite my appearance, I’m a girl who doesn’t die easily. As it’s fine, it’s fine and also fine.
There’s no end to something being fine.
There are no bounds to something being fine.
That’s why the act of being fine is unlimited.
Hey, you attendants over there. If there’s a problem, then it’s you guys. The fact that there are ends and bounds to your lives. Ah, wouldn’t that be quite the problem? Did you know? Everyone, you’re going to die. You’ll all die.
That, throwing is all right, but you’re throwing away the days of your lives. You say that it’s fine to tear me apart, but you’re all tearing your own time apart while you tear me to pieces. You’ll die, you know? Are you going to keep burning me? Are you going to burn me again? What more do you intend to burn? Your own corpses?
Throw away a day.
Burn one by one.
Tear apart a day once more.
Burn one by one once more.
A day.
One.
And then.
Mm.
Gaya.
Let’s just smoke some gaya.
······.
Huaaaaah.
······.
Huuu, haaaaa······.
Yeah.
Well.
What?
What are you staring at, you attendants? Do you have a problem? I won’t sympathize with you people. I’m capable of doing so, but I won’t. I can’t. Do you know why? I don’t know what you guys hate the most in the world, but once you receive my sympathy, then in that moment, the thing which you guys hate the most in the world will automatically change into receiving a witch’s sympathy.
When’s Master coming back?
He’s late.
A bit.
······.
Ah. Fuck.
Hey, you attendants over there? Just because I’m not responding to you guys doesn’t mean that you should throw actual stones, you fucks. It hurts. Hey. Look here. It hurts. Hey! Ah, fuck, it hurts, you know?
Haah.
These cheeky fellows······.
While I was in the middle of pouring curses at those pieces of trash in my mind, from within the tent, a voice which I hadn’t heard in quite a long time flowed out.
“Send in Dantalian’s witch.”
Hoi?
I glanced around to see if I had misheard just now. The attendants and bodyguards were also looking around with the same looks on their faces. No one was able to respond, but a voice came from within the tent once more.
“Is no one there? I told you to send in the witch.
“······.”
Mmmm—.
I stood up from the ground and dusted my clothes. A bunch of pebbles poured down on the ground. The sentries glared at me with bloodthirst in their eyes. The attendants were panicking as they whispered among one another.
······This is strange.
I did become a witch after forming a contract with Marbas, but there was no doubt that Marbas had forgotten about me by now. An incredible amount of time had already passed since then. He wasn’t a Demon Lord who concerned himself with witches in the first place.
It was efficient to set up a witch as a sacrifice whenever a large epidemic passed by. He was quite the rational ruler who would occasionally use witches for that reason alone.
If you work well after having formed a contract, then he doesn’t concern himself with you aaat aaall. The one who managed me wasn’t Marbas either, it was one of his bureaucrats.
In good terms, he was an expedient person. In bad terms, he was a person who only concentrated on tasks that befitted Demon Lords after having passed down every dirty task to his subordinates. No. Well. Compared to Euryale who was caught by a pervert like Glasyalabolas and was presented 200 years of torture by the Demon Lord personally, I’m incredibly fortunate.
Mmmm.
But why is he calling for me?
During the 150 years, I went around the town plaza whenever an epidemic or a year of famine occurred, but I don’t recall ever meeting Marbas during those times. At all. Not even once.
I’ve been incredibly successful lately, so I spend my days sleeping in the same tent as Master Dantalian, but normally, this is something that could never happen······.
In any case, I’m going because I was summoned. After dusting all the gravel off of me, putting my cone hat on properly, and obliquely holding up my broom, I hastily walked into the tent.
······.
“This lowly one has entered, as this one was ordered to do so by the Great Demon Lord.”
“Welcome.”
Master Dantalian welcomed me with a smooth smile the instant I entered.
“······.”
On the other hand, Demon Lord Marbas was looking this way while frowning. His royal countenance appeared to be firmly displeased with something. How overwhelming. I feel sorry for having to display a peasant like myself to such noble eyes.
Master spoke.
“Humbaba.”
“Yes, Master?”
“I had a deep conversation with His Excellency Marbas here. It was quite the deep conversation. It was a conversation that was so deep that it could have been dangerous if it were any deeper. As a result, we were able to share a type of friendship that transcends my and His Excellency’s ranks. It is a friendship which only men can understand.”
Oho oho.
There’s some leeway for this to be interpreted in quite the dangerous way.
Referentially, for people like me, when something could be interpreted either dangerously or safely, I’m a girl who always interprets it dangerously. What I mean is, a hole is a hole, isn’t it? Although something flows out from them at times, things are rammed into them as well. I’m not trying to say something in particular, I’m just saying.
“This one gives her congratulations.”
“······Hmm.”
Demon Lord Marbas let out a sigh as if he were dissatisfied. It must be due to his large frame, but even his sighs sound like the breathing of a brown bear.
“Dantalian, I suggest that you think once more.”
“This one’s decision will not change.”
“I had certainly said that I respected you. As one of the corps commanders responsible for the Crescent Alliance, the devotion which you had displayed naturally deserves to be rewarded. There are many things which I can bestow upon you as a reward.”
“Your Excellency is correct.”
Ara?
What are they talking about?
Even if I carefully examined Master’s expression, Master was simply smiling slightly. It’s hard to get a read on Master whenever he’s like this.
“I could give you commodities.”
“Yes.”
“I could promise you a new domain.”
“Yes.”
“I could also provide you with an appropriate amount of honor and reputation even if it may take some time.”
“Yes.”
“If you were to wish for wealth, then you would become wealthy, if you were to wish for strength, then you would become mighty, if you were to wish for honor, then you would become glorious. Do you truly wish to refuse all of this? Do you intend to reward your own devotion and sacrifice with something like this?”
“This is sufficient.”
Master gave a small grin.
“Compared to any royal gift this one could hope for from Your Excellency, this one believes that the thing which this one had mentioned earlier is the most valuable. It is not a lie. It is not an exaggeration either. Wealth is wealth regardless of whose hands it ends up in, a domain is a domain regardless of whose foot steps on it, and this one is not interested in honor or reputation. However, Your Excellency, no matter how vast the continent is, this alone is something which only Your Excellency can bestow.”
“······.”
“If it is not Your Excellency’s royal hands, then it would be meaningless. If it is not Your Excellency’s royal legs, then it would be useless. Your Excellency is benevolently offering to grant this one’s wish, but how could this one dare to raise a petition?”
“······.”
Ara.
Really, what are they talking about?
Although I’m confident that I wouldn’t lose in regard to reading the atmosphere of one’s superiors, I have no idea what is being discussed right now.
Master Dantalian was simply gazing at me with a gentle smile on his face.
And Demon Lord Marbas.
“······.”
Was looking straight down at me.
Most likely for the first time.
Was it 300 years ago?
Was it 400 years ago?
Because I had thrown things away for a variety of reasons, was torn apart by a variety of things, and was burned by a variety of things, my memory of that time no longer remains as a whole. During that time, there was no spring, there was no summer, there was no autumn, and there was no winter. In that season, my time was chopped up into pieces and split up into small fragments. Whenever I dreamed, only the groans of imprecating and imprecating, I could only hear that season where tens of thousands of screams remained as an auditory hallucination.
“Witch Humbaba.”
“Yes?”
And then.
After calling my name for probably the first time ever, Demon Lord Marbas———.
············.
······Eh?
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Intermission_02.txt
|
Intermission
“———I am sorry, small witch.”
······.
······Huh?
“Humbaba, I do not remember in what way I had wronged you. I also do not remember making you into my witch. However, even if I did remember how I had wronged you, I would, by all means, not regret it.”
······Ara.
“I carry out things which I believe are necessary. Thus, if you had received pain, then I had most likely carried that out because I believed that was necessary as well. I am one of the lords who manages the demon continent. I am not sorry for the things which I had decided as a lord and the things I had carried out as a lord.”
······.
Yes······, but?
“The day I apologize to you while in the presence of my vassals and subjects will never come. Eternally. Therefore, I have no other choice but to apologize right now not as a lord, but as a single person.”
······.
············.
“I am sorry.”
Why.
“To you who was nothing more than a child, it was a cruel act.”
For what reason.
Why, now?
“I apologize to you.”
“······.”
Even though you never responded.
When I was hurting that much.
When my flesh was lacerated for the first time and blood had flowed out, when my bones were crushed for the first time and I had screamed, when my healthy flesh was burned for the first time and I had struggled while calling out to you please, please, please, when animals gnawed on my neck, when animals that were more severe than beasts trampled over my entire body, no, my entire body and my internal organs, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time, at that time———.
Even though you never said that you were even slightly sorry.
“I am sorry.”
Why.
······.
Ah.
Ah——————
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Intermission_03.txt
|
Intermission
“I am sorry.”
······.
Before I knew it.
I was being embraced by someone.
And someone was stroking my back.
“I am sorry.”
······.
I can’t see in front of me that well.
Marbas, was no longer here. I couldn’t see him.
Only my master,
Master’s voice. Master’s touch.
Because, my eyes, couldn’t see.
“······I am sorry.”
“Why?”
For what reason.
For what reason are you apologizing?”
“I don’t want to, Master······. I can never, forgive him······ I will never, forgive him······. Even though it hurt that much······ even though, he made me hurt that much, so much······ I can’t, possibly forgive him······ this can’t, be forgiven······. Wronged······ because he wronged me, if he wronged me······ if he knew, that was wrong······ if he knew······ why, for what reason······ why, exactly······.”
No. I can’t forgive him.
I can’t even accept his apology.
Who, just who. That apology.
That sin.
That wrongdoing.
How.
“······I am sorry.”
Aah.
Aaah, aaaaah.
Aah······.
Master.
“You do not have to forgive him.”
Master.
“Do not forgive him for all eternity.”
Master.
“You do not have to forgive anyone. Simply make all the people who had wronged you kneel. Receive the apologies which you must receive. And———and simply, continue to live.”
My master.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Prologue.txt
|
Prologue
▯Kinslayer, Imperial Princess of the Empire, Elizabeth von Habsburg Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 10 Polles, Bruno Plains, Army of the Crusaders
The night became cold once the spring rain had abated. Puddles of water that were left behind by the rain were scattered here and there throughout the camp and were slowly drying. I see that water dries well even during the night.
Ever since that day I played Black and White Flags against Demon Lord Dantalian, I have picked up the habit of carefully listening to the sound of nothing. If you inadvertently listen to these nothings, then you will come to realize that those nothings are actually beating as something. It was night. The candlelight wavered firmly as it burned my body, and while it wavered, it also shed light on the words that I had held in my hand.
— Month 4, Day 10. Late evening. Enemy camp, in the middle of holding an ancestral rite, a purge was carried out. Although it felt as if an internal strife was about to occur, it was quickly quelled. It can be assumed that Demon Lord Barbatos and Demon Lord Paimon are behind this. The surveillance is strict.
It was a note that was torn into a smaller piece of paper because the writer could only write a few lines. This spy had pressed down on a shard of graphite in order to write this, but considering how the letters were jagged, it is clear that this was not written on top of a flat surface. I could feel this spy’s desperate loyalty from these ruggedly written words.
······I see that this is a secret message that was sent after being hastily written. Beautiful.
Several crows were obediently lowering their bodies on top of my desk. Demonkind treated crows auspiciously, so they did not hunt them down carelessly. I had planted spies deeply into the shadows of the things that the enemy treated with caution. I removed another note from the ankle of a different crow and spread it out before me.
— Month 4, Day 10. Evening. A disturbance occurred amidst the enemy forces. As Demon Lords took the lives of other Demon Lords, the enemy forces were split into several parts. While they split apart, mixed together, and struck back, the enemy general, Laura De Farnese, performed. It is chaotic. It is difficult to conjecture more from what can be seen.
“······.”
The words were neat and straight. It was a report that was written leisurely. I carefully peered at the sight of the note being dyed yellow as the candlelight continued to burn.
I opened my mouth and spoke to my head maid.
“Julia.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Do you know when I became aware of the destiny of an emperor?”
“How could this one dare speak about the duty of an emperor?”
“It was when I was little.”
The head maid bowed deeply. The head maid was a girl who would quietly keep me company even when I would pass the time talking to myself. To this child, that was her duty as my loyal subject.
“Evening after evening, every corner of the imperial palace would be radiant due to the abundant number of candlelights. As I thawed my body, I would become curious about something as I stared at a candle that was lighting up a corner. Why, if you go to look at the candles that should have melted the day before, you will see that, on the day after, all of the candles would have recovered completely and be burning once more. My young self was in awe. ······So they resurrect. Ah, every night, the candles resurrect in order to brighten the next approaching night.”
As I unfolded the news that the crows had brought from several distances away one note at a time, I continued my story.
“That was what I had regarded as evidence of God’s descent. Because I was in both awe and astonishment, be it my tutor or my elder brother, I had told everyone about it. Impious fellows would go around clamoring that God did not exist, but that was merely the foolish mumblings of the people who have only lived during the day. God is a very shy individual, so he only wanders around the palace at night.”
“······.”
“No one believed me. If anything, they jeered at me.”
Thus I decided to confirm it.
“It was night.”
I snuck out of my bedroom and hid in a hallway where many candles had melted. My heart was pounding because of the thought that I was about to bear witness to the sight of God roaming around at night.
“Even the attendants had gone to sleep, so while the palace was silent, the sounds of the guards’ footsteps, the sound of an old soldier coughing up phlegm, and the whir of the wind, these nothings remained quiet as they continued to be nothing······.”
It was when I was little.
The sounds of the guards’ footsteps were simply a clamor of steps within the halls, and as the sound of coughing up phlegm was a noise that ominously shook the air, the whir of the wind was the sound of time being wasted tediously. I had yet to learn how to carefully listen to these nothings. During that season where nearly everything was nothing, my heart pounded furiously at the thought of seeing God, and at that time, the entire world was playing a variation of the tune which came from my beating heart.
How long did I have to wait?
“Someone approached the candlelit hall. The footsteps were much too normal for them to be called the footsteps of God. The person’s form was also much too pitiable for it to be called the appearance of God. Regardless, before the man had drawn closer to the candles, I still believed that he was God. I simply thought that God was magnanimous enough to be comfortable with even normal and pitiable things. Soon after, once I witnessed God extinguish the dying ember of a candle, replace the melted candle with a new one, and set the new candle ablaze, I came to a realization———that that wasn’t God.”
He was just a normal attendant.
He was simply a pitiable human.
Before I knew it, I was ruminating over the past with my eyes closed.
“Julia. That night was quite dreary. What I had seen was a normal and pitiable attendant on night duty, but what I had done was conjecture something more than what could be seen. The candles did not resurrect. They were merely replaced.”
“······.”
“Since the candles were replaced every day, it is clear that there was someone who made those candles every day. Since there was a person who made a living by solely making candles every day, it is also indisputable that there was another person who cultivated, harvested, and handed that candlemaker their food.”
I was not aware that those subjects, those jobs were a major part of the crown land. I have never seen the artisan who made a living by making candles. I have never seen the farmers and I have never seen the blacksmiths who made those farmers their farming equipment. However, as the candle was replaced right before my eyes and shining brightly———similar to how the burning candlelight was clear and certain, the subjects that I couldn’t see with my eyes were also clear and certain.
The people existed.
From that point forth, every world shone as lights in my eyes.
People and people were just connected over flames and flames.
I only learned what that clear and evidently burning candlelight was called later on.
“Do you understand, Julia?”
“······.”
“On that day, I lost God and gained a nation.”
I opened my eyes.
Once my eyes were open, I turned to look at the maids.
“The monarch which you all serve does not believe in the resurrection of God. I am not religious. If I were to have a doctrine, then it would simply be the doctrine of a candlelight. My creed would be for the candlelight to protect the night perennially, without end. As I look into my candlelight, I unravel and fathom the people from a distance. Do you all consider me to be blasphemous?”
Julia knelt down and the other maids followed suit by lowering themselves.
“We humble servants have always been in awe of Your Highness.”
“Although I may have many duties as an emperor, once you have conjectured more from what can be seen, that is when it can be finally established. I shall ask you this. Do you all believe in my perception?”
“Please command us. We shall obey.”
I nodded.
“Summon the commanders. Since it is the middle of the night, you will have to wake them up with caution. If they ask why they are being called, then tell them to bring their weapons. If they ask for a deeper cause, then inform them that the Imperial Princess has forbidden you from answering any more questions.”
“Should we summon all of them?”
“Yes.”
The commanders had all gathered by the time it took for a candle to melt by half of a handbreadth. The night was chilly because the spring rain had receded. Because they did not know the reason why they were gathered during the night, the lips of the commanders were dry. I gave a command.
“I heard that a wicked booklet has been circulating within our forces. They say that the speech of the enemy general was copied down and is being passed around among the common soldiers, nurturing traitorous thoughts within their minds. If these traitorous thoughts grow, then will they not eventually become a rebellion? It is said that a nation is a giant tree where the roots are placed within the hearts of the people. Do you all not think that the roots would become firm if you remove the weed before they can cause corrosion? Commanders, heed my words.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“With my concern for those roots as the cause, I command you. I shall allow you all to take a leave of absence tonight. Utilize the subordinates who you believe are trustworthy and raid every single tent. Turn them inside out. If you find one of these booklets within a tent, then execute every single soldier that was assigned to that tent. Do not take their lives while causing an uproar. You must not allow the farmers to needlessly sing as you pull out the weed. Behead them.”
The commanders lowered their bodies to the ground.
“All of them?”
“All of them.”
It was night.
There were flames billowing here and there throughout the military encampment, brightening the dark night. There was a decapitated corpse submerged within each puddle of water which the moisture of the spring rain had left behind.
The soldier who was raising his voice in order to claim that he was innocent was beheaded in the middle of his assertion. His head fell into a mire and muddy water flowed into his gaping maw. The surface level of the puddle shrank accordingly to the amount of muddy water the mouth of the corpse had swallowed. Like so, the puddles all around dried up completely.
I see that water dries well even during the night.
—O Goddess of All who resides in the clearest of skies, please do not toss away these deeply sinful children even if they arrive at your doorsteps, and simply look after them with mercy and tolerance. We shall bury their earthly corpses, so, O Goddess of All, please reap their heavenly spirits. Although we know how to bury the dead, we do not know how to bury their souls, so we can only look up at you, O Goddess of All, for your wisdom······.
Priests chanted reclusively as they roamed around the camp. Because a saintess who claimed to be from the Temple of Artemis was leading the Hymn of the Faithfully Departed, the commanders apathetically left the group of apostles alone. As expected, I had no reason to obstruct the hearts of the priests who wished to soothe the spirits with their hymn.
I passed the note that was written by the second spy to my head maid.
“Julia. The person who had written this is a traitor who has submitted to the side of demonkind.”
“Pardon?”
“As the day was chaotic, how was this individual able to find the time to write down their words so neat and properly? A disturbance had occurred and this person should have also been caught up in that disturbance, but as you can see, they had tipped off the people above them and obtained the time to leisurely write their report. Attach a separate spy on this person. Kill them before half a month can pass.”
“······.”
The head maid bowed.
“As you command.”
I turned my head and gazed out towards the other side of the Bruno Plains. It was deep into the night so the enemy encampment could not be seen. Although the enemy encampment was not visible, solely the outline of the tower of human skulls which the demons had piled up towards the sky could be vaguely seen under the moonlight.
Laura Farnese must be performing there. I see that the child who was nothing had barely become something after being taken in by Dantalian. Therefore, the child was performing for Dantalian who had molded her into something.
In the end, can that be beautiful?
Even a life that is completely dependent on someone else.
······.
Even that.
As I listened to the sound of flames flowing through the night, I pondered that thought.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 05/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-05-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Synopsis.txt
|
Synopsis
Peasants, drug addicts, and slaughterers.
The world has ruined you all.
It is now your turn to ruin the world.
「I shall build a kingdom for you all.」
No army is forever an enemy.
No army is forever an ally.
Survive against the humans and slaughter the demons.
Survive against the demons and use the humans.
———An anarchy where purges, betrayals, conspiracies, and lies are rampant.
Before long, a Demon Lord establishes a crown land.
Not for the humans or the demons, but for the peasants.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 04/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-04-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_01_01.txt
|
Chapter 1: The Season That Is Not Mine
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, DantalianEmpire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 3Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance
The female and male dogs that I saw yesterday were mating today as well.
In the middle of the plain. While forcefully making those humans over there and the demons here into their audience, they were copulating in front of a massive army that was no less than two hundred thousand. The soldiers tossed stones at them and laughed. Although both the humans and demons were laughing, they were both too far away to actually hit the dogs, so within the field that couldn’t be touched, the mutts were able to mate freely.
—— Do not throw stones!
—— Behave, you scoundrels. The Gods are watching.
The noncommissioned officers lashed the bottoms of the soldiers. They cautioned them to not disturb the dogs. They said that it was imprudent. To me, it was vague whether the soldiers, who were throwing stones at the mutts when a war was about to unfold, were the ones who were imprudent, or the officers, who were going out of their way to scold the soldiers, were the ones who were actually imprudent. Do not throw stones······ stop throwing······. The sounds of stones being tossed and the sounds of urging resonated all the way to the far fields, and as it spread out far, it slowly extended the time of the field.
Farnese muttered flatly.
“They are late. Did you say it was the Imperial Princess Elizabeth?”
“That is right. Albeit, I expected her to come out right away.”
Us two, master and servant, were standing side by side and gazing at the human army encampment over on the other side of the plain.
The negotiation area where the Imperial Princess and I had played Go in this morning had completely burned down. The tent had turned into rubble and was sprawled out in the center of the field. The Crown Prince of the Empire and the descendants of the Margrave were most likely dead underneath those remains. Although we were unable to see the corpses from here, crows would occasionally swoop down and disappear between the rubble. I pictured in my mind the image of the crows pecking and eating away at the bare facial area of the Crown Prince who had his face skinned off. The meat which was earnestly skinned and cooked to a crisp most likely suited the taste of the crows.
Our speech had ended. It was now the Imperial Princess Elizabeth’s turn to give hers. Due to the fact that the Imperial Princess has still yet to show herself, the soldiers were passing their time with the mating dogs.
Every now and then, the soldiers of the demon army would jeer at the lateness of the human army representative by shouting ‘Boo······’. Come out already, what are you doing, did they run away because they’re scared······? Despite that, the Imperial Princess did not reveal herself. Side by side, the copulating mutts, the corpse eating crows, and the soldiers that came here in order to go to war all appeared to be at leisure.
“Farnese, do you believe in God?”
“The Gods did not help this young lady even when her life was grim. Be it a God or a Devil, if they do not help this young lady, then what is there to care about? This young lady does not strain her nerves for needless things.”
Farnese looked this way.
“How about you, Lord? Do you believe in God?”
“Of course. It is difficult to find someone who is as purely devout as I am.”
“I see Your Lordship’s ridiculousness is bitter today.”
“I will see you after the speech is over.”
“For what reason does Your Lordship have to see this young lady later? This young lady is right before Your Lordship’s eyes at this very moment. Look at this young lady’s beautiful face as much as Your Lordship desires until you become tired of it. Oh, now that this young lady thinks about it, was Your Lordship not a eunuch who is unable to get aroused when looking at women besides Miss Lapis? Lord, this young lady apologizes. This young lady did not consider Your Lordship’s impotence. Since this young lady has ignored the situation of Your Lordship’s lower half, she cannot be truly referred to as your faithful subject.”
“This girl······.”
She’s quite elated just because she finished giving her speech.
Of course, in Farnese’s position, she must be delighted. Even if she had acted after having become my puppet, she was finally able to drop her name into the world. Her name will most likely be recorded in history as the revolutionist of the century. Different to Lapis and I, who pursued absolute authority, Farnese chased after reputation, and this very day was now her splendid anniversary day.
Similar to a young child who was delighted at having received a gift.
This girl known as Laura De Farnese was purely feeling pleased.
Despite the fact that she had actually driven mankind into an endless slaughter.
“This young lady’s speech was perfect.”
Farnese spoke.
“To be exact, it would be correct to say that it was a speech that was achieved through the cooperation of Your Lordship and this young lady. Henceforth, the continent will be split into two ranks and the countryside will be strewn with corpses and drenched with blood. Is Your Lordship still worried about the woman known as Elizabeth despite that? Honestly speaking, this young lady is not afraid.”
“······.”
I glanced at the plain spread out before us. There was no need to give an answer. Even if she were unaware now, she will see it for herself soon enough and will thus understand once she has witnessed it. Although there were many people in the world who were incapable of understanding something despite having seen it themselves, Farnese was my greatest pupil. She will be able to realize it well on her own.
The wind blew over the field. Woosh······. Due to the sudden shower that came down this morning, our vision could not reach out far and was forced to flicker within a close area. Everything was close. The rough palms of the noncommissioned officers which were striking the soldiers were close, the panting of the female and male dogs that were mating was close, and the violently flapping enemy flags on the other side of the field were close. Woooosh······. The wind blew for a moment, and the field became still after the drivel was swept away. I could sense that something was approaching.
“She’s here.”
“What are you referring to, Lord?”
“Watch well. That is your sworn enemy.”
Farnese tilted her head and turned towards the place I was gazing at. It was at the instant she had fully turned her gaze. Elizabeth’s speech started as if it were a gust of wind that was blowing from that side of the field to this.
—— Soldiers of many nations, do not be fooled by the sweet whispers of the devil.
As if hundreds of thousands of soldiers were being guided by the wind, their gaze went towards the girl. We were unable to see the Imperial Princess herself because she was too far away, however, solely her voice felt endlessly near.
—— They are all demons and monsters. Have you all not lost your parents, friends, and comrades to the wicked fangs of those monsters? Behold. For someone who is wearing the skin of humans, that girl is standing between those monsters. I refer to the ones who live alongside devils as a devil themselves so that child is certainly one of them.
I pulled out a portable telescope from my coat and looked out into the distance. My vision moved between banners and flags. As I was still unable to see where the Imperial Princess Elizabeth was, I carefully estimated her location solely by the sound of her voice which felt as if it were being whispered directly into my ear.
—— The devil spoke. They claimed that we had killed our own people. Where can you find a lie that is as immense as this? The devil stated that you all are on their side and are their allies. Where else can you find a lie that is as massive as this as well?
—— This is something that you all should ask yourselves. 400 years ago, who were the ones to put their lives on the line in order to protect the continent? 300 years ago, who were the ones to abandon their lives in order to protect mankind?
—— 250 years ago, who were the ones to swing their blades underneath the white walls until the last man standing? 200 years ago, who were the ones to charge towards the monsters on the Plains of Ulm?
—— And on this day, in order to fight against a hundred thousand monsters once more, there are people here who have thrown everything aside for their family, for their sons and daughters, and for the Gods. This is something you must ask yourselves! Who are these people!?
—— That is so. These people are you.
—— 400 years ago, 300 years ago, 200 years ago, and here on this very day, the ones devoting their lives in order to protect the continent are you, and solely you!
Elizabeth declared. She did not make any wasted breaths. Because there was no needless noise, it felt as if her voice was a melody that was slowly intensifying. The human soldiers were entranced by the tune and were all facing towards a single spot. With my telescope, I followed their gazes. She was calling for me.
—— Oh proud officers and men of many nations, the ones who were always slaughtered by those monsters were you, the people. The places that those monsters always pillaged were the fields cultivated by you, the people. As the ones those monsters always stepped on were our fathers and mothers, every time we attempted to live peacefully those monsters cruelly trampled on our lives.
—— Now a devil speaks to you. They claimed that they themselves have never threatened the people. I ask you all. Is that true?
The surroundings were still.
The atmosphere that was heated up by the speech given by Farnese earlier had settled down. The enemy forces that Farnese separated into peasants and nobles were once again embraced as one by Elizabeth, and the Imperial Princess started calling out each army that was gathered together.
—— Boeotians. I remember. 400 years ago, on the rocky plains of Aulis, you desperately protected one of humanity’s lines of defense with your lives, combatting against thirty thousand monsters for more than three days. The great prince that led you, Peneleos, rests underneath the hill alongside your brethren.
—— Tribe of Minyans. I remember. 300 years ago, at the region of doves, Thisvi, although a monster from the netherworld was approaching, you were able to protect your city with merely 400 men. Regardless of the city’s authority, the aristocrats, the citizens, and the slaves, you all became one and retaliated together. Humankind shall never forget your struggle.
—— People of Aspledon. who could possibly forget the legendary battle that you all displayed 150 years ago!?
The moment she said that line, a single group cheered. The tribe known as Aspledon had given a fervent response.
—— Hurrah for Aspledon! Hurrah for Aspledon!
It was from that moment on. Elizabeth’s naming was no longer a simple role call, but it was now a massive echo that shook the human army. Each time the Imperial Princess called out to a tribe or a city, the soldiers who were dispatched from those places would shake their flags fiercely and cheer.
—— Locrians, the people who lived while cultivating the water from the honorable River of Cephissus! I remember. 200 years ago, you all beheaded no less than 2 dragons in Euboea. Even the Goddesses of Heaven must have been moved by your achievement!
—— Locris! Locris! Locris!
Thud··· Thud···, the soldiers from a single army started slamming the butts of their spears against the ground. They were shouting while holding pride towards their homeland. They were most likely not ordered to do so, but the drummers lifted their drumsticks and started to pound heavily on their drums, which were made from cowhide. Bang······ Bang······. While the earth shook because of the roars, the air trembled due to the drums. Between the shaking and trembling, Elizabeth’s voice was free.
—— People of Abantes! People of Alpheus! Your glorious battle is still engraved onto each and every stone wall of your stronghold. When I was six-years-old, while brushing my boundlessly young hand over the engraved names on those walls, I made a resolution. That I will remember the names of the brave men written here on these walls forever. Therefore, I shall call out to your ancestors. Adrastus, Menestheus, Elephenor, Styra, Opoüs, Scarphe, Augeae, Tarphes————.
She had truly memorized all of the names and were calling them out one at a time. Her voice slowly became louder and louder. The shaking and trembling of the soldiers followed after her voice and rose up steeply.
Once the number of names she called out had reached over 20, the soldiers cheered, once the number of names she shouted out had reached over 30, the soldiers threw up their hats, and once the number of names she cried out had finally reached over 50, the entire army of humans had become one and were shouting together.
Aah.
—— Oh, mankind!
How beautiful, Elizabeth.
One piece at a time, you embroidered together the humankind that I had broken into fragments. If my speech was sharp and had sliced them apart, then you had applied glue to each severed side and gently pulled them together. Although I had incited their rage and hatred, Elizabeth led them by using their pride towards their homeland and with the illusion that humankind was one.
No one wanted to call themselves a peasant. No matter who it was, people would want to believe that they were only human. Before being referred to as a peasant, they wanted to be referred to as a human. Before discussing hierarchy, they favored their homes, and before leaping into a divide, they loved harmony.
Elizabeth knew that.
She knew the fact that love could be instigated as easily as hatred could.
—— You all, who were called by thousands of names yesterday, are here today as Habsburg, Francia, Brittany, Batavia, Teuton, Castile, Sardinia, Anatolia, Moscow, Kalmar, and Bernicia. However, we know. We know that we were originally one!
—— At times, humankind became disunited. At times, humankind resented one another. However, regardless of all that, we were still one. Whenever those monsters pillaged our loveable land and slaughtered our families and comrades, we always became one and struggled together!
—— Scorn and hatred were unable to stop us. Even the strong canines of the monsters were unable to separate us. That is so, it is because we are human. It is because we were born as humans, and until our final moments, we will more than gladly desire to die as just humans!
—— As our struggle was not towards mankind itself.
—— Our struggle was solely for the sake of mankind!
Finally, my telescope discovered Elizabeth. It was as if the silver haired Imperial Princess were looking this way from the very beginning since it felt as if our eyes met each other across this vast distance.
Elizabeth unsheathed her sword and raised it. It was a silver sword. A single ray of light made its way through a gap between the murky clouds and made the Imperial Princess’ sword shine a bright silver. Every time Elizabeth shouted, the soldiers would respond by saying ‘That’s right’.
—— Today, on this very day, mankind has once again reached a moment where everyone has become a single group. More than before, those monsters are stronger and more malicious. They know that they can only win if we were to be divided. You all must have heard well their false whispers. But how can one forget? The fact that humankind has always been one!
—— That’s right! That’s right!
—— For hundreds of years, those monsters put considerable efforts into separating us. But we remember. The fact that humankind has always been one!
—— That’s right! That’s right!
—— Today, they are once again trying to make us separate. However, we know. The fact that, on this day, humankind is surely one! As our ancestors have done so before, as we are doing so today, and as our descendants will do so tomorrow, humans will continue to forever exist as a single mankind!
—— That’s right! That’s right!
Elizabeth placed her blade against her hand and cut her palm. The bandages were torn and crimson blood started to flow. She clenched the blood and shouted.
—— I, Elizabeth of Habsburg, hereby vow. I shall always stand on the front lines throughout the defending war, which will unfold from this day forth. Whenever you wish to kneel before the ruthlessness of those monsters, I shall be directly behind you, supporting your backs. Whenever you are looking forward in despair, because of those monsters’ cruelty, I shall be standing right there!
Elizabeth opened her fist. The blood that had gathered on her palm scattered all at once and flew throughout the air. As if trying to repay for every single drop of blood, the soldiers shouted. Finally, ignoring their homelands, their roars mixed together chaotically and could not be understood anymore.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 04/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-04-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_01_02.txt
|
Chapter 1: The Season That Is Not Mine
—— Today, some will die and some will survive. Here, in this place, the blood of mankind will be drunk greedily by the Bruno Plains. Leave it be. Let the plains drink as much blood as it desires! If our thirst is quenched by doing so, then so be it. Since today will be mankind’s cruel carnival!
—— Officers and men of many nations! The people, the descendants of your proud ancestors! Alongside me, will you prove to those malicious monsters once more that we are still humans!?
—— That’s right!
—— Have you finished strengthening your resolves to remain in the history of blood once more!?
—— That’s right!
The horizon shook because of the roars. Flags were waving. The drummers continued to pound the cowhide boisterously. Like thunder that had no tempo or rhythm, the noise uttered by the human army of a hundred thousand soldiers shook the earth and the sky.
—— For war!
—— For war!
Following after, the soldiers chanted for war three or four more times. Elizabeth was able to wash the poison known as class strife, which I had spread throughout their army, clean. At the very least, it seems something like their fighting spirit falling apart will not happen today. How splendid. Surely, it was worthy of the girl who I had acknowledged to be my lifelong formidable enemy.
“······.”
Farnese was silent beside me. The delighted frivolous atmosphere, which she possessed immediately after her speech was over, had disappeared without a trace. She was merely staring hard at the sight of the human army cheering. I had heard from somewhere that the temperature of one’s gaze was the same as their heart. If that was the case, then, in the end, Farnese’s heart was mostly likely frozen like winter. I stroked Farnese’s head.
“How was it? Are you still not worried?”
“······For 2 months, this young lady had prepared for today’s speech. If you include the time spent learning from Miss Lapis, then it is no less than half a year. That speech, this young lady, and Your Lordship’s strike.”
“That is so.”
I nodded my head.
“That Imperial Princess had toppled our blow in merely 10 minutes. She most likely thought of countermeasures promptly after she heard our speech. She devised a speech in her head without any previous preparations whatsoever.”
Farnese, the girl, who you and I must face from now on, is that kind of monster. If we are unable to take the Imperial Princess’ life, then in return, the Imperial Princess will take ours. As a result, the hero to have their name remain in history will be her. At most, the girl known as Farnese will be recorded as the failed revolutionary and defeated general.
With no emotion on her face, Farnese bit her bottom lip.
“······Elizabeth. Elizabeth Atanaxia, Evatriae, von Habsburg.”
Farnese pronounced the name of the woman, who was going to become her sworn enemy, in detail. Farnese’s voice was sanguinary. Similar to the way she had pronounced it, it was as if she intended to slice up the Imperial Princess’ body, in detail.
“This young lady cannot forgive her. The one who will become the owner of this age is none other than this young lady. For that sole purpose, this young lady became Your Lordship’s vassal. How could this young lady possibly leave alone that sort of girl when she intends to obstruct this young lady’s ambitions?”
“Mm.”
I was pleased by this girl’s murderous intent. That’s right. I wanted this sort of reaction . Because I wanted this kind of response, I threw away the other heroes of the future and chose Laura De Farnese.
No matter how radiant the opposition was, I needed that superciliousness that could consider something as a hindrance solely for the reason that that radiance was blocking their path.
A cruelty that didn’t waver even the slightest amount when before the bombastic pretext of protecting mankind, a personality that is capable of killing the things that must be silently killed, and if the opposition cannot be killed, then someone who can make do by killing whatever else possible.
As Farnese was a supercilious and cruel girl, the Imperial Princess, Elizabeth, was nothing more than an unwelcomed guest that was interfering with her enjoyable and peaceful time. Farnese was a psychopath. That is why I chose this child instead of anyone else······.
There were many people who would say it was lonely when the wind blew. There were numerous people who would leave after saying they have to go somewhere whenever the wind blew. However, child, who is as loveable as my younger sister, since the wind has blown, you and I are people who demand the flags to be raised. Even if Elizabeth were a storm that was similar to a calamity, to us, that was nothing more than a signal to raise our banners.
“Lord.”
Farnese looked up at me. A faint tint of hatred could be seen in the pupils of this child who rarely displayed any emotions. It almost felt as if she were a child who just had her playground invaded and was pestering her father about it.
“This young lady shall kill that woman. Please allow this young lady to do so.”
“Not yet.”
I shook my head. Farnese furrowed her brow.
“Why not? Did Your Lordship not bring this young lady from the slave market in order to kill that woman? Your Lordship was right. This young lady understands now, as well. The fact that a woman like that cannot be killed by just anyone. However, if it is this young lady, then she will certainly be able to kill her.”
“Be patient. The time has yet to come.”
I slowly persuaded my best pupil. Although the curtains of the play have risen and the theatricals have begun, there were still many crises to overcome. In order to kill Macbeth, one must arrive at the fourth act first.
“Although taking the life of a single individual is a small task, it is something that I must do personally. There are thousands of humans we must kill, tens of thousands. How do you expect to properly subdue Elizabeth when we are surrounded by people that we must kill?”
“Your words are ambiguous, Lord. Please tell this young lady your true meaning.”
“I am saying that it is unwieldy to face the opponent in the front while leaving aside the enemy that is in the back.”
I smiled.
“We have an alliance with Barbatos’ Plains Faction, but that relationship is strictly limited to one where we merely use one another. Just because the benefit is firm, does not mean that even the trust is adamant. Moreover, the head that is leading the greatest faction in the demon continent, the Mountain Faction, is Paimon. That fellow is hostile towards us.”
Farnese narrowed her eyes.
“This young lady understands. It seems we must get rid of the bothersome things in the rear first. Since we would most likely have an upset stomach if we get too greedy, it would be best to rip them apart one bite at a time.”
“Bingo. That is how a lion hunts a deer.”
I lightly pulled on Farnese’s cheek. This was a physical contact which contained the meaning of praise. Albeit, Farnese did not like it and was groaning, ‘Uuuh’.
“Who do you plan on going for first?”
“Paimon is first.”
I answered immediately.
I had a deep ill-fated relationship with Paimon, anyway. From the very beginning, when I had aimed for the cure of the disease and had instantly accumulated great wealth, Paimon was vigilant towards me. Perhaps I should say that she was excessively vigilant. She had a lot of hostility piled up towards a dangerous son of a bitch like me, after all. To this very day, I cannot recall leaving alone even a single person who dared to hinder my life. Fortunately, the gift that the Imperial Princess Elizabeth had given to me was resting in my coat pocket. A pocket watch. Memoria Artifact. The very item which contained the scene where I had to burn down a slave market in order to appoint Farnese.
Originally, Humbaba was the one who had recorded with this object, and she had sold it to Paimon. That pocket watch was in the Imperial Princess Elizabeth’s hands. It meant that it went from Humbaba to Paimon, and from Paimon to Elizabeth. What does this mean······?
The answer was actually simple.
“Paimon sold information about myself to the Empire.”
“······.”
“She most likely informed the Empire that I was the true culprit behind the start of this war in secret. She passed on my personal information while she was at it. Furthermore, of all people, it had to be the Imperial Princess Elizabeth······. An underhanded betrayer.”
I chuckled slightly.
“Was she called a whore who would sell her body to peddlers? Barbatos’ words were indeed correct. In order to stop me, Paimon, that woman, sold not only her body but her soul as well. It is now her turn to pay the price drastically.
Without a doubt, I had done my utmost. Paimon, even if your side was the one to have attacked first, I treated you with courtesy. However, you not only interfered with every single thing I did, but your act of betrayal has been revealed, as well. You have clearly crossed the boundary.
Earlier, since the area behind us was a bit noisy, I had come down from the boulder. I discovered that Barbatos and Paimon were quarreling. I had no idea what was going on but Paimon had pointed towards me and declared ‘That man is mine from now on’. Due to that, a small fuss had occurred······. Paimon most likely realized that her betrayal had been revealed. I am not sure how she figured it out, but she has a stifling information network. She knew that she was in peril since her disclosure was revealed, and that was why she had urgently tried to win me over by saying ‘Join my faction’.
How laughable.
It’s too late, Paimon.
If you were afraid of having your betrayal discovered, then you should not have committed it in the first place. If you had already carried out the betrayal, then you should have done whatever you could in order to not allow me to catch wind of it until the very end. If you were the former, then you would have been a kind person, and if you were the latter, then you would have been a sensible person. However, you were neither this or that. You were both unkind and idiotic. I am not foolish enough to let that sort of prey go······.
Farnese spoke in a low voice.
“Lord, this young lady is your sword. This blade will only be swung in the places that Your Lordship commands for it to be swung. However, is that fine? There are enemies in our front and a backstabber in our rear. Although people say that one must punish the betrayer before facing the enemy, similar to that reasoning, a logic where one must face the enemy forces before punishing the traitor, is also established. This is a formidable situation.”
I nodded my head. That was a good point. Indeed, it was worthwhile for Lapis and myself to invest our time in personally tutoring this girl. They say that a sparrow near a school can sing the primer, and that seemed to be the case.[1]
“It is fine. I have something in mind in regards to that. Are we not holding out as Barbatos’ allies? Even to Barbatos, Paimon is an annoying political rival. If we throw out grounds to purge Paimon, then Barbatos will obviously dash in with no reluctance whatsoever.”
“Mm. Surely.”
“Lapis should have started to slowly pull in the required chessman by now······. In any case, Farnese, until we deal with the betrayer, do not thoughtlessly face against Elizabeth. Even if you meet her coincidentally on the front line, avoid her peacefully. Do you understand? Absolutely do not fight her. This is an order to absolutely not fight her.”
“······.”
“Oho? Look here. I see there is no response. Are you going against my order already just because you gave one speech well? If you have been given an order, then you should acknowledge it. What are you showing off for?”
“······I understand, Lord. I heard you well.”
Farnese pouted. It seems she fairly wanted to kill the Imperial Princess Elizabeth. I could not help but laugh. What a cute child.
Of course, it was not something that I was incapable of understanding. Before I fell into this world, I considered my father to be my archenemy and would constantly wish I could take his life a day sooner. With my index finger and thumb, I grabbed Farnese’s cheek and pulled on it.
“Sheesh, this repulsive thing. I live because of you, because of you.”
“······Uuuu, guh.”
Farnese wriggled her arms.
“Let go, Lord. Generally, Your Lordship touches this young lady’s body without much thought too much. Please show some manners when interacting with a lady.”
“You may talk about being a lady once you have actually become one first. At the very least, I will consider changing my attitude towards you once your chest has become a bit bigger.”
“If Your Lordship is going to quibble over the smallness of chests, then is there not that much of a difference between Miss Lapis and this young lady?”
“Lapis is an exception.”
I coolly discarded her argument.
“Regardless of the situation, Lapis has the authority to acquire such a special exception. If you have any complaints, then go and become as smart and as pretty as Lapis, you gum scab. Of course, even if a hundred years flow by, it is most likely impossible for you to achieve such a feat.”
“Your Lordship really favors Miss Lapis······.”
“Is it not obvious when she is the sole person with the same heart as I?”
Lapis is my love.
Lapis is my sun.
No matter what anyone says, this was an evident truth that was as clear as the law of physics.
Like that, we, lord and vassal, came down from the boulder while taunting one another. At the bottom of the boulder, including Barbatos, Paimon, and the other Demon Lords who were commanders of an army corps, there were around 30 Demon Lords waiting for us. Since the speech from our side and the enemy side was over, the only thing that really remained now was war.
Among them, Barbatos was leaning back on a chair and waving her hand.
“Hey, self-proclaimed Mister Genius. Good job.”
“All I have done is carry out the sacred task.”
I bowed. Although in private, Barbatos and I were sex friends who spoke informally to one another, we were currently in the presence of others. Furthermore, we were within a military where the regulation of command and discipline was stern. It was obvious that I, who was rank 71st, would speak formally to Barbatos, who was rank 8th.
That was fine. Something like our relationship falling apart because I talked formally could not possibly happen. It was not simply because we had a friendly relationship when in private, but because Barbatos and I were allied politically. We have been allied until now, and we will most likely continue to be so for a while longer. Until we have defeated our joint enemy, Demon Lord Paimon, our trust was firm. It was fine to be certain of this.
“Sacred task. Sacred task, is it······?”
Barbatos smirked and crossed her white legs.
“That’s right. We gave you a sacred task, didn’t we? Dantalian, we passed onto you, the kid who was still lingering at the very bottom of the ranks of Demon Lords, the right to give the opening speech of the Crescent Alliance that was joining together for the first time in no less than 200 years. Not to anyone else, we gave it to you while considering your contributions to our army during this war.”
“······.”
I stopped walking.
Barbatos was all smiles like usual. However, the atmosphere emanating from the Demon Lords of the Plains Faction, who were standing around her, was threatening. I instinctively made Farnese stand behind me.
The air felt menacing.
To be exact, Barbatos’ eyes did.
A rage which even laughter could not hide was lingering in her eyes.
“Huh? Why are you hiding her? Let’s see her face. You gave to her the right of speech which we specifically gifted to you, right? On your own discretion, without consulting us. I wanted to see how great of a girl she is since she was able to make our Mr. Dantalian give all of his guts and organs to her.”
“······Miss Barbatos.”
“Her Excellency, Barbatos.”
She spoke coldly.
“Add ‘Her Excellency’, you dimwit.”
Barbatos’ pupils were cold. I couldn’t find even a single ounce of affection towards me within her gaze. The temperature of one’s eyes is the same as their heart, was it? If those words were true, then this was most likely Barbatos’ true temper.
“I’m one of the corps commanders that leads the Crescent Alliance of a hundred thousand soldiers. What? Did you look down on me since I slept with you all the time?”
“······.”
“Did you think you could do whatever you wanted from now on just because you saved my troops when they were in danger once? Oh dear, Dantalian. You did quite the good job for sending out a human child as the representative of us demons. Did you think I’d praise you like this?”
Barbatos’ smile thickened.
“Dig out your ear holes and listen well, Dantalian, since I’m going to be naming off the crimes you’ve committed thanks to this single speech of yours. First, since you put forward some kid, who’s still wet behind the ears, as the substitute of us great demons, that’s racial treason.”
Barbatos raised her middle finger on her left hand.
“Since you had the gall to make a mess out of our military discipline when war is going to be upon us soon, that’s insubordination while also in the presence of the enemy. Since it wasn’t you alone who bullshitted, but you had worked together with the witches, who you appointed as your royal guards, to concoct the speech, that’s group mutiny.”
Following her ring finger on her left hand, Barbatos raised her middle finger on her right hand, as well.
“Since the Demon Lord, who’s on the lowest seat of the army, dared to informally commit lese majesty on the field of battle where the 12 holy gods will be watching over us, you’ve even committed blasphemy. Wow, Dantalian. Look at this. How many is this? Even if you only count the number of lese majesties, there’s four. Even if we sever your neck, we’d have to do it 4 times. That’s a rather crappy feeling, isn’t it?”
“Your Excellency, Barbatos.”
“Yeah, I know. The fact that you see this military as a playground where you can dick around however you want. Since I overindulged you all the time, nothing illuminates in my eye sockets now. Nonetheless, you fucker, life isn’t that easy.”
I wasn’t given even a single opportunity to give an excuse.
Barbatos snapped her finger.
“Grab that bastard.”
And the shadow moved.
It was similar to that of a beast’s mouth.
A pitch black liquid shot forth from Barbatos’ shadow, the dark mass then bared its fangs and rushed towards me. Each and every one of its numerous teeth was as thick as a person’s forearm. Gyaaaaaak————the air screamed as it was torn. It was instantaneous. The beast of shadow grew in mass like a tsunami and it felt as if it were going to swallow me whole soon.
“······!?”
I wonder if my brain perceived that I was in danger. My surroundings started to move at a speed clearly slower than normal. Somewhere. I had to move somewhere and avoid it. Even if I were uncertain about what kind of liquid that black tsunami was made from, it was evident that it was not something as adorable as H20.
Up down left right. My eyes searched for a side where the shadow had even the slightest bit of less mass. It was at the moment I was about to escape to my right, I ended up realizing a single fact.
Farnese.
Farnese was standing behind me.
If I move from my position, then the shadow will promptly swallow her.
My head heated up and tried to distinguish my priorities. My safety or Farnese’s safety. My consciousness determined which one had the higher priority.
‘Abandon her.’
The very edge of my consciousness announced. I was more important than Farnese. There was no value in even considering this. However, a more elaborate and complex judgment refuted a step late.
‘Do the complete opposite. Protect Farnese and cover her.’
‘Nonsense.’
‘There’s no way that Barbatos would kill me abruptly. There’s no merit for Barbatos to do so. At most, all she’d do is injure me. But Farnese was different. In Barbatos’ position, it didn’t matter whether she killed Farnese as much as she wanted to or not. Therefore, Farnese will die if you move away right now.’
‘And?’
‘And.’
And Farnese is Lapis and my child.
“······.”
End of judgment.
There were no more arguments. At that point, my consciousness ended the calculations there.
I stopped my movement that was about to make my body dodge to the right. As my realization was a bit late, my body moved as hastily as it was delayed. I turned around just like that and embraced Farnese. Since I hugged Farnese with my entire body, I was able to barely cover her completely. The small Farnese squirmed within my embrace.
“Lo······.”
Before she could even finish saying ‘Lord’.
I could sense the shadow of the beast sweeping over us in the air. With the breath, which Farnese let out, as the final trigger, our surroundings had returned to its normal pace. Now the method to dodge the attack was gone.
It couldn’t be helped. Whenever danger approached, I was someone who acted according to his priorities. I have been like this since a young age.
What can I do? I can only hope that Barbatos will go a bit easy on me. I hugged Farnese tighter and closed my eyes.
———In that instant, something similar to a breeze brushed against my cheek.
It seemed as if the shadow of the beast, that was going to enshroud us soon, had stopped somewhere in mid-air, and there were no more signs of something else approaching us. When I cautiously raised my gaze, I could see 7 black mantles swaying before me.
7 cone hats.
7 staves.
“Ahahah.”
My royal guards.
The Berbere Sisters.
“You can’t do that, you can’t do that. It’d be troubling for the likes of us if our one and only master were to be injuuured.”
The group of witches, whom Humbaba was the head of, were raising their staves and fluttering the black mantles which I had gifted to them a while back.
The shadow beast was blocked by the staves and could not approach any further. It merely squirmed around creepily and was doing whatever it could to find another path by wriggling here and there. Every time it did so, the witches changed the direction of their staves slightly and obstructed the beast.
Grrrurrrg, grrrk————a frustrated snarl flowed out from the beast’s maw. Without being fazed by it, Humbaba laughed.
“What’s this? Agilis’ demon? Ahahah? This is really an ancient familiar. I think it’s been around 300 years since I’ve last seen one. Should I say that’s indeed Her Highness Barbatos for you? It’s not only high-toned for the likes of us but since even the familiar’s grub is extraordinary as well, respect forms naturally in low people like us.”
“······.”
Barbatos furrowed her brow.
“These girls. How dare you not know your place and.”
“Yeess, we interfered while not knowing our place. We apologiiize. Although the likes of us are the lowest of the low, we have a fatal disease where we’ll die if we’re unable to protect His Highness, Dantalian. By nature, this is a bullshit-like incurable disease, but weren’t the likes of us already infamous for being similar to bullshit? We hope that a greater being, such as Your Highness, is able to understand magnanimously.”
Humbaba laughed. The moment she did so, the other witches giggled as well.
As the confrontation lasted longer, more witches affiliated to my army started to gather slowly. Before I knew it, my Royal Guard of 20 witches was surrounding me without leaving a single gap.
“Ah, referentially, although the young ones these days are completely in the dark, us lowly ones know how to dispose of things like this, you know? Although we can eradicate it immediately, we’re ooonly waiting patiently because of our respect towards Your Highness.”
Grrrrk······ the shadow beast whimpered. Some sort of black liquid was dropping onto the ground.
The beast had shrunk down until it was unable to budge an inch and quivered as if it were asking its master what it should do now.
“Tsk.”
Barbatos clicked her tongue. The moment she snapped her fingers, the beast fell apart instantly. The black liquid seeped into the earth and disappeared like that.
“I left these things, which I should have killed before, alive because the sight of them groveling around was pitiful······. It’s impressive, Dantalian. Seriously impressive. Really, when you go insane it seems you go completely nuts as a group.”
Barbatos spat on the ground.
“Just how did you sweet-talk those decomposed maggots of souls to be able to make them as docile as pets? Hm? Your fiancée is a half-blood, your acting general is a human bitch, and your royal guards are witches, right? Looking at the medals attached to their heads, they’re all Quadriphyllouses, as well? Wow. You’re having all sorts of fun. You, do you know how many times those bitches had have to spread their asses for Demon Lords in order to get a Quadriphyllous? Fuuuck. Oi, those bitches’ assholes are so worn out that I can hear them flapping loosely from here.”
Humbaba bobbed her head in agreement.
“Ahah. Her Majesty’s graceful words are quite right, master. In truth, we’re sad that we rank second in the demon continent for having loose rears. However, do not worry! We’ve vowed that, from this year forth, and until the day we die, we’ll spread our bottom holes for our master and our master only, after all! This is something to be slightly moved by.”
Barbatos grit her teeth.
“Damn witches. Since those bitches are so fucking perverted, they receive no damage even if you swear at them······.”
Mm.
That’s something I keenly agreed to.
I let out a sigh and spoke to Humbaba.
“Thank you. It seems I am in debt to you now.”
“Ahah, what kind of debt is that supposed to be? Royal guards are something you have appointed in order to use them in times like this. But, if Your Highness really does feel grateful towards us, then please bestow upon us Your Highness’ royal grace later today.”
These girls don’t change even in a situation like this.
·····Now then, I was able to get past the immediate crisis for now. What should I do from this point on? First, there was a need to find out why Barbatos was behaving so aggressively.
Ravens flew around and then perched on top of the witches’ hats and staves. The birds cawed. As witches were peasants so they could not dare make any complaints towards Barbatos, it felt as if the ravens were rebelling against Barbatos in their stead. Furthermore, the witches, whose bodies were completely concealed by their black mantles, appeared as if they were one in body and soul with the ravens. Over the cone hats and ravens, Barbatos shouted loudly.
“Hey, Dantalian! Are you really going to do this to me? Huh? Are we going to fucking slap each other and break up like this? Just counting the crimes you’ve committed now, fuck, racial treason, insubordination before the enemy, group mutiny, and even heresy! No one can complain if I rip your head off and check the color of your intestines right now! Offer that human girl over there to us and end it obediently while I’m still asking nicely!”
“······.”
Was that it?
I understood why Barbatos was behaving ruder than necessary. By making Farnese bear the responsibilities excessively, Barbatos wanted to lessen the total amount of blame that came around to me. In Barbatos’ perspective, she was doing that for my sake. This was Barbatos’ own way of showing consideration, so to speak.
However.
“My apologies, Your Excellency, Barbatos.”
I lowered my head.
I appreciate your sentiment, but I have to refuse.
“Even if this child is a part of the human race, she is a child that I have decided to raise and she is a vassal that I am responsible for. As I was the one to have appointed this child as my acting general, I am also the one to have sent her out to give the speech. If General Farnese made a mistake, then that is my mistake, and if there is something which General Farnese must take responsibility for, then it is a weight that solely I must bear.”
“······Lord.”
Farnese, who was being held within my arms, was looking straight up at me. I wonder if she was worried. I was so taken aback that I almost snorted out loud.
My father and I were different.
I didn’t shoulder people if I were incapable of taking responsibility for them from the start, and if I did take them in, then I would make sure to bear the burden until the very end.
Of course, if I take all of the blame instead of Farnese, then there will be a slight set back in my plan to remove Paimon. Nevertheless, I am an outstanding genius. I have a plan. I also have a card up my sleeve. If anything, a small obstacle will only make it more enjoyable for me.
With my right arm, I patted Farnese’s back. You are much too young to be worrying about my safety, kid. If you are a child, then behave like one and obediently be protected by an adult.
“······.”
Farnese nodded her head slightly. She slowly rested her head against my chest. Even if we were not connected by blood or something else, the daughter that Lapis and I had decided to shoulder together depended on me like that.
That sight most likely displeased her. Barbatos spat out sharply.
“Haa, so what? Are you going to wriggle away like a serpent, without bearing any responsibility whatsoever, even though you went against military discipline right before my eyes? Why don’t you just piss in my eyes instead, Dantalian? Since I don’t want to witness military discipline falling apart even if I die.”
I shook my head.
“Even I know well how much emphasis Your Excellency puts on military regulations. I do not have the slightest intention to do something like avoiding my responsibility. I shall shoulder General Farnese’s wrongdoings as well. Your Excellency, please execute me.”
“What?”
“I have requested for my own execution.”
I calmly looked around my surroundings. The atmosphere of the surrounding was rigid. For some reason, it seems Paimon was looking this way with a face that appeared as if she were concerned about something. Without immediately contemplating on what the meaning behind that expression was, I declared.
“Rank 71st, Demon Lord Dantalian. I shall renounce my authority as a Demon Lord and put myself on military trial here.”
▯Demon Lord of Benevolence, Rank 9th, PaimonEmpire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 3Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance
“Rank 71st, Demon Lord Dantalian. I shall renounce my authority as a Demon Lord and put myself on military trial here.”
The moment Dantalian uttered those words, the surrounding froze. It was the same for this lady as well. To request for one’s own execution through military trial, this is unprecedented. This······. This, goes beyond bounds.
Barbatos gazed at Dantalian abstractedly.
“A lord’s words are heavy. Words once spoken can never be taken back, Dantalian. This is a word of advice as your intimate friend and senior. I’m giving you a chance to change the words you said just now for the last time.”
“My sincerest apologies, Your Excellency, but I do not intend to alter my words. General Farnese is a child that this one loves. I would rather die than pass onto this child the burden.”
“······.”
Barbatos’ face became void of emotions.
·····Originally, in order to punish a Demon Lord, the confirmation of the crime and the severity of the punishment must be formally decided during a Walpurgis Night. In other words, a Demon Lord can only be punished during a Walpurgis Night. As every Demon Lord has the authority to refuse any other type of trial, this was one of the Demon Lords’ privileges. If this were not the case, then there was the danger of high ranking Demon Lords using the pretext of war to purge lower ranking Demon Lords during a military trial.
However, Dantalian had renounced his authority as a Demon Lord just now. That means he has fallen into a status where he is legally capable of being submitted to a military trial.
Racial treason, insubordination in the face of the enemy, group mutiny, and blasphemy, these were the names of the offenses that Dantalian had committed now······ each and every one of these were grave crimes. Among those, a normal soldier would be executed if they committed even one. But to have committed 4 lese majesties······. In the case that the military trial is carried out just like this, then Dantalian cannot avoid his execution.
“I definitely gave you the opportunity. Several times, at that.”
“And I have expressed myself clearly, Your Excellency.”
“You have no regrets, right?”
“Yes, that is correct. I am, at all times, only concerned about Your Excellency, Barbatos’ safety and honor.”
“Haaa.”
Barbatos let out a sigh. Even she clearly knew what the results would be if a military trial were to be held. Because she knew so, she most likely intended to cover up this incident by merely whipping Dantalian a bit.
Even that seemed to have weighed upon Barbatos’ mind since she was about to go as far as to make that human girl take the majority of the responsibility instead of Dantalian. The minimum amount of blame to Dantalian. A punishment that is nothing more than mere formality would have fallen upon him. Even Dantalian should not be unaware of this. So why?
“Okay. Let’s open it, a military trial or whatever. As it happens, all the corps commanders are here as well. Isn’t that great? I, Barbatos, as the rank 8th and the leader of the Plains Faction, as the one who boasts immortality, shall hold Demon Lord Dantalian’s court martial.”
The ones in charge of military trials are usually the highest ranking person in one’s corps.
Since Dantalian is not affiliated with any other Demon Lords and had autonomously hired a troop of mercenaries, in this situation, the highest ranking person responsible for his corps are the military commanders. Thus, Barbatos, Marbas, and this lady. Just in time, everyone was gathered here before the outbreak of war······.
“Old man Marbas. Voice your intention to participate in the trial.”
“Mm.”
The magnate of the Neutral Faction and the commander of the second army. Rank 5th, Demon Lord Marbas nodded his head slowly······.
“I acknowledge my participation in this trial.”
His expression was mixed. That man has a debt towards Dantalian.
Due to the loss of Marbas’ previous battle, there was a high possibility that the expedition of the Crescent Alliance itself would have broken down in failure in that moment. No, if Dantalian had not acquired victory, then without a doubt the expedition would have failed. He was feeling a millstone around his neck because of that.
If possible, he would have covered up Dantalian’s crimes······ a military trial was no good. This was something that was directly connected with morale. There was absolutely no significance in a military trial that pardoned high treason. For Marbas, who puts so much emphasis on legislations and regulations, it would be nearly impossible for him to raise Dantalian’s hand during a trial. No matter how much he tries, the best he could possibly do is throw in a blank ballot.
·····And.
That, is the same for this lady, as well.
Regardless of whether Dantalian is the first person this lady has ever met in her life with the same ideology as her, regardless of whether it is this lady’s first time meeting someone who has the same mentality as her, kept in their bosom, this lady is currently the commander of an army of 30,000. This lady is standing in a position where she must worry about the morale of 30,000 officers and men. Something like throwing in a dissenting vote while other people are watching, this lady cannot do such a thing.
Because this lady is a person in charge.
Because that is the duty of a commander who leads an army.
“······.”
What does this lady have to do?
What does this lady have to do in order to naturally get past the military trial without having to give a dissenting vote?
If it were not a military trial, then preserving Dantalian’s life is possible. In the end, every issue is settled through a vote during a Walpurgis Night. In other words, it was purely a fight of numbers.
As the head of the Mountain Faction, this lady can move 20 votes. If Barbatos were to utilize the 15 votes from the Plains Faction here, then even with that, this lady already has the majority. That is right. If it were not a military trial. If we can just pass this moment······.
“Oi, whore. Voice your intention to participate in the trial.”
·····.
···········.
“What? Are you ignoring me right now? Whore. Hello? Miss Whore whose mind is vast because her hole is ragged. Bitch, despite your looks you’re still an army commander, you know? If you’re aware then say that you’ll participate in······.”
Okay.
If it is this, then it might be possible.
Although it is dangerous. Although it is an incomparably-dangerous gamble.
If it is this lady, then she can do it.
Since jumping into a gamble is this lady’s specialty.
This lady straightened her mind and raised her feather fan to hide her lips. The posture that this lady always assumes. By covering half of the face, only half of this lady is revealed. This is the most comfortable.
This lady spoke while staring at Barbatos.
“No. This lady will not voice her participation.”
———A stillness fell over the surrounding.
Starting from Barbatos, all of the Demon Lords gazed at this lady as if they were wondering whether they had heard wrong just now.
It was obvious. Until now, Dantalian and this lady had established an opposing relationship with one another for every single action we took. It may not be the case for Barbatos or Marbas, but everyone most likely never expected that this lady would be the one to exercise her veto.
That was exactly the reason.
Compared to the others, since this lady was a political rival who stood out the most when trying to get rid of Dantalian, that was why this plan, which this lady had thought up of, was valid.
“······Fuck, what is it now? Hey, did all of you guys get high today just so you could play a joke on me? The bastard known as my lover fucked up on his own and is now requesting for his own court martial, and now that whore over there is refusing for some fucking reason. Did you two go off somewhere and fuck while I wasn’t watching?”
“Please do not assume that everyone in the world is as vulgar as you. Of course, if they are born lacking the same amount of intelligence like you did, then there is nothing else that can be said.”
This lady showed a thin smile. A vein popped in Barbatos’ forehead, but that did not matter. I taunted her on purpose, after all.
“This lady has told you before, have I not? Barbatos, that man is no longer your toy and is now mine. This lady has the plan to pull Dantalian into the Mountain Faction. There is no way that this lady would agree to such a trial when that is the case.”
“Aaang?”
“Be it a military trial or something else, do it yourself. However, do you know this, Barbatos? Although Dantalian sending out a human girl as a substitute is certainly a lese majesty, you are the one who had selected that Dantalian to be the orator of our Crescent Alliance.”
“······.”
Barbatos’ face instantly became cold.
“So what? What are you trying to babble?”
“Who knows? This lady is simply curious. Since you are the one to have put forward Dantalian, who is nothing more than rank 71st, surely could something like you instructing him on what to say not have happened?”
This lady smiled.
The more this lady mixed a hint of coquette laughter into her voice, the colder the surrounding mood became. A couple of people at a time, the other Demon Lords should have begun to catch on to what this lady meant by those words.
“Barbatos, this lady has suspicions. If Dantalian had committed a mistake, then in the first place, is that not your responsibility? You pushed Dantalian forward as the war negotiator, and you were the one who selected Dantalian to be the orator. If perhaps, Dantalian had made a mistake merely because he was thoughtless, then it is your responsibility for not having realized Dantalian’s incompetence. Moreover, if perhaps, Dantalian had made a mistake on purpose······.”
Yes.
That is right.
“Then are you not the criminal who had committed the lese majesty?”
Attack Barbatos instead of Dantalian.
This was this lady’s stratagem.
A complete silence swept over the surroundings now. No one dared to open their mouths rashly. People were looking this way with their faces dyed with shock.
Just now, what this lady had done was no different to having made a declaration of war towards Barbatos who was a fellow army commander. Although all this lady has done is raise a suspicion, it is that suspicion that can end one’s life in politics.
Barbatos stared at this lady for a long time without uttering a single word. There was no hostility or rage. Only a tranquil sneer was permeating through her.
“······Hmm. I did find it strange when a bitch like you suddenly wanted to take Dantalian away from me. I assumed that you were acting on impulse while leaving yourself to those stupid thoughts of yours again, but surely. You’re really trying to start an all-or-nothing battle with me during this war?”
“Oh dear. That is an exaggerated interpretation, Barbatos. The only thing this lady has said is that she was curious. You appointed Dantalian as the orator, and then you attacked him immediately after the actual speech was over? No matter how you look at it, it is not a fair treatment.”
“What? Do you think I sent Dantalian to give the speech on purpose just so I could get rid of him after? You should just accuse me of having incited everything from start to finish while you’re at it.”
“Who knows? This lady has never said anything with certainty. This lady simply wishes to voice her objection towards handling this military trial with more haste than caution. There is the possibility that Dantalian may become an important witness, after all. Yes, and if possible, while also pulling him into this lady’s faction.”
“······.”
A moment of silence.
“Aha, puhahah—, puhahahahah—!”
Barbatos suddenly burst into laughter.
People were taken aback and glanced at one another. Although she was facing a declaration of war, far from being enraged, she was laughing her head off. To them, this is most likely a bewildering sight.
However, this lady knows. Barbatos has always been that kind of woman. A personage who struck fear into people by not laughing when she should, and laughing when she should not.
Barbatos laughed to the point where tears formed in the corner of her eyes.
“Yeah, mhm. That’s right. You’re that sort of bitch, Paimon. You were always a sly bitch. You go around pretending to be a goody two-shoes and pick on things that are the size of a rat’s tail. Last time, you put forward your suspicion that I created the Black Death, and now you’re really suggesting that I instigated racial treason? Iyaaaah. Bitches like you are really fucking impressive bitches. Me! Yeah, I admit it! I admit it! The fact that you’re quite the motherfucker, Paimon!”
“······.”
“Then fuck, what do you want to do? As you can see, the military trial is out of the question now. Should we call over those Demon Lords who’re shitting about in the back, hmm? Want to just hold a Walpurgis Night here? Whether it’d be appropriate if I die or not since I committed high treason? Or should I just shoulder the suspicion and be like, Oh, Miss Paimon, something like that never happened, let us figure this out later, and explain it to you like this?”
Barbatos spat on the floor.
“Ha, you fucker. You shitty fucking whore. You’re really doing a good job when the enemy is right in front of us. This Crescent Alliance expedition is over as well, it’s over. In any case, you’re a bitch whose one ability to screw up an entire household is just baffling.”
The Demon Lords affiliated to the Plains Faction were standing in a line past Barbatos. They were all letting out a murderous intent while glaring in this direction. It was the same for this side as well, this lady’s comrades were going against that murderous intent with their snarling intimidation. With this, the Crescent Alliance instantly split into two sides. The Demon Lords of the Neutral Faction were trying their best to calm everyone down, but this was beyond their capabilities.
Amidst the army that was swept in chaos.
“······.”
Dantalian was standing and gazing at this lady.
His eyes were as pitch black as the bottom of a well. It was difficult for this lady to guess what thoughts and emotions lingered underneath those eyes. It felt as if he were contemplating something or trying to measure this lady’s intentions. Towards that Dantalian, Barbatos spoke.
“Dantalian.”
“······Yes, Your Excellency.”
“I’m suspending your trial for an indefinite period of time. I’ll prepare a prison cell, so stay there. We’ll discuss your crimes properly once the situation has settled down.”
Dantalian nodded his head.
“Understood. However, excluding myself, I request that you are tolerant towards the rest of my vassals. Throughout the winter, my vassals recruited mercenaries and were remarkably able to build up a force of 7,000. They will without a doubt not be useless when fighting in a battle against the humans.”
“Yeah, yeah. Do what you want.”
Barbatos then led her Plains Faction group down the rocky hill. From this point on, the Plains Faction will break away from the united front and conduct war unilaterally. Barbatos’ action had implicitly displayed such intentions.
Marbas let out a sigh.
“Are we going to be torn apart before the war has even begun? Oh, Paimon. Is this truly the meaning of your goal? I am starting to slowly understand you less.”
“······Marbas.”
“I shall be the one to undertake Dantalian’s supervision. With what has unfolded just now, I cannot trust you and Barbatos to manage the new inductee. It would be good if the surveillance of the prison is done by a different faction each day. Nonetheless, if this Crescent Alliance fails as well, then how many times would that make it······?”
Marbas gently stared out into an empty space. For a moment, this lady’s heart felt numb because of the veteran’s eyes which were filled with melancholy.
Marbas most likely came out on this expedition with the sincere intention of succeeding this Crescent Alliance. Even if it were an unavoidable choice, this lady had ignored Marbas’ intent. This lady’s head fell down on its own······.
Without leaving any more words, Marbas left while leading the Neutral Faction. The only ones left on the hill now were the members of the Mountain Faction, including this lady. The child, who has one of the highest ranks in the Mountain Faction, second to this lady, Sitri, approached and spoke out. Sitri had a face filled with excitement.
“Big Sis Paimon, you were amazing! Iyaah. Those Plains Faction bastards. The sight of them glaring at us because of your sudden attack was well worth seeing. At any rate, those guys, who only have shit in their heads, were trying to pretend that they were on a high horse!”
“······.”
It was not only Sitri. This lady’s other Mountain Faction comrades were showing a similar response. How satisfying, that’s Her Highness Paimon for you, I didn’t think she’d refute like that there······. Without getting bored, the praises towards this lady did not stop and continued on.
Our Mountain Faction’s base was quite some distance away from the war and was in the vicinity of mountains and coastlines. Even if the expedition of the Crescent Alliance were to fail, we will not receive damage that is as severe as what the Plains Faction or the Neutral Faction would receive, so their attitude towards war was somewhat carefree, as well. Even if this one fails, there is always next time. That mental attitude was being displayed out in the open.
This lady does not believe that is wrong. Every war immensely wastes manpower and wealth, after all. If possible, resolving the issue through diplomacy is the best. That is why this lady had negotiated with the Empire in secret until now and had prepared different operations in the background.
However, for some reason.
Barbatos’ insane laughter and the sound of Marbas’ drawn out sigh, for some reason, these sounds stuck to this lady’s ears and refused to fall off.
As if trying to shake off something that refused to vanish, this lady turned her gaze towards the human army across the plain. A countless number of flags were waving in that place and were enduring the wind of the season that was approaching us, in advance. War will most likely erupt momentarily.
“······.”
The 4th month and 3rd day.
Winter folds away and Spring blooms anew.
This lady could only close her eyes before the sight of our people trying to vomit blood during this blindness of history, even though the flowers were all respectively emanating a fragrance while in full bloom. This lady wishes to keep her eyes closed like this forever. Even emotions like this dwelled in the corners of this lady’s mind.
“Big Sis Paimon, why aren’t we going anywhere yet? We should prepare for war.”
However, there is a voice that pulls this lady.
Once this lady opened her eyes, there were Demon Lords, who were solely waiting for this lady’s orders, lined up before her. As this lady was in the position where she must naturally move, this lady nodded.
“······Yes. Sitri, and everyone else, return to our military camp and order our soldiers to get into battle formation. Sitri, please stand as our vanguard. This lady shall be the center and follow you.”
“Okay. Leave the front lines to me, sis! Ever since I was born, the only thing I knew how to do is fight, after all!”
With an ‘Ehehe’, Sitri laughed innocently. It was difficult to see that as a face of a general who was about to jump into battle soon. But this was most likely Sitri’s innocence.
That is okay. If you all continue to show only this innocent appearance, then this lady can continue to smile. This lady can walk. Even if it is a war that you did not hope for, this lady shall do what she can to obtain victory.
“Everyone. Order the flag bearers to raise their flags. Blow the horns. It is time to advance.”
“Yes, Your Excellency, Commander!”
All of the Mountain Faction present here responded together.
We most likely should not assault the unit led by the Imperial Princess Elizabeth. That is an entrance to Hell. The weakest army in the Human Alliance, also known as the Crusaders, is probably the imperial army of Francia······ Although the Republic of Batavia is also famous for being the weakest in open warfare······ yes. Obviously, we must aim for the imperial army here.
—— Buuuuuu······.
Before we knew it, the sound of horns being blown could be heard. They were the sound of the Plains Faction horns. It seems Barbatos has started to move. Seeing the direction of their advance······ they are heading exactly towards the imperial army of Habsburg that is being commanded by the Imperial Princess Elizabeth. How pitiful.
“Sis, preparations are complete! You just have to give the order now!”
Sitri ran over like a dog and gazed at this lady.
“Where should we go? Which humans should we end first? Habsburg? Francia? Brittany? The Polish-Lithuanian? Or should we sweep them up all at once?”
“No. We shall exterminate the imperial army of Francia first.”
“Okay!”
Sitri brought the knuckles of her fists together with an audible thud. Even with just that, the air was pushed back such that this lady had nearly dropped her fan. Although this child is simple, she has a flaw in the fact that she behaves rashly.
Now then.
There is no time to hesitate. Although this was a war that this lady had not started and was a war that this lady originally did not intend to participate in, in any case, this lady was standing in a position very close to war. Fortunately, craving for peace but not holding war in contempt is what this lady’s army is. Something like the troops of Francia, who are smitten by a disease, we can crush them with ease.
This lady raised the end of her feather fan and pointed towards the direction where we must go.
“Mountain Faction. Advance.”
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, DantalianEmpire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 3Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance
————Everything was proceeding just as I had predicted.
Paimon was a depraved betrayer. I was certain that if I showed her an opening, then she would, without a doubt, take the opportunity. Sure enough, Paimon rushed at Barbatos like a coyote that had smelled blood······.
Making me join the Mountain Faction was most likely nothing more than a pretext. Paimon’s true goal was Barbatos. By making my mistake into Barbatos’ fault, she was most likely scheming to make Barbatos fall from her position.
Earlier, while requesting for my military trial, I said this.
—— I am at, all times, only concerned about Your Excellency, Barbatos’ safety and honor.
That was bait.
As if implying that a military trial was the only method to protect Barbatos. I purposely inferred that if I were executed, then the opportunity to make Barbatos take responsibility will disappear along with me. It was nothing more than a small implication, but it seems to Paimon, who was pondering about how to screw the Plains Faction over, she was able to hear it as clear as day.
Was this not splendid?
Paimon, although you are a traitor who had sold out your own kind, you are a traitor with an extraordinarily, peerless intellect. If betraying were a talent, then without a doubt Paimon was gifted with a first-class talent. This was something that I could do nothing else but acknowledge. Honestly, I want to give her a round of applause.
In the first place, in history, Paimon was originally a parasite-like being who betrayed the Demon Lord army and latched onto the hero.
In the game 〈Dungeon Attack〉, the hero encounters Paimon by chance while wandering around a frontier city. In that moment, Demon Lord Paimon fell for the hero at first glance and would appear before them constantly afterward.
—— It is this lady’s first time meeting a man such as yourself.
—— This lady shall bestow upon you the right to steal this lady’s lips, Mr. Self-entitled Hero.
Befitting her title of the Queen of Succubi, Paimon masterfully approached the hero. Although at that time, the hero had their heart stolen and had felt the emotion called love for the first time, in the end, they were unable to overcome the difference between races and Paimon died by the hero’s hands. Funny enough, even after her heart had been pierced by the hero’s cold sword, Paimon did not put away her emotion towards the hero.
—— ······Demons and humans living together. This lady had started to dream of that possibility after meeting you. However, it cannot be helped, can it? Since dreams are similar to that of the fluttering of frail flower petals, this lady cannot blame you.
When your final moment arrived.
Paimon smiled while blood dripped down the side of her mouth.
—— This is an already dying body. Could you not bestow upon this lady a final kiss?
As if she were casting a curse.
As if she were bestowing a blessing.
·····Should I call her a romanticist since she was able to achieve her love after having sacrificed her own life?
Although it would have been a relief if she had paid the penalty with only her life, Paimon was the head that led the greatest faction in the demon continent. Due to that, since the hero did not receive any particular threat from the demons, they were able to devote themself to solving the division within humanity. And the opposition that had to face the hero who was set free was none other than······.
“That was a close call, Lord. In any case, this young lady is never bored whenever she watches Your Lordship from the side. Every now and then, there are days when this young lady believes that Your Lordship’s life may perhaps be just a big joke.”
“······.”
That’s right.
It was this cheeky kid with no facial expressions.
The Imperial Princess Elizabeth, who led the Habsburg Empire, made the hero into her vanguard, and Queen Henrietta, who led the Kingdom of Brittany, appointed Farnese as a general. The two heroes of the century approached war in order to make their own nation gain supremacy······this was a history that was supposed to unfold 15 years from now. Currently, as much as how I had appointed Farnese myself, it was a future that could absolutely never happen now.
“Furthermore, what was that earlier? Surely Your Lordship was not trying to save this young lady by sacrificing yourself, right? Honestly, this young lady can only say that it was a nuisance, Lord. This young lady would rather be murdered by a Demon Lord than be embraced by Your Lordship. Albeit this young lady judges Your Lordship’s intellect highly, this one has an incredibly objective standpoint when it comes to Your Lordship’s physique. In other words, Your Lordship’s body is a bit dreadful. Something that feels somewhat lacking when embraced by it, something that is so unsightly when allowing one’s body to be completely embraced by it, that it is difficult to find anything else that is as unseemly as this, it is that sort of physique. Therefore, if by chance, danger approaches this young lady, then do not needlessly feel inclined to show off, but instead leave this young lady and······ Ha-ah? Hoa—— ah ah?”
I took Farnese’s hat off and pressed down on the crown of her head. This kid, just because she learned some volubility from Lapis, her cheekiness is really soaring through the roof now. This kind of punk deserved punishment by kneading.
Farnese trembled and swung both of her arms.
“Lord——. Has this young lady not told you, did this young lady not tell you many times already? Uu, hoa. Not the crown. Somewhere else may be fine, but, aah······ Aaah······ the crown, at least not the croooown······.”
“Just obediently melt, you rice cake.”
“Hauh, this young lady is melting. This young lady is becoming a puuulp.”
For this blonde haired child, who’s currently held in my arms and turning into a mush, to be destined to become a famous general, the archnemesis of the hero, and the calamity of humanity that approaches mankind. Although I was already aware, this world is quite rotten as well.
Shortly after, captains affiliated to the Neutral Faction came to escort me. I could not feel even an ounce of aggressiveness or ill-temperament towards me from them. They merely requested for me to accompany them while maintaining courtesy.
“Although humble, we have prepared the prison cell, Your Highness Dantalian. If perhaps, it is not a discourtesy, then······.”
“What is there to be discourteous of? Guide me there. I shall follow obediently with the mentality of someone who has become a prisoner.”
The captains of the Neutral Faction bowed their heads.
Thereafter, there was literally a humble prison cell located in the place where I had followed the military captains to. Should I call it a prison? It was more similar to an iron cage that was used to contain animals. Only a bundle of straw was strewn about inside of the beast’s cage, there was truly no furniture or decorations.
After seeing the shabby state of the prison cell, Humbaba laughed.
“Ahahah? Is this some sort of fun joke? Or an unfunny joke? Surely you don’t intend to place our master inside a shabby shitcan like this, riiiiiight? Should we cast a curse that’ll make you have to live as a eunuch for the rest of your life? Should we zap zap you with a curse that’ll make it so you only feel things with your butts——? I’m just asking out of curiooosity, but do you guys have a great interest in life without women, asceticism, like Buddhist monks?”
“M-My apologies, but this is truly all we have at the moment······.”
“I see that it’s your courtesy to tell people to politely eat shit since that’s all you have at the moment. Mhm. Uhum. I understand. But, by the way. At the moment, the only thing we can give you right now is a eunuch-curse, what do you think about this maaatter?”
The witches surrounded the captains while smiling brightly. Their faces were certainly laughing, but their gazes were savage. The one who becomes pitiful here was the one responsible. If it were an offense to convey the order of their superior when they had no imperium, then it was their offense.
I let out a sigh.
“Humbaba, it is fine.”
“Ara. But, master······.”
“Did I not say it was fine? I am being taken as a prisoner, anyway. By all means, would I bask in power after having gone into that small space? Would that place be luxurious just because I say that I am basking in luxury there? If a king were unable to behave as a king, then, at the very least, should a prisoner not behave as a prisoner?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Humbaba spoke with a very troubled face.
“At the very least, there needs to be a comfortable bed if the likes of us are going to go in there together with master and properly enjoy the relationship between man and woman, right? If we’re ordered to copulate on top of a pile of straw, then, of course, we can do it, but when you drag your back on the straw it stings a bit······.”
The surrounding witches nodded their heads while saying, ‘Mhm’. It seems to be an atmosphere where they were agreeing enthusiastically to what Humbaba stated.
“······.”
I quietly pulled on Humbaba’s cheek. The cheek of my dear leader of the Royal Guard stretched out like pizza cheese.
“Gehuhuhuh! Gahu, gyahuh!?”
Surely, even a witch’s way of groaning was out of the ordinary.
Without cutting her any slack, I pulled on Humbaba’s cheek to its limit. This fellow, I wonder if it was because she had lived her life being tortured for many days, but she doesn’t even bat an eyelash from normal pain.
“Stop dreaming. What do you mean by going in there with me? You will all immediately follow Farnese here and go to war. Listen well to Farnese and Lapis and come back after you have hunted down many humans.”
“How could that be.”
Humbaba had a face that looked as if the world was ending.
“Since master is in prison already, we wanted to enjoy confinement together······.”
“Do not talk utter shit.”
“Ah. Or perhaps, instead of acting like prisoners, would us playing the role of prison guards be more appropriate to suit master’s preference? Don’t worry. Despite our looks, we’re completely proficient in both abuse and masochism. No matter how perverted master’s hobbies are, we’re reeeady to serve you sincerely!”
“Dear Lord. Now you are talking piss.”
Tsk tsk, I clicked my tongue.
In all seriousness, these fellows were a lost cause. Truly, I didn’t take them in and clothe them in vain.
“Farnese.”
“Mm. Do not worry, Lord. This young lady does not have any desire whatsoever to go to prison with Your Lordship. This young lady can only hope that Your Lordship obediently goes in prison by yourself and enjoys your life of imprisonment. If Your Lordship is gone, then would that now not make it so that Miss Lapis is the only one to abuse this young lady under the pretext of education? Mhm, how delightful. If possible, it would be great if Your Lordship goes in there and never comes out.”
Farnese nodded to herself.
“Rest assured, Lord. This young lady will give Your Lordship’s regards to Miss Lapis. Of course. This young lady is Your Lordships’ eternally loyal subject. This young lady can deal with this sort of trouble as much as it is required.”
“······.”
This, in its own way, is incredibly annoying······.
Why is it that my so-called vassals go from one extreme to another? Have beautiful concepts such as moderation and restraint not been inputted into their brains, at all? Just what sort of sin did I commit in my previous life that made me have to plan a general idea with this sort of people······?
Without a doubt, there are most likely people with excellent talent and people well-informed in refinement standing by the Imperial Princess Elizabeth’s side. On the other hand, my acting general was a psychopathic insane person and the leader of my Royal Guard was a pervert, who was driven by lust and only had the color pink in her brain. The world was unfair······.
“All right. What more could I hope from you fellows? Just, perform well during the war. Solely do war well. That is more than enough. Do not go somewhere and live while only taking a beating, okay? If they hit you once, then hit them back twice. I believe you will be able to do at least that much. Is that all right?”
Farnese and Humbaba nodded their heads. In order, they went back after giving a response.
“Of course. If anything, this young lady plans to sever the necks of all the enemy and pile up a tower of bones. From tomorrow forth, just from hearing this young lady’s name the enemy will wet their trousers. Their urine will flow and flow until finally, the entire plain is covered by the liquid, making the stench reach Your Lordship’s prison, this young lady will earnestly hope for this. A rat tail’s amount of this young lady’s filial loyalty will perhaps be contained in there.”
“Even if it doesn’t reach, the likes of us will personally go and fill buckets of it and deliver them to you, master, so do not be concerned. Humble as we are, before vowing our fidelity to you, master, we made a living as couriers, after all. We’ve delivered excrements before, so something like urine is easy!”
“Since I have thoroughly understood how close your existences are to piss and shit, please go away already······.”
Both Farnese and Humbaba saluted before departing.
Once those fellows were gone, the only people left were the Neutral Faction captains and myself. The captains were sneaking glances at me with eyes that appeared as if they were looking at an insane person. Although I considered making an excuse for myself, since it was clear that talking about it would just make me fall further into the pit, I had no other choice but to withstand the wretched feeling.
“Please confine me now.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
As if they were waiting for it, the captains quickly rushed forward and locked the iron gate. The initial courtesy that they displayed when they were first escorting me had clearly gone missing. I could explicitly sense that their faces were saying, ‘It’ll be a big problem if we don’t shove this perverted bastard in prison quickly’.
·····.
Yup. That was fine.
This was a strategy, after all.
By not sticking out in the eyes of the people and being remembered as an ungainly man, in order to pull the strings of the continent behind the curtain, it was a plan from beginning to end. It was true. I am truly fine······.
—— Clank.
The sound of metal resonated and the animal cage was shut.
As if I had become a single disconsolate beast, I gazed up towards the sky helplessly. The sky that had rained momentarily at dawn and was clear only a short while ago, was now dark again. Did the sky intend to supplement the earth, which will soon be covered in blood, with rain?
—— Uuuu······.
—— Buuuuu······.
I could hear the sound of horns in the distance. It felt as if the horns were the sound of thunder falling from the dark clouds in the distant world over there. As thunder roared several times, they struck in places unrelated to me and those people over there fought one another while having nothing to do with me. Although it was a war that I had started, the war was far from me.
“······.”
Drip.
All of a sudden, something fell from the ceiling of the iron cage.
It was cold.
I looked up towards the sky.
Between the gaps of the dark clouds, several drops of rain began to fall. The raindrops, which were closer to being scattered than they were descending, overlapped one another on their own until they soon grew into streaks of rain.
I believed the rain was similar to the streaks of blood that came from the fighting soldiers, who were planted here in this battlefield while their natural will had been ignored. The things that flowed here could not be helped. However, would it not be bitter to consider the things that were made to flow as something that also could not be helped?
—— Woosh, shoooo······.
I predicted that the history that I had started, had begun to flow like a storm alongside that rain. The war that will unfold over there was all mine. However, similar to the time displayed by the hour and minute hands of a clock and the separate time that was unraveled lengthily when music was performed————the torrent and indifferent raindrops, that raged on the other side of the cage, merely fell here a single drop at a time. Indifferent to the time that was flowing over there, my time silently seeped into my body.
“······.”
I took off my top and received the rainwater directly. Within my garments, there was a waist supporter and a pocket watch which I had brought with me beforehand. Among them, the pocket watch ticked lightly.
Barbatos, Paimon, Elizabeth, and Farnese will move around freely on that battlefield. However, when will they all realize that the time which had provided them with that space has always been solely mine? Who will be the first among them to approach me? The rain continued to flow and swept the dust off of my skin and took it down to the earth. The war was far, but that distant war was all mine.
I was here in this prison.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 04/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-04-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_01_03.txt
|
Chapter 1: The Season That Is Not Mine
Translator's Notes
[↑] A saying in Korea that means “One can be influenced by their surroundings”.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 04/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-04-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_02_01.txt
|
Chapter 2: Thou Come to Me
I’ll admit it now. I’m a son of a bitch. If I’m to be a bit more honest, then I should confess that I’m not just a simple son of a bitch, but a very intelligent son of a bitch.
I was not only the smartest person among the people I knew, but I was also the most honest. To be exact, as I was smart enough to realize that I was a son of a bitch, I was also honest enough to admit only that fact. Individuals who possessed both wisdom and honesty, like myself, were rare to find.
If someone were to approach that me and inquire what I thought was the most well-done thing that I’ve ever done in my life, then the boundlessly honest me, the limitlessly wise me, would have no other choice but to respond like this.
That it was the act of shoving my father into prison.
“······.”
Three days since I was imprisoned.
Rain descended today as well. My hair was completely drenched and was now hampering my eyes. I left it to be soaked. Even if I brush my hair aside, what would that change? Because of the spring rain, even my inner flesh was aching.
Ah, Farnese.
I see that because both you and I carry the sin of having a bad father, our minds have been crippled. Why are we not twisted when we have been trying to accept the world with our disabled bodies? Why do our knees not collapse? If we are breaking the world, then all we need to do is attempt to throw aside the weight before our knees buckle, but when people witness us doing that, they criticize us for being cruel.
It has only been three days since the speech was given, but I had received information that, within the enemy front lines, the rumors that Farnese was an illegitimate child from a Duke’s house, was sold off as a slave, and that her blood mother was a whore, were already widespread.
Even if Farnese’s defamation was fast, this was tremendously fast. Should I say that’s the Imperial Princess Elizabeth for you? She was no fool. Illegitimate child, slave, and whore······. These were all nothing but stimulating words. She knew how to attack the figurehead. Truly, she was flawless······.
If possible, I wanted to organize the structure of the Crescent Alliance a day sooner and effectively retaliate against the Imperial Princess Elizabeth. More than anything else, the current three faction structure, in other words, there was a need to overcome this system where the Mountain Faction-Neutral Faction-Plains Faction were splitting up the military power. This was an obvious task. For these people to split the forces into three parts when we would still be lacking even if we were to combine together, it was difficult to see them as sane.
A Crescent Alliance that has become one. Not an army where Barbatos or Paimon is the center, but a Crescent Alliance centered around me, must be formed. In order to do so, three conditions must be met.
First, I have to clearly prove the fact that I am very competent. If I am incompetent, then the reason to put me at the center of the Crescent Alliance would disappear.
Second, I have to also prove that Farnese is extremely competent as well. If she were incompetent, then the need to appoint her as the figurehead would vanish. For example, the situation where I will be spared at the price of purging Farnese had occurred. The recent occurrence belonged to this sort of flow of events. In short, the Demon Lords have yet to realize Farnese’s competence······.
And finally, the third. I had to prove the fact that the Imperial Princess Elizabeth was heinously competent. If the Imperial Princess were incompetent, then the reason to keep Farnese and myself alive in order to stand against her, will perish. The delusion that they alone would be sufficient to stand against her, was highly likely to spread throughout the Demon Lords. 〈Dungeon Attack〉 was the product of such a future where this delusion had completely controlled the Demon Lord army. It was the worst case scenario that must be avoided at all costs.
······ Surely, it was battle. Battle was the answer. By engaging in a large fight, let us prove to them who the most competent individuals of this era are. I desired for a magnificent, and yet, comedic battle.
Child, quickly achieve a tremendous victory and return.
There are many things I wish to tell you.
I was here in this prison.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 6 Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance, Simple Prison
“Oi, Skinnybones. Eat this and live. You have to eat for a living, too.”
Around evening.
A woman with a figure that was large like a pole approached me. The individual known as rank 12th, Demon Lord Sitri, was on night watch today. Since I was a prisoner with a special status, and since the nature of my crime was severely political, the Demon Lords would stand on night watch one person at a time and in a rotation. It was a rather luxurious reception.
The surveillance lasted throughout the day. There were several torches around the animal cage, but it seems they were imbued with some sort of magic since they did not get extinguished easily despite having been drenched by rainwater. As the torches burned throughout the night, the surveillants, who depended on that light, stared at me deviously.
For the past 3 days, the personalities of the surveillants differed in various ways. A certain Demon Lord, who was dispatched from the Plains Faction, seemed to have truly suspected that I would try and make an escape so they personally held a torch in their hand and came close to the cage in order to monitor me up close. It seems they sincerely believed that I had committed high treason, but on the contrary, I welcomed that innocence.
In case I was aiming to escape, in case I was making contact with the outside, or if either of those didn’t happen, then in case I was leisurely enjoying my time here after having secretly received from one of the other guards a type of luxury or debauchery, which prisoners were absolutely not allowed to have. Without blinking even once, the surveillant kept watching me. The large man, who introduced himself as Beleth, was the rank 13th Demon Lord.
The people from the Neutral Faction handled the surveillance half-heartedly. They would openly promise that they would provide me with special meals or snacks if I asked them for some. In their perspective, they claimed that in some ways I, Dantalian, had committed a crime but in other ways, I had not, therefore, the thing to determine which side was correct purely depended on the negotiation between the Plains Faction and the Mountain Faction. At this point, since I’m not a criminal, but be that as it may, that didn’t make me not a criminal, they didn’t have a need to punish me nor did they have a requirement to serve me. As a result, they stated that if it’s something simple like giving me a meal, then they can at least show kindness in that regard. I politely refused their goodwill.
A handful of straw for sleeping purposes.
An uncomfortable and hard wooden chair.
Those were all the things that were provided for me.
I spent my time watching the raining sky. Occasionally, Lapis or Farnese would come find me in order to give me a report on what had happened thus far. Although Lapis tried to take my life, unfortunately, there were firm metal bars placed between us. Lapis told me off because I had made the situation worse when the issue wasn’t something that I had to go out of my way to be imprisoned for. I shrugged my shoulders and said nothing more.
If I were to speak honestly, then I felt safer and more comfortable within this prison cell than I did outside. I was quite the extreme bastard. The only thing that I required was either a place to sleep with a 3-meter radius or the entire world. In regards to which side piled up comparatively less stress, the former was a rank higher than the latter. It’s paradise, I say. Paradise.
“Although I really, really don’t like you. Regardless of that, I believe that someone shouldn’t be unable to eat just because someone else doesn’t like them, you know?”
Demon Lord Sitri, who volunteered to be the surveillant on the third day, was close to Paimon. She and I had a deep connection in various respects. Sitri had witnessed the sight of me breaking Paimon during the hearing, and during the process of preparing for this war, she had sent her subordinates to obstruct me. Although it was my first time facing her in person, I was not unfamiliar with her.
Referentially, even within the demon continent that is said to have many perverts, Sitri was a woman who was renowned for being a high-class pervert due to the fact that she had done all sorts of perverse acts. From what I have heard, she was not only an acquired hermaphrodite, but there was an extravagant record saying that she had slept with every single race, along with every gender of each race, that exists within the demon continent. The majority of the Demon Lords were like that.
Sitri ripped a piece of bread and pushed it towards me between the bars.
“Here.”
“I have a body that is fine even if I do not eat anything in particular, though.”
“I heard it from the people who were keeping watch over you yesterday. They said you didn’t eat anything yesterday or the day before that, isn’t that right? Don’t do that. Even if us Demon Lords are fellows who are fine without food, you have to at least have one meal every two days. If you don’t, then you’ll lose it, you know?”
What does she mean by losing something?
I tilted my head.
“Lose what?”
“Your sense of living.”
Sitri gazed this way while maintaining her posture of handing the piece of bread to me.
“It’s fine if you don’t particularly eat, right? It’s fine if you don’t particularly sleep, right? There’s quite the number of Demon Lords who became vegetables because they got used to that. Why do you think only half of all the Demon Lords are participating in the Crescent Alliance?”
Although there is probably a political reason behind that.
Sitri shook her head.
“I’m a meathead, so I don’t really understand difficult things that well. Things like politics are something Big Sis Paimon will think about and contemplate. But there are fellows who completely lose their facial expressions after having lived off of only liquids for an entire month. Did you know that those guys are really interesting? They react if you touch their bodies, but even if you tickle them or beat them, their faces stay void of emotions, void. Thinking their expression would perhaps come back if I did this, I even tried raping them, but nothing changed. It never came back.”
“······.”
“Eat. You’ll be able to live if you eat.”
I carefully received the piece of bread.
Only then did Sitri nod in satisfaction. She then sat flat on the ground and ate her portion of the bread. Really, each and every one of her actions felt barbaric. The most luxurious lady among the Demon Lords was Paimon, and yet the people actually around her were like this. It was surprising.
“······.”
In an area a slight distance away, there were two guards standing there. It was most likely for the purpose of hiding their identities, but they were concealing themselves by wearing a white military uniform from head to toe. They didn’t give any particular response even after witnessing Sitri sit down so uncourteously. That must mean that this was her normal behavior, this Demon Lord called Sitri.
“You’re sex-friends with that bitch Barbatos, right? How is it? Does she appear even slightly like a decent person when having sex?”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“That is a question that severely invades one’s privacy.”
“No, it’s because it’s surprising, really surprising. Though it’s intriguing that among the Demon Lords, Barbatos was the one to make a sex-friend, but yeah. It’s that, you know? That. You’re living rather well while having sex with that sort of bitch— that sort of feeling? Did you know that among the people she’s gone out with thus far, excluding one person, all of them have died by her hands?”
Barbatos.
I shouldn’t be the one to say this, but you need to watch your public image a bit.
“But that is something I am hearing for the first time. The fact that she has killed all of her lovers. That is interesting. Is it possible to tell me the details?”
“Yeah. But when I think about it, this is something that seriously invades someone’s privacy as well, you know?”
Sitri casually chewed on the bread.
“If I reveal someone else’s private life, then I’ll be the only one who’d become a bad bitch. That’s why you tell me first about how it’s like to have sex with Barbatos. If someone’s going to become a bad bitch, then everyone has to become a bad bitch together.”
“······.”
Rank 12th, Demon Lord Sitri was an individual who properly understood how to bargain······.
No, in the first place, I’m a man.
I’m not sure if it were a bad bastard, but I’m incapable of becoming a bad bitch.
Once I pointed that out, Sitri furrowed her brow.
“Skinnybones, when you call someone a son of a bitch, do you call them that because you believe they’re really the child of a dog?”
“No.”
“Retard is something you say to someone who isn’t a retard, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then ‘son of a bitch’ and ‘retard’. I’m sorry, but can you tell me the reason why I can swear at you by calling you a son of a bitch and a retard, but I can’t call you a bad bitch?”
I couldn’t give a response.
As a result, I was forced into a position where I had to give a vivid description of, and also depict, how it was like to have sex with Barbatos. I’m not sure how exactly I had ended up in this state, but I did. I cleared my throat.
“First off, Miss Sitri, Barbatos has a very colorful variety of facial expressions. Even if she normally goes around laughing confidently, she is different when on top of a bed. Of course, we do not only do it on top of a bed but beside the bed, on the floor, somewhere with something to grab, or somewhere that has nothing to grab whatsoever, as we fornicate freely, speaking strictly, you can see it as Barbatos showing a different appearance in an incredible amount of many different places. In that regard, Barbatos is not a bad bitch who only goes around laughing like everyone assumes.”
“Hoh, hoh.”
Sitri nodded her head. The sight of her eyes sparkling in anticipation made it appear as if she were some female middle school student who was earnestly listening to a sex education class.
“And so?”
“First, according to who decides to take the role as the master and who decides to take the role as the slave for that day’s copulating session————.”
I explained.
“Even if the leading position changes slightly every day, according to the overall agreement we make either implicitly or explicitly, scat is not allowed but golden showers are okay————.”
I explained.
“Related to that, since the number of spells Barbatos made herself is quite substantial, she can freely control the degree of sensitivity and the degree of what can be endured beyond one’s capabilities————.”
I continued to explain.
“······.”
As the explanation went on and on, Sitri’s eyes, which were once sparkling, became dim and murky until eventually, it became the complete opposite meaning, in other words, her eyes degenerated until they were no longer sparkling in interest, but instead, they were glinting with scorn like the eyes of a dead fish. After vomiting twice and clearing her insides, Sitri spoke.
“Wooow······. You guys are really fucked up······.”
That was an unreasonable criticism.
“Do you really want to live while doing that? No, that’s the wrong way around. Do you really want to do that while you live? Can’t you fool around a bit more normally?”
“Although I wish to do so, it seems Barbatos does not like ordinary things.”
“Don’t make me laugh. When you were describing everything to me your face was full of life and you sounded as if you were rejoicing. You two are both serious perverts.”
That was a ridiculous slander.
“Wow, how am I supposed to look at that bitch, Barbatos’s face from now on? Won’t I recall your explanation every time I see her? With that face, with that small physique······. Oh God. Hey, what exactly did you tell me just now? Why did you tell me something like this? Do you want to die?”
“Oh dear. I voiced my refusal to tell you the details but did Miss Sitri not keep insisting me to tell you anyway?”
“Even I didn’t expect it to be this much. Although at one point I did consider the chance that perverts like that may exist somewhere in the world, I didn’t possibly expect that it’d be the two of you. Even if perverts like that existed, I believed that I should accept them with a liberal mind, but after meeting one in person, I don’t think I can. I’m sorry, but can you die a bit?”
She was an absurd person.
It was now my turn to ask.
“Miss Sitri, it is your turn to tell me now. Is it true that Barbatos dealt with every single one of her lovers with her own two hands?”
“Not all. It was all of them excluding one.”
“Is that not the same thing?”
“Mm.”
Sitri scratched the back of her head.
“Well, wouldn’t it be her way of handling her own weaknesses? Essentially, Barbatos doesn’t trust people. She’s been betrayed a lot and she’s betrayed others a lot. But aren’t lovers a relationship where one side can be betrayed easily and can also betray the other side easily? If you’re going to be betrayed anyway, then betraying them first would make your mind feel a bit more at ease.”
“That sounds like an extreme assumption······.”
“What I’m trying to say is.”
Sitri let out a sigh.
“She uses black magic really fucking well, right? Barbatos wasn’t originally a mage, she was a warrior. But she got massively betrayed once during a war, so that’s why she converted to a necromancer.”
“What is the relation between being betrayed and becoming a necromancer?”
Sitri tilted her head.
“Corpses, I’m talking about corpses. You can control corpses with necromancy, you know? Corpses that have already died will also never betray you.”
“······.”
“I know. That feeling you have right now. She’s really mental, right? That’s why I don’t like her. I understand that the betrayal must have been a shock. However, how should I say it? It’s that, that sort of feeling.”
It was drastic.
Now that I think about it.
Now that I look back at it.
During that night when snow fell heavily, after furtively waking me up and dragging me outside, Barbatos showed to me the sight of her raising a massive army of undead as if she were trying to show off······ What was going through her head at that moment?
What was her ulterior motive behind triumphantly showing to me, the person who was, as her lover, standing in the easiest position to betray and be betrayed by her, the soldiers that will absolutely never go against her?
Sitri spoke.
“It’s possible to gain scars while you live your life. But what’s with the people who try to scar the world back just because they got hurt? Isn’t that the complete opposite? Since I was scarred, I should pursue that much more a world where other people won’t be injured. People should have a good attitude like that.”
Surely.
I understood.
Sitri was different compared to us.
The day she is able to comprehend Barbatos, me, Lapis, or Farnese will most likely never arrive. That incomprehension was neither sad nor unreasonable. It was beautiful and rational. It was fine for her to live on as herself.
I smiled contently for the first time in a long while.
“I see Miss Sitri is a good individual.”
“Hm?”
“It would be great if there were only people like yourself in the world. However, it cannot be helped. Barbatos is a strong woman. If there were an incident that was capable of completely changing Barbatos, then, although I do not know what it was, it must have been that much of a tremendous occurrence. Nothing can be done about it. Please show some understanding.”
“······.”
Sitri stared straight at my face.
“You, do you even know what sort of situation you’re in right now? It’s the same as Barbatos having locked you up herself. So why are you sticking up for her?”
“I did not stick up for anyone. I am merely acknowledging the fact that something inevitable is inevitable. I consider myself to be a son of a bitch, but at the same time, I am an honest son of a bitch. It’s unexpectedly difficult, the way of the world, that is.”
I chuckled lightly.
“I feel as if it is about time I should ask. Miss Sitri, have I passed?”
“Passed?”
“I am asking if you believe it is fine to not kill me. Please do not feign ignorance. Did you not lace the piece of bread that you handed to me with poison?”
“······.”
Sitri’s expression froze for a moment.
A silence fell over us for a long period of time.
The heavy rain changed into a drizzle and made it seem as if the sky was salting the earth. I took off my top and wiped my body with a ragged towel. Even if I were to allow myself to be hit by the rain, I had to wipe myself at appropriate times in order to avoid catching a cold. The reason why my insides felt cold was most likely not solely because of the rain.
Sitri opened her lips.
“How?”
“I wonder? There were quite a lot of signs. First off, you approached me while acting in a much too friendly manner. You tore the bread into two pieces and handed me one-half, while Miss Sitri, you personally ate the other. That is a behavior which is normally seen between two people who are close to one another like family members. On the other hand, the relationship between Miss Sitri and myself is······ Mm, not too favorable.”
“······.”
Sitri was close to Paimon. In Sitri’s perspective, it wouldn’t be lacking to assume that I was Paimon’s political enemy. But Sitri approached me, who was that sort of individual, in a friendly manner and handed me a piece of bread?
It is possible to merely consider her as someone who has generosity and does not care about trifling things. In truth, that is a positive outlook. Sadly, ever since I was born, I have been a bastard who barely has any memories of himself looking at the world in a positive perspective. She had some underlying motive. It was sensible to arrive at such a conclusion.
For example, something like purposely eating the same bread in order to not be suspected for having poisoned the food.
Through such a process, I made my assumption.
I did so ever since I was very little.
“Next would be the part where you vomited after having heard about the obscene antics between Barbatos and myself. I am not deaf. I recall hearing people say several times about how you, Miss Sitri, have quite a high level of perversion. In comparison to such an individual, the acts carried out between Barbatos and myself are most likely nothing more than child’s play. Despite that, you dry heaved······. I could only judge it as you having deliberately forced out whatever was in your stomach.”
“······.”
“I am not sure what your reason behind poisoning me is, but let us leisurely discuss it now. For starters, the antidote. You have it, right? If it is not a discourtesy, then please hand it over. Even if I have quite a numerous amount of experiences in being poisoned, certainly, something that cannot be helped, cannot be helped. I am unable to throw away my desire to live.”
Now then.
I stuck out my hand.
Sitri looked at my hand with a rigid face. It was a bit troubling since the only thing she continued to give me was a vacant gaze. Does she have no intention to hand me the antidote? Despite how I am, I am a man who has only considered his death to happen by the hands of either Lapis or by the hands of Elizabeth. If I get poisoned to death by some side character like you, then that would be dishonorable to those two girls.
“It is fine if I were to scream right now. Those sentinels over there standing guard will most likely come running here. It will be over then. As I will testify that Miss Sitri had attempted to kill me with poison, as much as Miss Sitri is a close aid to Her Excellency, Paimon, the entire Mountain Faction will be held accountable for that crime. Do you wish for that to happen?”
“······.”
“After the military trial was rejected, the Demon Lord, who all three factions were taking custody of together, was assassinated by one of the leading members of the Mountain Faction. How marvelous. I can vividly see this being shouted throughout the demon continent. Aha, of course, if causing a commotion is Miss Sitri’s hobby, then I will not stop you. That is good. Chaos. I too like it quite a lot.”
Sitri bit her lips tightly.
She slid her hand into her coat pocket and pulled out a glass vial. A bright yellow liquid, that looked similar to natural honey, sloshed around within the bottle. I received the glass vial and gulped the liquid down in a single motion.
Mm, what a foul taste. It seriously tastes bad. Why is it that there are many types of poisons that taste nice, but the actual antidotes all taste revolting? It was puzzling.
“······I’m saying this beforehand, but this has absolutely no relation to big sis Paimon. This is something I did arbitrarily.”
“A good excuse. At the very least, it sounds like a plausible excuse to my ears. I shall personally hope that the other Demon Lords, as well, hear it in the same manner as I did during court.”
It was at that moment.
One of the soldiers, who was standing guard a slight distance away from the prison, took off their white military uniform. Once their military cap fell off and their mantle was set free, the person standing there was, surprisingly, Demon Lord Paimon. The look of panic was apparent on her face. Even until this moment, this was a sufficiently intriguing performance, but what Paimon said to Sitri was more well-worth seeing.
“Sitri, you······! You said that you wished to test him for a moment in order to see what kind of person he was, but for you to use poison! Did the test have this sort of meaning!?”
Sitri scratched the back of her head.
“Haa. Sis, as expected, I don’t like this guy. A certain smell is coming off from him. The smell of a corpse rotting. It goes without saying that as much as sis is the leader of the Mountain Faction, I don’t have even the slightest right to disagree, but······.”
“You fool! That is not the problem right now!”
Paimon hurriedly ran directly in front of my cell and lowered her head. It wasn’t only once. Two times, three times, four times, as if she were literally trying to confirm just how close her existence was to the ground, she bowed her head multiple times.
“This lady apologizes, Dantalian. This lady is sincerely sorry. Sitri did not have any bad intentions. It is just that, when it is something related to this lady, this child gets strangely worked up······. This lady begs your pardon. This lady will do whatever is possible to apologize, so please forgive Sitri······.”
“Did not have any bad intentions, is it?”
I leisurely watched over Paimon’s heated apology.
I did not feel impatient just because I had nearly been poisoned to death a second ago. In the political spectrum, a failed assassination attempt is one of the most deplorable crimes. Depending on how I utilized this, it had infinite value.
In the first place, I did not trust Paimon even remotely. After all this time, there was no reason for me to be shocked even if she utilized means such as poison.
“It has not been even a single year since the day I had received an apology from Your Highness Paimon during the Walpurgis Night. At that time, Your Highness had tried to remove me politically. Since slander did not work, is it now poison and assassination? How remarkable.”
From start to end, I spoke sarcastically and in a calm tone. Paimon’s complexion paled.
Three days have passed since the war had begun. I had heard that during those several days, Paimon had obtained quite the good war record while facing against the imperial army of Francia. Although they have yet to carry out a decisive battle, it was fine to say that she had excellent results. Barbatos was displaying results that were the complete opposite of a good meaning by suffering huge losses while facing against the imperial army of Habsburg.
However, an attempted murder case contained an explosive force with the capability of overthrowing some huge loss like that in an instant. In Paimon’s perspective, this was no different to a nightmare.
“Dantalian, this lady is speaking the truth. Because this lady merely wished to officially accept you, Dantalian, into the Mountain Faction······ Before this lady could speak to you, Sitri requested of this lady to allow her to converse with you first in order to determine what type of individual you are······.”
“I see that within the Mountain Faction, you poison people and see how long they can endure in order to judge their character. That is impressive.”
“Dantalian······.”
Paimon gazed at me with a face that appeared as if she were about to collapse at any moment. She slowly lowered herself to her knees. The ground, which was damp because of the rain, dirtied her skirt with mud. After seeing that, Sitri furrowed her brow.
“Sis, for that sort of man, you don’t.”
“Seal your lips. You have no right to speak.”
Paimon coldly cut off the words of her close aid.
“Dantalian. This lady understands that she does not appear as a trustworthy person to you. Yes, this lady has doubted you and slandered you several times before. Nevertheless, I assure you that there is not even the slightest amount of ulterior motive behind this proposal to accept you under the flag of the Mountain Faction. ······If you tell this lady to prove it, then she shall. Therefore, please listen to this lady’s words.”
“······.”
It was amazing.
What was amazing was the fact that Paimon’s acting ability was so impressive that it made it feel as if her words just now were passionately sincere. That brazen personality of hers, which supported her acting ability, was tremendous. My Lord. If it were someone else, then they would have probably been completely fooled by now.
That’s why this woman.
Not only did she try to frame me for something ridiculous like spreading the disease on my own, but she tried to use the enemy by selling the Memoria artifact to the Imperial Princess Elizabeth. She purposely refused the military trial in order to come between Barbatos and myself, and if need be, this woman was someone who would do something daring like resorting to poison. And yet, she expected me to believe her when she claimed that there were no ill-intentions behind any of those actions.
Was it not splendid? Even my father was unable to become that outspokenly shameless. I unconsciously smiled bitterly.
“Please stand, Your Highness. That is disgraceful.”
“Pardon?”
“Is there any point if Your Highness were to receive myself into the Mountain Faction? No matter how much Your Highness loathes Barbatos, do you wish to go that far just to impair her? Of course, it is not something which I personally should be saying when I had voluntarily requested for my own trial because I was aware that Your Highness would behave in such a way······.”
That was so. In regard to the usage of other people’s emotions, Paimon and I were the same. The problem was, despite being like that, Paimon continued to act as if she were detached and upright, all on her lonesome.
“I am genuinely curious. Is it enjoyable to live like that?”
Have pride as a cunning person of influence, Paimon.
I am aware that you cherish your subjects. However, be it an evildoer using a good person or a good person using an evildoer, if you have used someone at your own discretion, then in that moment, both you and I have already become equal schemers. Are you and I both not beasts, savages that possess the teeth that can tear off an ample amount of another’s flesh?
Paimon pleaded.
“No, that is wrong. You are fundamentally misunderstanding something. Even regarding Barbatos, there is some large misunderstanding······. Right now, right now is your last chance. You must grab this lady’s hand. Barbatos is truly going to purge you using this opportunity.”
“······.”
“Sitri said it as well. Barbatos, that child does not leave alone the people who know her weakness. Barbatos is a master of acting. Quickly, if you do not enter the Mountain Faction and solidify your standing, then you will be purged in a blink of an eye and······.”
“Alienation in a moment like this as well, is it?”
I let out a big sigh. Paimon flinched.
This will not do.
I went through my clothes, which I had taken off earlier, beside me and took out a pocket watch. It was the evidence that went from Humbaba’s hand to Paimon’s, from Paimon’s hand to the Imperial Princess Elizabeth’s, and from the Imperial Princess Elizabeth’s hand to my own.
“······That is.”
This was an item that was familiar to even Paimon’s eyes. The focus of her red eyes trembled. I nodded my head and displayed the pocket watch to her.
“Oh dear. It appears as if you are quite familiar with this item, Your Highness. Have you, perhaps, recalled the moment in time when you had last seen it?”
“······.”
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 04/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-04-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_02_02.txt
|
Chapter 2: Thou Come to Me
“Yes, please stand up and take a closer look. This is a Memoria artifact. My acting general, Miss Laura De Farnese’s secret and origin is contained within this object. After the negotiation with the Imperial Princess of the Empire, she had passed this on to me. The Imperial Princess is a smart individual. By using this secret she would, without a doubt, assault Farnese’s dignity. Furthermore, the political blow that my acting general receives will most likely be transferred directly to me, as well.”
I hummed as if I were telling her an amusing story. However, as my words continued, Paimon’s face merely became more rigid.
“I am not certain who it was, but it seems whoever had gifted this to the Imperial Princess of the Empire must have abhorred me quite a lot. It is sad. I do not recall ever committing any particular wrongdoing, but for myself to receive such resentment······. That is why even if I do not wish for it to happen, an antagonizing relation forms between myself and that person. Is that not the case, Your Highness?”
“······.”
What’s with that face, Paimon? There aren’t a lot of things in the world that is as exciting as the progress of self-discovery. Therefore, even if that bare face of yours, which you had just discovered, was that of a ridiculously foul hypocrite, that is your true nature. If you are incapable of loving your own self, then who could possibly cherish you?
It was fine. I, as expected, loved my own life that was insane about authority. The reason we loved life wasn’t because we were familiar with life, but because we were familiar with love. Even you shall one day love your hypocritical self.
I raised the corners of my mouth.
“Do not worry. I too am not a fool. At the very least, I know why the Imperial Princess had returned this sort of bomb to me. She most likely hoped that I would establish this as a problem and cause an internal strife within the Crescent Alliance. The Imperial Princess, too, is quite the outstanding figure······.”
On the day I had broken down the negotiation and returned to my camp, I was quite surprised to see the content within the pocket watch. I was moved and moved again by Paimon’s stubbornness that consistently tried to get rid of me. It was not a joke. Perhaps Paimon had jumped over logic and was able to sense it through her intuition.
The fact that the individual who had moved this era was me, Dantalian.
Paimon was the first one to sense it among the existing authority figures. That was why she had struggled to get rid of me······.
It was a remarkable foresight. I shall appraise it highly. However, you had made a mistake. Instead of trying to ostracize me, you should have solely tried to pull me in. At the very least, similar to what Barbatos had done, you should have created a partnership where both parties used one another.
During the time when I still appeared like a pushover, your grave mistake was the fact that you had bared your teeth abruptly. The weak will never forget the arrogance of the strong.
Now then.
“Your Highness Paimon.”
The fact that you are a backstabber, who had sold me out, has been explicitly revealed. What will you do now? Personally, I am tremendously curious about how much your shameless brazenface can endure.
“Do you, perhaps, have anything more to say to me?”
“······.”
Paimon lowered her gaze. She did not raise her head immediately. Even from here, I could see her lips open, close, and open again.
Shortly after, Paimon muttered in a small voice.
“······sorry. Because this lady.”
With a wavering voice that sounded as if it were flowing out from her innermost heart.
“Because this lady, is incompetent······. Because she is incompetent to no end, this lady is sorry······.”
Those were somewhat strange words to say as an apology.
Paimon no longer tried to plead or make any more excuses. She merely stood up, with her face still looking downwards, and left. The edge of her mantle, that had become dirtied by the rain, was dragged behind her like a tide.
“······.”
Sitri, the culprit behind today’s incident, gazed at me with no emotion on her face before chasing after Paimon shortly after.
And thus, the only things which remained at my side were, once again, the handful of straw, the shabby wooden chair, and the two puddles of muddy water that had yet to dry. I was finally able to let out a sigh of relief once everyone was gone. Although it was a living that didn’t really have much, I was satisfied with just that.
“Haa.”
Is it about time now?
I looked up towards the dimmed night sky.
Although Paimon had insisted that I was misunderstanding something, on the contrary, that was something I wanted to say to her. Not just Paimon, but Barbatos as well seemed to be firmly misunderstanding a single thing. Similar to how Paimon seemed to believe that this was a war which she must handle, Barbatos seemed to think that this was a war that she had started. Unfortunately, they were both wrong. From start to finish, this war was mine.
There was a need to make them realize this.
If they planned to distance me from the war, then so be it. Try putting me far away. However, they will realize tomorrow.
————The reality that even if I do not approach war, it will more than gladly approach me.
Farnese.
Our time has come.
▯A King’s Lone Sword, Human, Laura De Farnese Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 7 Bruno Plains, The Center of the Army of the Crescent Alliance
Authority for blood.
Blood for authority.
“······.”
This young lady stared up at the flag for a long period of time.
His Lordship’s flag. The proverb that was embroidered with silver thread. The lines made from warp and woof[1] that bound us and His Lordship together. I did not dislike those words that emanated His Lordship’s body odor and fragrance.
We did not only train the 7,000 elite soldiers during the icy-cold winter. His Lordship bestowed uniforms upon us vassals and created a new maxim. While this young lady trained the 7,000 fully segregated soldiers, His Lordship assembled the 7,000 into a single unit. This young lady’s training and His Lordship’s assembling interlinked together and by the time the beginning of spring had arrived, we had formed a single distinct and strong army.
Humbaba, the head of the Royal Guard, spoke.
“This, it seems we’re going to go to battle today without master again.”
“There is no problem whatsoever.”
This young lady spoke calmly.
“Honestly speaking, His Lordship is not particularly useful during battle. At most, he is mediocre, and can only be considered wise when stretching the rules. Since His Lordship is gone, it should feel as if the head of our forces were cut off, but it almost feels as if our tail was severed, making our body lighter.”
“Ahah. I’m only saying this because master isn’t here, but I’d like to say that I think likewise!”
The Royal Guard’s captain cackled.
Her laughter, if this young lady were to go out of her way to express it, contained a certain something that could only be described as crazy-like. Strictly speaking, even the expression crazy-like was actually wrong. It was not as if she were crazy, but she was craziness in itself. If this young lady were to honestly confess, then among the people serving under His Lordship, this young lady was the only vassal that was at least sane.
Miss Lapis was more similar to that of an incredibly intelligent wild animal than that of a person. Starting from Humbaba, the leader of the Royal Guard, every single one of the witches were feathered animals whose heads were completely hell-bent on lust. His Lordship, who was taking care of these types of vassals on both of his sides, was literally a beast among beasts and the king among savage animals. On an impulse, an educated person such as this young lady was captured into this extremely dangerous zoo, so it was quite terrifying.
Oh, it is an icy-cold season. Even though winter had passed, the season remained cold. For an intelligent woman such as this young lady to live, the wind of the world has become frigid one place at a time······.
The Royal Guard’s captain beamed and turned this way.
“Now then. Dear honorable acting general? Where should we mess up first?”
“Hm.”
This young lady looked out onto the battlefield.
Currently, our corps had obtained continuous victories.
The Crescent Alliance and the Crusaders were confronting one another with a total of surprisingly 200,000 soldiers, which was extensive enough to carry out pitched battles. However, the reality was somewhat different. In the Crescent Alliance, the forces were separated into the Plains Faction, Neutral Faction, and the Mountain Faction. Each respective group was fighting by themselves. The Crusaders were the same, as well. Each of their nations operated their armies separately while fighting against us.
As a result, as if the unit of 7,000 hired soldiers, which this young lady led, had become a detached force, we went through the battles unfolding on the field and poked at the enemy forces here and there.
Yesterday we had swept away the knights of the Kingdom of Brittany. The day before yesterday we had slaughtered three earls from the Empire of Francia. The day before that was the regiment from the Republic of Batavia. It was a pleasing battlefield where there was a joy in picking your prey. Aah, how delightful. This young lady was in bliss. This young lady was certain that she was born into this regretful world in order to cause chaos here.
The Crusaders have most likely begun to detest this young lady.
It was about time to stop playing around and harvest the hatred.
“For the past several days, the human armies have continued to get done in by this young lady over and over again. Regardless of whether they were disparate groups separated according to their nations, if what is attached to their necks are heads and not empty shells, then they will be planning a joint operation.”
“Aha. So the armies will join up and plan together in order to hunt us, is it? This, it’s not really our preference to fall from the position of hunter and into the position of prey.”
This young lady nodded her head. It was the same for this young lady as well, in regards to not having a hobby of being hunted down.
“His Lordship gave this young lady an order. To not fight against the Imperial Princess of Habsburg. In other words, His Lordship does not wish for us to obtain a decisive win, nor does he wish for us to pretend as if we had met a decisive defeat.”
“Then?”
“Chaos. Solely that.”
This young lady declared.
“His Lordship desires solely for chaos to spread throughout these plains. That is the command that was given to us by His Lordship.”
This young lady lamented deeply.
Was this not an absurd lord? He did not order this young lady, who was no more than 17-years-old now, to win the battle, nor did he tell this young lady to lose convincingly, instead, he had commanded for this young lady to solely turn the entire battleground into a medley of discord. What is this young lady supposed to do about that sort of precise order given by His Lordship? Although this young lady had once contemplated about what she should do, this young lady’s decision had already been determined.
“Since this young lady is a faithful subject of sublimity, this young lady can only follow orders. Captain, sound the horns. You have done a good job obtaining only trivial benefits for the past 4 days. From this point forth, our forces shall genuinely turn this battlefield into a disaster.”
“Ahahahah—.”
The leader of the Royal Guard, Humbaba, laughed.
“That’s good, chaos. That’s really really good. That’s one of the things which the likes of us love the most. Similar to how a pig needs to be shoved into some mud in order for it to understand that it’s a piglet, humans need to roll around in pools of blood for a bit in order for them to realize that they’re human bastards. We will more than gladly turn people into people alongside the General!”
All at once, the witches took out a horn. Several sounds of horns rose into the sky like smoke.
Due to the sudden shower at dawn, the clouds were heavy and the sky was low. The sound easily reached the dark clouds made of moisture. The world was dark and the soldiers ended their break and raised their bodies like shadows. This young lady mounted her black horse and gazed out into the front line.
The wind blew. It was a wind that contained spring.
Because it had rained on intervals for the past several days, the front line was damp and saturated. The scent of early spring was dense, making it seem as if the meadow was soon going to be entirely painted over with a yellowish green color. This young lady felt as if there may be a scent of blood out there that even this natural paint could not possibly color or cover completely. Dyeing the world green was the jurisdiction of the season, and the supervision of coloring the earth red was this young lady’s task.
“Flag bearers forward.”
“Roger that. Flag bearers foooorward!”
The witches hopped onto their brooms and lightly rose upwards. They became singers of the dark clouds’ undersides and started to sing our war song. In response to that, the soldiers of the ground chanted in unison. We showed off that the battle, which was anguish and lament on the other side, was nothing more than a single type of melody to us.
“All forces. Advance.”
And thus, our unit advanced.
The field of battle was systematic. The army of a hundred thousand and the army of a hundred thousand were both standing in formation and approached one another as so. Since it was obvious that if a single unit were to abruptly rush forward, they would immediately be ganged up on, be it the enemy forces or the allied forces, they were all having a battle of wits. While breaking free from the very center, this young lady ordered.
“All forces. Continue to advance.”
The witches laughed and repeated my order.
“Continue to advaaaance!”
In a single moment, our troops protruded from the army of a hundred thousand, the Crescent Alliance encampment and went forward. It was evident that the other Demon Lords’ units in the distance were showing signs of confusion. There were even people who sent messengers, questioning us on what we think we were doing. After telling the messengers ‘Understood, we shall adjust our speed’, and sending them back, this young lady emotionlessly gave another command.
“Advance at maximum speed.”
“Advance at maximuuum speeeeed!”
Now then.
Although His Lordship was a butcher-like man among bastards, that man was this young lady’s one and only lord. The man who had found solely this young lady within this vast continent and took her in. The person who had become this young lady’s new family. It would be good to know that this young lady will not lightly overlook the crime of them having dared to imprison this young lady’s lord, man, and family, into a pig cage.
It did not matter whether they were the Crescent Alliance or the Crusaders. Come at this young lady altogether. You all are nothing more than mere audiences, is that not so?
This battle is simply a melody for His Lordship performed by this young lady.
▯Demon Lord of Immortality, Rank 8th, Barbatos Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 7 Bruno Plains, The Right Wing of the Army of the Crescent Alliance
Aaah. This isn’t fun.
This really, really isn’t fun———.
From start to end, this war hasn’t proceeded as I wanted it to.
We’ve been facing off against the imperial army of Habsburg since a couple of days ago, but these guys aren’t moving like I want them to.
Did they say her name was the Imperial Princess Elizabeth? This person, she doesn’t come out rashly even if we mess with her, and she comes after us wholeheartedly whenever we back off. She was well-versed with the fundamentals of tactics.
A sound enemy was one of the most detestable existences out there, second to a fragile ally. Mmmm. I predict this will be a prolonged war······. Well, we can just hold out by pillaging whatever supplies we lack. It’s not a particular problem. As I suspected, this lacked a type of boom, a splendidly explosive feeling.
Regardless of that, we couldn’t ignore that imperial army and leave them be. We did so a couple of times before, but each time I spectated them from the side, they really wreaked havoc. Both the Mountain Faction and the Neutral Faction had already been defeated by the Imperial Princess Elizabeth once. Fuck. This damn regretful world. I’m the only reliable ally here.
······No, if we’re only going to quibble about reliability, then should I also acknowledge that human bitch?
Laura De Farnese.
The girl, who Dantalian had brought from who knows where and had abruptly appointed as his acting general, surely resembled that master of hers exactly since her rudeness was on point.
She wasn’t going to war seriously. This was something you could tell right when you looked at her. That girl was enjoying the war.
She could have pulled the enemy in and annihilated them with ease, but she would just torment them for 3 hours and then let them go. The reason was probably simple. It was because it’d be a waste if she swallowed them right off the bat. Her intent, to lacerate them a little bit at a time and harass them until they’ve been squeezed dry, emanated from her like a rising smoke. As a single respectable military commander, I could affirm.
She was trash——.
Complete trash——.
For what reason were even Dantalian’s vassals filled to the brim with trash? People say that master and servant were usually alike, and this was exactly that case. We have to purge him at some point, but that Paimon bitch keeps intervening.
“Haaa.”
A sigh came out on its own.
I have to exterminate the human race, I have to annihilate the enemy forces, I have to kill Paimon, and I have to stomp an appropriate amount of manners into Dantalian, there are so many things I have to do, and yet time keeps passing by slowly. At this rate, I’m afraid that things will still be this way even after another 500 years flows by.
Well, a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. If you exclude the fact that that single step was annoyingly tiresome. With immensely tired eyes, I stared out into the front line and contemplated where we should go in order to fight.
At that moment.
“······?”
A single army within the Crescent Alliance started to move. After using magic to enhance my eyesight, I could see a black flag with two lines written on it using silver thread.
Authority for blood.
Blood for authority.
Without a doubt, that fucking cheesy maxim belonged to only one individual, Dantalian. In other words, that means that human bitch has made her troops advance.
They crawled all the way to the center of the plain and openly started to put down wooden fences there. Should I call it a defensive position? In any case, the earth was weak to no end because it had rained for several days, so even if they set up fences there, those fences were fated to soon collapse. In the center of the field, which was completely deserted, that human child’s unit started to set up their position.
“······Haah? Fuck. What are those guys trying to pull?”
I turned around and asked. The Demon Lords of the Plains Faction were standing there. My subordinates exchanged glances with one another but they were unable to say anything. That was obvious. There wasn’t anyone civil enough to ordinarily interpret that sort of absurd action within our faction.
“Just what kind of bitch is that bitch supposed to be? Aang? Does she seriously see the battlefield as some sort of playground? If that lord of hers is in prison, then she should just be docile, but why is she going completely insane on her own again?”
“······.”
My subordinates hesitantly tried to avoid answering. However, since there was someone among them who had their head on straight, or at the very least, tried to keep it on straight, he spoke with a voice filled with suspicion.
“······Although I am afraid to judge a person’s intention rashly, no matter how you look at it, are they not trying to provoke the enemy forces?”
“Provoke?”
“Yes. For the past couple of days, a considerable number of human armies have been done in by them already. After sustaining damage from a girl, who’s no older than 17 years old, it must be difficult for them to bear that fact because of the thick sense of pride those humans have. If they provoke the humans so gallantly like that, then even if it risks their dignity, the humans would have no other choice but to come out.”
Hmm.
It isn’t a completely ridiculous logic.
The problem was if that provocation actually worked properly. Despite their looks, the humans have a massive army of a hundred thousand. They say that a considerable number of their army was mixed with ragtag groups, but that was the same for our side, as well. Even if there were ragtag groups mixed in the human forces, it was obvious that the girl’s army of 7,000 wouldn’t possibly be able to last if a massive army of a hundred thousand were to approach them.
In any case, thanks to her rushing forward like that, our slack military camp, that was connected by the left wing-center army-right wing, had broken apart. If a hole forms in the center army just like that, then the ones that’ll have to carry the burden will be us since we’re holding the rest of the formation.
Aaah······. It can’t be helped. Since it’s bothersome, I moved my hand half-heartedly.
“Oi, be prepared to fill in the hole that bitch is going to leave. Zepar, lead our reserve troops and be prepared to move to the center if need be.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
The thousands of reserve soldiers under my command immediately departed. The inside of my mouth tasted bitter. However, it was better for our military power to diminish a bit if it meant that we could prevent the center army from collapsing.
After concluding the decision like that, I was about to draw out in my head today’s war strategy, but, drip, something fell down onto my neck. It was cold. Once I looked up towards the sky, several drops of rain started to descend. It fell yesterday and the day before that, making it so that the early spring rain simply felt wearisome now.
“······?”
Wait.
Rain?
An incentive using rain?
————My mind cleared up instantly.
At any rate, the earth has continued to soak up moisture due to the rain this entire time. Several places throughout the battlefield were engulfed in muddy water. If rain were to fall here once more, then be it the human army or us Crescent Alliance, the number of tactics we can utilize will be narrowed down extremely. Especially in terms of offense and not defense. I furrowed my brow and glared at that girl’s unit that had, at some point, finished establishing their defensive formation far out into the front line.
“······Don’t tell me, they’re?”
In that moment, the sound of a horn resonated boisterously from the other side of the plain. Once I turned my head, the human armies had finally executed a charge. Because of the rain, they were charging with the cavalry positioned at the front instead of the aerial mages. After witnessing that, any fragment of drowsiness that remained within me had vanished completely and I stood up from my spot.
“Ah, fuck. That bitch started something.”
“Pardon?”
My subordinates’ gazes all focused on me at once. Though I really don’t like it. Though I seriously don’t like going to battle while being dragged around, not by my own will, but by someone else’s, regardless of that, I had to give the order.
“Get ready to go to battle, you morons! It’s a battle of annihilation.[2] An encirclement battle of annihilation, at that!”
▯Demon Lord of Benevolence, Rank 9th, PaimonEmpire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 7Bruno Plains, The Left Wing of the Army of the Crescent Alliance
“······This is.”
A breath escaped from this lady’s lips unintentionally.
The progress of battle moved urgently. Until just a short moment ago, things were not flowing like this. The left wing and the right wing will each handle a single army and carry out a close-pitched battle. Without a doubt, we had planned to carry out the first assault with that sort of standard tactic today······.
However, after the unit, led by the girl known as Farnese, had protruded forward, the flow had changed completely.
That girl was the very person who had gone forward to give the speech as the representative of the Crescent Alliance, despite being a human. In the enemy’s perspective, she was a traitor who they had to deal with as soon as possible. If they are able to obtain Farnese’s head, then that would most likely be considered as the greatest merit. A tempting game.
Having become blinded by that, the human armies had thoughtlessly ordered their cavalries to charge. At first, the Kingdom of Polish-Lithuania, then the Empire of Francia, Republic of Batavia, Kingdom of Teuton······. Each army, contesting for military merits, sent in their cavalry.
It was that very action that was a poor move.
The cavalries, that charged in simultaneously from all sides, were unable to link together properly, and they were unable to even obtain a wide space. The weather was especially bad. After adding more rain to the earth that was already filled with moisture, the ground had turned marshy. Once tens of thousands of hooves passed over that muddy water———— the earth instantly became a quagmire similar to that of a soft and wet swamp.
The thing that fell upon the enemy cavalry regiment, which had fallen into the mire and was floundering, was a continuous rain of bolts from the crossbowmen who were placed at the front of Farnese’s unit, making it seem as if she had been waiting for this moment the entire time. Because their front was obstructed by a mire and their rear was blocked by the approaching reinforcements from the other armies, the cavalry, which consisted of no less than ten thousand men, was literally slaughtered.
“······.”
This lady was petrified.
That, was not a battle.
······Similar to our Crescent Alliance, the Crusaders of mankind were nothing more than a loose alliance. They did not have a unity of command. Once the cavalries started to be slaughtered, some nations ordered for them to retreat, while other nations sent in more cavalries in order to save their comrades who were in danger. For the second time, the withdrawing cavalries and the advancing calvaries collided against one another.
The screams coming from the enemy troops could be heard from even here. A countless number of corpses were sprawled out over the plain that had, at some point, become a mud flat, and heavy rain struck down on those bodies from above. This lady, having even forgotten about commanding her own troops momentarily, merely watched in astonishment as the fighting power of the enemy’s mighty cavalry melted away······.
—— Buuuuuu.
I wonder if they were unable to bear and witness the situation any longer.
Several horns, sounding the charge, echoed from all over the Crusaders’ encampment. In that same moment, infantries, in a tremendous amount that cannot possibly be compared to the small number of cavalries, advanced forward.
Although each flag was from a different nation, the flags were all heading towards a single location, to Farnese’s unit. In order to save their cavalry, and in order to get revenge on the despicable slaughterer, the commanders of the Crusaders had finally sent in all of their infantry troops. Even if it was difficult to see due to the heavy rain, it appeared as if their military strength was about 50,000.
Certainly, one could only lose if faced against that massive number of military strength. Farnese’s troops finally started to withdraw. Leaving alone the floundering cavalry, who were still stuck in the mire, Farnese’s unit slowly drew back.
In Farnese’s point of view, it must have been a bitter retreat since it was as if she were handing a fish, which she had already caught completely, to the enemy. As if they had become fired up by the fact that Farnese’s unit was retreating, the infantrymen of the Crusaders became even more elated and continued their advance. Farnese’s troops slowly retreated further into the rear, and the infantrymen of the Crusaders slowly entered deeper into our side.
“······.”
One moment.
Was it truly a bitter retreat?
A lightning-like realization struck this lady’s head. This lady unintentionally let out a gasp.
“It cannot be······!”
If this was what she was aiming for from the very beginning, then that Farnese girl was truly a preposterous monster. There was no way. But······. But, if one were to look over the course of events of the battlefield once more, then without a doubt, it had met the conditions. Regardless of whether Farnese had intended this or not, the order that this lady must give was incredibly obvious······!
“All forces!”
This lady raised her fan and commanded.
“Spread out our forces! Spread it out as wide as possible! From this point forth, our troops shall become the left wing of a crane wing formation and encircle the enemy forces from the left side!”
“Hm? What’s wrong all of a sudden, sis?”
Sitri, who was preparing for battle, tilted her head. As always, she had a naive face which also only contained a quizzical look as if she were unable to understand the situation that well. This lady explained urgently, however, while also fully being cautious to not be impatient.
“Look over there. Farnese’s unit is retreating. The infantrymen of the Crusaders are doing their all in order to chase after her. If Farnese is able to properly lure in all of the enemy infantrymen······.”
“······.”
It was then that Sitri’s eyes started to shine amusingly.
“······Heeeh. A bottleneck state will take place. Only a single unit is retreating, but since there are a countless number of troops chasing after them, they’ll naturally gather into a single spot.”
That was it!
Truly, Sitri was normally a peerlessly dull girl, but when the topic became related to battle, she would transform into a completely different person who was also very sharp. This lady, while her mind was still blazing, ordered once more.
“Everyone prepare to carry out an encirclement battle of annihilation!”
Most certainly, even Barbatos must have realized the real intention behind the situation that was unfolding right before us. Since that child, regardless of other things, was at least gifted with a damn sharp instinct when it came to war!
If Barbatos spreads out the right wing and this lady spreads out the left wing, then Farnese will lure the enemy in on her own into the encirclement. This was a race against time. If we are able to complete the encirclement before Farnese can be pierced by the enemy’s advance, then it will be our outright victory. If the enemy forces are able to crush Farnese before we are able to complete the encirclement, then it will be our utter defeat. An outright victory or an utter defeat. Although this lady does not have a hobby of gambling, it was in a moment like this where it was a military commander’s duty to make a wager!
The streaks of rain were becoming thicker. Due to the wet fog and heavy rain, everyone’s fields of vision were starting to narrow slowly. This was good fortune, as well. The chances of the enemies being unable to notice us completing the encirclement on our side rises. Moreover, if they are blinded by military merit······ then this battle, there is a chance of winning!
This lady hurried the captains once more.
“Everyone, there is no time to hesitate. We must quickly————.”
▯Demon Lord of Immortality, Rank 8th, Barbatos Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 7 Bruno Plains, The Right Wing of the Army of the Crescent Alliance
“————Quickly spread out our forces already! You damn wusses!”
While personally kicking the butts of my subordinates, I shouted in a loud voice. Although, as much as this was a tactic that we didn’t plan beforehand, so the soldiers were showing just as much confusion, fuck, this wasn’t the time to quibble over something like that. There was a need to move quickly even if it meant I had to hit these clumsy simpletons in the balls!
“Y-Your Excellency. My apologies, but if you can provide us with the reason······.”
“If those are eyes attached to that mug of yours, then look for yourself, you bastard.”
I grabbed him by his collar and forced his gaze towards the front line.
“What do you see past that human girl’s troops?”
“······I-I see a lot of enemy infantrymen?”
“That’s right. Not just a lot of infantrymen, but infantrymen that are approaching fucking recklessly while concentrated in a single spot. We’re also a mess, but those humans are even more of a mess than we are. They have no other choice but to be like that since they have a commander for each nation.”
Smack, I hit his cheek.
“Now here’s a question. Infantrymen are approaching us while concentrated in a single point. They’re so concentrated that they can barely even raise their swords properly. Moreover, they’re also blinded by the desire to take that human girl’s head. Conveniently, it seems we’re standing at the right wing? What should we do then, Mr. Stonehead?”
“······.”
My stupid subordinate slowly opened his eyes wide.
“······We have to encircle them, Your Excellency.”
“That’s right, you dullard. One plus one equals two, and the enemy infantrymen, that are pursuing into our side because they’ve been blinded by military merit, are prey that we have to shatter completely. If you understand, then hurry up and spread out in a crane wing formation. Okay? We’ll become the right wing of the crane wing formation and wrap up those idiotic human armies.”
“But, Your Excellency. An encirclement cannot be completed if we are the only ones to move. Those Mountain Faction fellows, who are handling the left side, must also go along with this plan in order for us······.”
I struck my subordinate’s cheek once more.
“Paimon may be a crazy bitch, but she isn’t an incompetent bitch. If that bitch was actually incompetent, then her head would have been severed by my hands a long time ago. Fuck, we’ve been on 6 Crescent Alliance expeditions together, and the number of times we’ve gone to civil war against one another is 14! At the very least, her wit is much better than yours so stop worrying about others————Idiots! What are you doing!? Move quickly!”
Slaaap.
I struck my subordinate’s cheek for the final time.
Only then did everyone collect themselves before they proceeded to hastily move the troops. Shouts echoed from here and there and messengers moved busily. As it always has been, and as it always will be, a battle of encirclement was a fight against time. If we’re late, then our center army will be breached and thus result in us being torn apart instead. This was an optimum opportunity.
But.
“······.”
I didn’t like this.
If perhaps, this encirclement battle of annihilation were to succeed, then that would make it so that that human child had commanded and controlled this battle from start to finish. Was that possible? It was impossible for even me, who has been referred to as a brave general for hundreds of years and praised as courageous, to perform such a stunt. In the first place, in order for that kind of feat to be possible, one must be gifted with something different.
Dantalian.
You, just what sort of monster have you raised······!?
▯A King’s Lone Sword, Human, Laura De Farnese Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 7 Bruno Plains, The Center of the Army of the Crescent Alliance
The battle had entered into its final stage. Everything was flowing smoothly.
Our side was able to encircle the enemy troops on three fronts. Although the enemy soldiers did their best to breach our center, it was pointless. There was a time where we were almost pushed back, but my troops were elites. We regained our formation in a matter of moments and retaliated. It was safe to say that half the progress of battle was now over.
“Mm.”
Demon Lord Barbatos and Demon Lord Paimon. The commanders of both respective wings have just now finished the crane wing formation. With this, our forces’ superiority has been placed on an unshakeable foundation.
If the enemy still had their entire cavalry, then they could have been able to aim for a turnabout. However, the majority of the enemy cavalries were used up during the initial phase of the battle. Not only that but a massive wall of mud had formed behind them, so even the enemy infantries’ escape route had been sealed. Now the enemy forces were unable to move forward, left, right, or backward. This situation was what it meant to be surrounded on all sides.
—— Wooooosh······.
The heavy rain continued to pour while not showing any signs of it stopping anytime soon. The visibility of the battlefield was becoming enshrouded. This young lady’s line of vision was unable to stretch out far and was forced to stop by the obstruction of the rain. At each and every location this young lady’s vision stopped, an enemy’s corpse was sprawled there. It was a spasm-like death, and it was a life that felt as if someone were shaking off their disgust.
The witches giggled while taking in the rain.
“A masterpiece. This is a masterpiece. Look. Humans are dying off while swimming in waters of shit. A scenery like this is hard to find!”
“Yup, ever since we started to follow Lord Dantalian around, every single day has been so enjoyable that it’s troubling to live. There are many occasions of witches lamenting because of the fact that it’s difficult for them to die, but an occasion where they lament because it’s difficult for them to live is rare. In that regard, Lord Dantalian is quite the big shot.”
“His lower tool is a big shot, too.”
“Waaait a second. Everyone stop. How do you know thaaat? If I’m not misunderstanding, then that tone almost sounds as if you’ve seen master’s naked body before.”
“No no, big sis Humbaba. That’s a misunderstanding. No matter how much we latch onto His Greater Being and beg of him to let us have a taste, he never bestows upon us his royal grace. However, in terms of observation and not watching directly, we were able to look at it a couple of times before. Fortunately, we were more or less able to observe master’s tool.”
“That means you stole a look!”
“Is there a problem with that?”
“Pillage the things we can’t have and peek at the things we can’t see. That’s the honorable pride of us witches.”
“If I recall correctly, then we’re master’s Royal Guard, and if I haven’t gone insane, then the duty of the Royal Guard is to safely protect master’s royal body, right? But when you bitches are near master, far from his royal body being safe, is this feeling that his royal body falls even further into danger just my imagination?”
“That’s your imagination.”
“An outrageous misunderstanding.”
“That’s a blazing groundless rumor.”
“You terribly insane bitches! I love you, my sisters!”
Ahahah, the Captain of the Royal Guard turned this way while laughing.
“Your Excellency, Acting Generaaal, please give us the final order. We are, at all times, ready to rush out and slaughter those people. This will be easier than, well, just hunting a bunch of turkeys.”
A command to charge, is it?
Those words mean that the captain wishes to annihilate the enemy forces. That was not strange. As long as you have stepped out into battle, it was obvious to long for victory, and as long as you were achieving victory, it was reasonable to desire a complete victory or a great victory. However, battle meant something else for this young lady. It was art and music.
The flower of battle did not come from obtaining victory or defeat. The cries of the soldiers when victory approached, and the anguish of the soldiers when defeat was right at their doorsteps. It was those voices that sublimated war into music.
In order for life to become a single melody, it must cross over a countless number of gaps. However, in a battleground, each and every life became a melody and a tune. Whether one could understand this or not, that was the decisive difference between the witches and this young lady.
“Your Excellency?”
This young lady did not respond to the Captain of the Royal Guard’s prodding. Instead, this young lady shut her eyes further and listened to the surroundings a bit more carefully.
Now then, listen well.
To the tune in the center of the clamor of raindrops falling down onto the muddy water, the melody that distinctly flows between that sound of water————.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 04/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-04-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_02_03.txt
|
Chapter 2: Thou Come to Me
Aah.
Aah, aaaah.
How beautiful.
How incredibly beautiful.
“·········.”
Shudder.
This young lady hugged her own shoulders and trembled slightly. With the heart inherited from His Lordship and with the head given to this young lady by His Lordship, this young lady was narrowly able to recognize that beauty.
Although this young lady was cold all the way to her inner bones due to the icy rain, since the inner flesh of this young lady’s body was already filled to the brim with a pleasant feeling, the cold shivering had no way to replace this young lady’s shivering and there were no other gaps for it to fill, either. By shuddering, this young lady was complete.
Ah.
This young lady did not open her eyes, she could not bear to do so since she did not wish to escape from this dark joy. This young lady wished to remain here a little while longer before departing.
Victory and defeat had no meaning whatsoever to this young lady. Solely the screams of death, the screams to live, and the moans of the people who were unable to live or die, these things were what gave meaning to this young lady. Within this world of achromatic colors, solely those vibrations were life, death, and music, all at the same time. During the days this young lady spent reading only history books within a dust-covered library of a small room, this young lady was incapable of knowing this pleasure. The delight of performing with the life and death of tens of thousands by herself. If His Lordship had not informed this young lady of it, then she would have most likely been forever oblivious.
“Uhm, Your Excellency? You have to give the order to charge in order for······.”
“Our troops shall not move.”
“Paaardon?”
How noisy. Do not make a retort needlessly, witch. Does unnecessary noise not get mixed in while this young lady is trying to appreciate this long-awaited moment of tens of thousands of melodies?
There is only a single reason why your head is still attached to your neck. It is because His Lordship had welcomed you as his family. This young lady was not unaware of His Lordship’s image of Miss Lapis as the mother, himself as the father, and his desire for this young lady to lead her sisters, the witches, as the eldest sister of the family. That was why this young lady was taking care of you troublemakers, who were unknowledgeable of military discipline, with sisterly affection.
This young lady narrowly opened her eyes.
“I said that we shall not move our forces. Advancing lightly right now is not advisable. Captain, can you not hear it?”
This young lady raised her finger and pointed towards the enemy soldiers who were encircled and being slaughtered up ahead. The captain followed this young lady’s gesture and turned her head. Although the two of us were looking at the same place, it was evident that we were not seeing the same thing.
“This young lady can hear Franconian. This young lady can hear the language of Batavia. As this young lady can hear the dialect of Sardinia, the sound of Teutonic can be heard as well. The thing that gets mixed in occasionally is most likely Polish-Lithuanian. ————However, there is no language of Habsburg. The words that are spoken by the people of Habsburg, the nation that is led by the Imperial Princess known as Elizabeth, solely that cannot be heard.”
“······.”
The Captain of the Royal Guard, Humbaba, tilted her head.
“······All this one can hear with her ears is the clutter of screaming. My God. Is Your Excellency able to hear all of that? You can understand every single language that exists on the continent? That’s amazing.”
This young lady clicked her tongue. This was why words did not get through.
Mastering every primary language was a study that people must do rudimentally as they live. It was obvious. If you did not, then you would be unable to read books. This was something His Lordship agreed to, as well.
“Captain, although this young lady is grateful for your kind words, there is no need for you to once again remind this young lady of her prominence. This young lady being smart and you being foolish is not the issue. There is a necessity to pay attention to another fact right now.”
“······Master and servant really do resemble one another. There’s a reason behind everything master does. He didn’t put aside the other races and appoint a human into his acting general without reason.”
The captain muttered. Judging from the atmosphere, it seems she had just wrapped this young lady and His Lordship into one and insulted us together, but it was not something that this young lady was unable to understand. Essentially, geniuses were bound to receive the envy and jealousy from the mediocrity. This young lady magnanimously accepted the captain’s overgrown personality.
“And sooo? Oh, prominent Your Excellency Acting General. Why should the likes of us not execute a charge just because the language of Habsburg isn’t mixed with the rambling of those low people?”
“I will say it again. This young lady is a genius. In regards to language, music, and military affairs, this young lady boasts her unrivaled capabilities. This fact is evident if you look at how this young lady had controlled this battlefield of 200,000 soldiers, adding the enemy and ally troops together, with merely 7,000 officers and men.”
“Yes, yes. Even this one, before becoming ignoble, was once held in high expectation as a mage that was going to shoulder the next generation. So what?”
“Sincerely, it seems you are unable to make any sense of what this young lady says. Think about it. Did His Lordship not warn this young lady, who was like that, to never fight against the Imperial Princess Elizabeth?”
“······.”
Captain Humbaba frowned. Surely. It seems she was still unable to understand. At this point, since it had leaped over the degree of disturbing one’s music appreciation, and had entered the level of having completely ruined the concert, this young lady was displeased. However, this young lady kindly divulged her foolish younger sister with the self-evident truth.
“Captain. You have been with His Lordship ever since this young lady had been held as a slave, is that not so?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“Before His Lordship had discovered and appointed this young lady, no one in the world was aware that this young lady had military talent. Including this young lady herself. Is that not so?”
“Yes. That’s also true.”
“If that is the case, then thinking logically, regardless of whether His Lordship’s preference in women is rotten, his ability to discern capable personnel, would it not be correct to assume that his ability to recognize talented people is peerless?”
“······That’s right, isn’t it?”
“Therefore, under the premise that His Lordship’s judgment is correct, that means that the Imperial Princess is a type of being that is either as smart as this young lady or someone who comes close to it. The imperial army of Habsburg, which is led by that sort of outstanding individual, is coincidentally not within that encirclement. What could that mean? Do you think that the Imperial Princess suddenly felt bored and decided to take her entire army to go on a walk?”
“······.”
“Do not only believe in the things you can see, Captain. A battlefield is a place where you fight utilizing the things which you cannot see as much as you do with the things you can. During this time of all times where everyone’s fields of vision are narrowed by wet fog————.”
This young lady turned her gaze.
Past the earth and the sky where rain streaks fell, this young lady predicted that something was approaching. It was not similar to that of a mere prophetic feeling. This young lady had an intuition that was capable of jumping to a conclusion immediately if provided with properly established grounds.
“————It is impossible for an individual with a talent that is as impressive as this young lady’s, to miss this opportunity.”
The Imperial Princess Elizabeth had been waiting.
While making the rain into a natural curtain.
For this moment where she could ascend as a hero by herself in this battleground where defeat seemed certain.
Shortly after, this young lady’s intuition had hit the mark. They appeared like ghosts riding on warhorses, breaching through the streaks of rain, and struck at the left and right wings of our friendly forces. The cavalry that charged with fluttering purple mantles were, without a doubt, the imperial army of Habsburg. The forces of the Crescent Alliance on both wings did not expect that the enemy armies would still have cavalry troops left, resulting in them being assaulted from the rear without being able to show much of a resistance.
“Ah.”
A gasp flowed out from the captain’s lips. A scenery that could only be described by the sporadic utterance of ‘Ah’, but barely at that, unfolded before us. The outer area of the Crescent Alliance, that had achieved a perfect encirclement annihilation formation, had collapsed. The enemy soldiers, who were merely waiting to be slaughtered within the encirclement, cheered for the reinforcements that had appeared abruptly and squeezed out what remaining strength they had left.
The ranks of both the enemy forces and the friendly forces were chaotically mixed together. By nature, it was difficult to re-establish a line of command that had fallen once. Would it even be possible during this current situation where rain was falling noisily in all directions? Although Barbatos and Paimon desperately tried to rebuild the blockade, unfortunately, they had already missed the prime opportunity. The majority of the enemy soldiers were escaping with their lives. Past the streaks of rain, across the wet fog.
“Mhm.”
With vague eyes, this young lady watched the things that were running away. The ongoing tune of the enemy forces’ escape, which slowly grew fainter and fainter, was pitiful and beautiful. Captain Humbaba blankly stared at the face of this young lady who was in that state.
“······Your Excellency Acting General.”
“This young lady apologizes, Captain. This instant is just the right moment, after all. Please keep your mouth shut for exactly 2 minutes. If you do not stay quiet, then there is a chance that this young lady will kill you.”
“······.”
2 minute had passed.
This young lady was satisfied.
“Okay. What were you curious about this time?”
“Yes. Your Excellency Acting General said so before today’s battle. That our unit will not win, but we will not lose, either. That we will only spread confusion throughout the battlefield. By those words, did you perhaps mean······.”
“Mm. That is correct.”
This young lady nodded her head.
“Although bringing forth the encirclement battle of annihilation was this young lady’s achievement and meritorious deed, it was Barbatos and Paimon’s mistake and wrongdoing for it being ruined. This young lady did not obtain victory, but she did not experience defeat, either.”
“······.”
“Barbatos and Paimon both must be embarrassed. Barbatos, who had called this young lady a criminal of high treason and tried to punish her, must especially feel ashamed. If she tries to punish His Lordship in a military trial now, then Barbatos’ honor will be the only thing to fall down a bottomless pit. She will be unable to avoid the criticism that she had disgracefully shifted the blame of her own loss to another Demon Lord, after all.”
“······uh. Wait a moment, Your Excellency. For starters, despite being fully aware that the Crescent Alliance’s encirclement was going to fail, did Your Excellency still keep us here playing around in the center army?”
“That is the case.”
“That’s a bit troubling. I’m not saying this because I particularly cherish our allies, but wouldn’t it have been better to just go in and change the defeat to a victory?”
This young lady tilted her head.
“Why is that?”
“That’s obvious. This is a war that has already occurred so, while we’re at it, it would be more satisfying if our forces win.”
This young lady could only tilt her head once more. It was difficult to understand what exactly the captain was trying to say. This young lady, while redacting an incredibly obvious truth and a tremendously proper common sense, pointed out.
“Captain. Just how are Barbatos and Paimon this young lady’s allies?”
“Pardon?”
“Barbatos tried to frame and get rid of His Lordship. Likewise, Paimon tried to use His Lordship as a mere political tool. Therefore, the two Demon Lords are obviously this young lady’s enemies. Even if we do not act, the Imperial Princess of the Empire is willingly offering to defeat those two people, so why should this young lady intervene needlessly there? Taking control of a group by using another group. In any case, if the Imperial Princess wishes to breach the encirclement, then she has no other choice but to attack either or both wings of our formation, instead of this young lady’s center army, which is quite the distance away. So it is fine for this young lady to leisurely spectate as they exchange blows on their own.”
There was no one who would criticize this young lady for being passive just because she had stood by idly as the encirclement fell apart. The one who had decided upon herself to become the vanguard and stand at the forefront, since the initial phase of the battle, was none other than this young lady.
Went forward as the spearhead, put the majority of the enemy cavalry in a deadlock, and adding to that, this young lady had contributed the decisive service which allowed the completion of the encirclement. No matter what anyone says now, the individual to have done the greatest distinguished service for our forces was this young lady. If you wish to criticize this young lady, then try.
“Furthermore.”
And this young lady continued.
“It would be boring to win quickly. In any case, it has already been determined that between the enemy and this young lady, the side to obtain victory will be this young lady. However, would it not be less of a waste if we were to consume them as moderately as possible?”
“······.”
The Captain of the Royal Guard, Humbaba’s face became vacant again. As she adjusted her cone hat, that was completely drenched by the rain, she muttered to herself.
“······Now I know for certain. There’s only a bunch of lunatics around our master. Miss Lapis and even Her Excellency Acting General, they’re all in a category that’s a thousand steps away from being normal. It seems I’m the only sane person near master. Certainly, I have to be the one to take care of him.”
“Haah?”
“Yess?”
The time on the battlefield continued to flow even while we were discussing.
Both Paimon and Barbatos’ armies had restored their once collapsed formation. However, it was already too late for them to pursue after the enemy. Time that has already flowed by cannot be taken back. Similar to that, the time of the battlefield, that has already passed by, cannot be grasped once more.
Every war was a conflict that flowed hour by hour and was also a war of time. It was not strange for certain points within everyday time to be erased. On the contrary, that was a common occurrence. Similar to stepping stones that were sparsely connected, everyday time was sparsely separated. Therefore, time to a person who was living while buried under everyday life was similar to that of a person who was trying to cross stepping stones, which was an act where they must let something flow and be erased between each stone in order for them to finally cross. For those people, they slowly forget themselves as time continues to proceed, until finally, they merely end up falling completely into oblivion.
On the other hand, the time of the battlefield flowed in a way where even a single step could not be erased. People who forget themselves when they have already stepped out into war were unforgivable. The movement of the enemy soldiers, the direction of the wind that the flags fluttered accordingly to, and even the smell, fragrance, and pulsation of the heart that rose up from somewhere, one must piece together every bit of information possible and precisely snatch the flow of time. A person who rules over time also rules over the battlefield. Today, Barbatos and Paimon conclusively missed that time. The chance of victory will never return to them now.
Captain Humbaba clicked her tongue.
“That’s a bit pitiable. Doesn’t that mean they were just used by us in the end?”
“The owner of this war is His Lordship, the owner of this battle is this young lady. Today’s conclusion was a natural result since they had imprisoned His Lordship, despite not knowing who the owner was, and had tried to persecute this young lady. It would be good if they have realized their place now.”
“Really, master and the general are the only people in the world who’d tell both the rank 8th and rank 9th Demon Lords off by telling them to know their place······.”
It was at that moment. A portion of the enemy military strength, which we originally assumed to have retreated completely, appeared through the thick heavy rain and wet fog. Drenched in moisture, there was only a sparse number of enemy figures. Although this young lady narrowed her eyes, wondering if they perhaps intended to execute a surprise attack, that did not seem to be the case. The enemies merely stood still like statues.
“······.”
No, rather than a surprise attack, that was.
This young lady lightly tapped the waist of the black horse and went forward. Although the sound of the Captain of the Royal Guard, Humbaba’s panicking voice could be heard from behind, this young lady ignored it. This young lady headed towards the place where the enemies were waiting while being struck by the rain.
In that same moment, someone from the enemies’ side came out as well while riding on a white horse, matching this young lady’s pace. The opposition was black, and yet, they were also white. Even during this current weather, where dark clouds were spread throughout the sky, the other person’s silver hair boundlessly shone its own color vividly. It felt as if the raindrops were making way for her.
Before this young lady could even see their outline, this young lady already knew who that person was.
Elizabeth Atanaxia Evatriae von Habsburg.
The only person that His Lordship had acknowledged as his formidable enemy. This young lady was nurtured by His Lordship with the sole purpose of taking that person’s life.
That girl and this young lady arrived close to one another. As she gazed vacantly at this young lady while on top of a white horse, this young lady as well, stared at her while on top of a black horse.
It seems she had a lot of thoughts going through her head. Her face was void of emotions, but those eyes of hers contained a deeply laid plan. However, this young lady had nothing in her mind. This young lady met people all the time. It is good that this young lady was able to at least see this person with her own eyes, merely this thought went through her head.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 04/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-04-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_02_04.txt
|
Chapter 2: Thou Come to Me
“······.”
“······.”
Rain fell.
This young lady liked rain.
Whenever it rained, the sound of raindrops falling washed away the nuisances of the world. When rain splashed and stained this young lady’s cheek, this young lady felt bleakly relieved since it felt as if there was still an outside in that place.
There was a time when this young lady thought that the various miscellaneous things of the world were tormenting her, and there was also a time when only those torturous things were laid on her mind, but the sound of rain washed those days and that time away. Since the streaks of rain were busy knocking away everything in the world, it appeared as if it did not have enough strength to obstruct this young lady. Whenever the rain fell, this young lady felt as if she were something in the world that had the least value in obstructing. This young lady breathed for a moment during this indifference of the rain.
If it disappeared without a trace.
If the trace of this body’s existence disappeared, and if even the trace that it had disappeared also vanished.
“You.”
She opened her lips. A drop of rain flowed down the side of her lips, following the line of her chin. Those lips were most likely lips that His Lordship would want to kiss.
“I see that you are dead.”
“······.”
“That is not the face of a person who is alive, and those are not the eyes of a person who is alive. Did Dantalian make a doll into his general? Or did he perhaps intend to bear, not a doll, but a corpse and take care of it? What a troubling man. It seems each and every thing that man decides to take in are nothing but obstructions.”
“······.”
“I see you have little words. Since you are only glaring at myself silently, I cannot see a path to converse. In truth, it is a question whether you are even looking at me or not. What thoughts are contained in that head of yours for you to be so composed?”
This young lady gazed at the streaks of rain.
And spoke.
“The thought of wanting to kill you is going through this young lady’s head.”
She closed her mouth and showed a slightly troubled face. She then narrowed her eyes and shook her head.
“I am sorry. You cannot kill me. Not only do you lack the ability to do so, but, regardless of whether you do indeed have the ability to do so or not, fighting against me right now would be an act that would go against Dantalian’s order. Since you are a puppet, you will not defy Dantalian. Is that not so?”
“······.”
“I wished to see up close the girl that man had made into the face of his army. I see that Dantalian is proud. I can see a man who, at any cost, tries to shoulder the things which he cannot shoulder and take in the things that he does not have to take in. How does one possibly intend to save a child who has already died in the past, and likewise, how does one intend to kill that child? Is Dantalian planning to turn back time? Was a person’s time something that was reversed just because someone wished for it to happen?”
She looked up towards the raining sky.
“Pass a message on to your lord, if you will. That, after meeting your doll, I, Elizabeth von Habsburg, think she is somewhat pretty.”
She must have finished saying everything that she wanted to say since she had then turned the head of her horse. Soon after, she disappeared into the wet fog and the military personnel, which she had brought with her, vanished along with her like shadows. This young lady watched the shadow fading away within the wet fog for as long as possible.
Only a single apprehension came to this young lady’s mind.
The next time we meet, this young lady will kill her.
That day’s battle concluded as so.
No one was able to obtain victory and no one had been defeated. However, one hero appeared from the Crescent Alliance and the Crusaders respectively.
This young lady, Laura De Farnese.
And the Imperial Princess, Elizabeth von Habsburg.
▯Demon Lord of Immortality, Rank 8th, Barbatos Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 7 Bruno Plains, The Right Wing of the Army of the Crescent Alliance
“······.”
Vacantly.
And in vain.
I watched the enemy soldiers disappear past the streaks of rain.
The encirclement had been breached. I had judged that it was perfect. When the thought, ‘I see that bitch Paimon’s wit hasn’t died yet’, had crossed my mind, I was already certain of our victory, but.
I was not able to predict nor was I able to block the cavalry unit of a single army that had appeared out of nowhere and stabbed into our troops like a fang. By the time I was able to narrowly disentangle the chaos and organize our ranks once more, the enemy cavalry, and adding to that, the enemy infantrymen were already running away with leisure······.
Snap.
“······Damn it.”
Again.
Again, a decisive victory slipped through my fingers right before my eyes.
I had done quite a lot of preparations in order to start this war. I burned down a mountain range, I manipulated the press, and I was just barely able to set straight the expedition that was about to become a failure due to old man Marbas’ mistake. All the fruition, the moment where all of my sweat and blood, that I had shed until now, was going to be rewarded, was right under our noses and······ I missed it. I ended up missing the chance.
“Damn it!”
Only anger burst out of my throat.
“A little bit more, if we had pushed a little bit more······. We would have been able to acquire the earth, the farmland, and the rich plains where our kind could cultivate and survive in. Just a little bit more————.”
Because it was regretful and remorseful.
Because of the fact that I was ridiculed by a bastard who treated war as if it were a toy like that, I was hateful.
“······Your Excellency Barbatos.”
When my knees were about to buckle, there was a sound that grabbed me by the nape. The moment I looked around my surroundings, my subordinates, my children who I dragged all the way here until now, were watching over me. Their gazes became ropes and were just barely able to wrap around my body and pull it up.
————That’s right.
I’m the pillar of the Plains Faction.
The one to have led the continuous desire of the entire demon race for 500 years.
I was our race’s shadow that indiscriminately used even dirty methods if it meant that our kind could pass down a warmer land and a more fertile earth to our children. Not a commoner who laments because the world is remorseful, but a Demon Lord who merely acts as a proxy while bearing that resentment.
It was too soon to fall.
We have only failed in a single battle.
Swallowing down the clot of blood that was rising from my throat, grabbing the will that was trying to escape from my joints and nailing them down, adding steel to my apprehension and throwing away the blade from my will, I stood up as the Demon Lord of Immortality.
“————Hm. Yeah, well. I missed it. Fuck. Whatever. That can happen. If there’s a day where we fuck someone over, then there’s also a day where someone else fucks us over. Although the Gods don’t show equality in terms of loving all beings, they’re incredibly fair when it comes to bestowing fucking misery to all people.”
I grinned.
People smile when they become cruel to someone. Since I’m constantly hard on myself, I can display laughter whenever I pleased.
“Zepar, my left atrium.”
“Yes, Your Excellency. I, Major General Zepar, am here.”
“I heard the cheers when the enemy cavalry rushed in. It was the language of Habsburg. That Elizabeth bitch must have played out some stratagem. I’ll bestow upon you my Remorseful Wolves. Chase after her until the ends of Hell and rip her to shreds.”
“······.”
Zepar bowed his head.
“As you command.”
“Yeah. Follow it well. If you fail, then just die there.”
I snapped my fingers. My shadow throbbed before spitting out 7 black maws, the maw of black beasts.
Capture pregnant mothers alive and pour curses onto them. Make them into living corpses that can neither live nor die. After gathering 100 lemures of the children born by those living corpses, the monster you get from earnestly infusing those lemures together is my exclusive familiar, the Remorseful Wolf.
There is only one way to destroy them. Only mothers, who have performed a stillbirth, can escape the fangs of the Remorseful Wolves. The reason why those annoying witches were able to protect Dantalian was because of that. It’s obvious since if it’s a witch, then they must have had experienced something like a stillbirth several times. However, if it’s the noble Imperial Princess of the Habsburg Empire, then she wouldn’t have even experienced pregnancy.
“Beleth, my right atrium.”
“Awaiting your command, Corps Commander.”
“There’s a lowly succubus woman who always follows behind Dantalian. She should be managing the supplies in the rear. Catch that bitch and bring her before me.”
“It is not really my preference to threaten women and children. Moreover, I recall that little one being referred to as an outcast. If a luxurious gentleman, such as myself, were to touch such a lowly person, then my dignity······.”
“Do you want me to fuck up that lofty dignity of yours along with your entire body?”
“Since I was very little, I wished to capture a succubus at least once. Leave it to me.”
Rank 16th, Demon Lord Zepar, and Rank 13th, Demon Lord Beleth, the two high ranking Demon Lords that supported the Plains Faction received their respective orders and dispersed.
Zepar will most likely crush the Imperial Princess Elizabeth on his own discretion and come back. I wasn’t worried even if it took several days. The problem wasn’t the Imperial Princess, but rather, it was Dantalian.
I was absolutely certain that that human child didn’t operate her unit on her own. She most likely received proper instructions from Dantalian, and pulled off that shit, in order to screw us over. Even if there was no evidence, it didn’t matter. My old intuition, my instincts that were trained while leaping over life and death situations tens of hundreds of times on the battlefield, was telling me this. That Dantalian and the girl, that the two of them were plotting something.
Dantalian. You were adorable since you were playing cute tricks. However, I’m constantly ready to slit your throat if you bare your teeth at me. I’ll show that to you now.
Shortly after, Beleth returned with a pink haired succubus. I wonder if he had already hit her a couple of times in order to set an example since her right cheek was bruised.
“······.”
If I remembered correctly, then her name was certainly Lapis Lazuli. Even as blood dripped down the side of the mouth of this lowly outcast, she continued to glare towards my direction. She looked at me with an emotionless face as if she were admonishing me. Although we’ve met face to face several times whenever I came in and out of Dantalian’s dwelling, no matter how many times I looked at her, I didn’t like her fierce gaze.
“I have brought her, Corps Commander. This, since she wasn’t a spiteful bitch by nature, I struck her a bit beforehand. Tsk. Really, it feels dirty to hit weak things.”
“Good job. Put her down here.”
“Yes. As you command.”
Thud.
Beleth put down the outcast as if he were tossing her. Since her upper body fell down first, the outcast injured her face. With a face scratched by the ground and covered in muddy water, the one who’s Dantalian’s lover, and also a half-breed peasant, gazed up at me.
“······This one apologizes, Your Greater Being, but this one does not think that this is an appropriate reception. No matter how lowly this one may be, this body is one that had received His Highness Dantalian’s royal grace and is also the body that is in charge of managing the rear of a single unit. Why is Your Greater Being infringing upon strict military law on Your Greater Being’s own volition?”
“I have no grudge against you personally, child.”
I grabbed the outcast’s hair and raised her head.
Annoyingly, this peasant hasn’t displayed a single pained expression or let out a single anguished moan even once. She simply stared right into my eyes with an unwavering gaze.
“However, frustration keeps piling up towards that kid who you received your royal grace from. What to do? Even during the speech, he betrayed my trust, and he used some cheap method just so he could avoid some tiny punishment. What do you think I should do about that kid, who made that acting general of his ridicule my entire faction?”
“······.”
The outcast shut her lips. That’s right. You can’t answer that. You don’t know the answer, either. I raised the corners of my lips.
“Yeah. I’m the same. I’m not really sure what I should do from now on. That’s why, right now, I plan to visit Dantalian with you and ask him personally. Follow me, you peasant bitch.”
Dantalian. It’ll be a good idea to give me a proper explanation. Not for only your own safety, but if you cherish the life of this sweetheart of yours who you love so much.
“For now, should we do some warm ups before we go visit Dantalian?”
I grinned broadly.
▯Demon Lord of Benevolence, Rank 9th, PaimonEmpire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 7Bruno Plains, The Left Wing of the Army of the Crescent Alliance
“······.”
Within the falling rain.
This lady gripped her wet feather fan tightly.
“······Once more, this lady will go see Dantalian.”
This was not it.
Although this lady is unsure whether she has the right to say this, despite being unable to stop the war, regardless this lady has no other choice but to say it. In the first place, since this was a war that was started after making Dantalian into a pretext, it was possible for it to not be strange if Dantalian was the one to lead it. However, even if there were a separate person to have started the war and a separate person to end it, the ones who have to cope with the war in the middle were the soldiers alone.
Within that human girl’s command, consideration towards the lives of the soldiers was absent. There is a chance that her actions may be her own way of complaining towards the fact that we had imprisoned Dantalian. There is a chance that it may purely be the childish antics of a young girl and her arrogance. Whichever side it was, she was an individual that made people boundlessly apprehensive if a single army was placed in her hands. Since she was Dantalian’s acting general, it was sensible to discuss this with him.
“Sitri, manage the military camp in this lady’s stead tonight.”
“Is it fine to go alone, sis?”
Sitri examined this lady with worried eyes. Since she appeared like a pet that was trying to comfort its own companion, a smile drifted onto this lady’s lips unintentionally. Being able to show a single smile even in this sort of situation was purely thanks to Sitri.
“It is fine. This lady will simply meet him and have a conversation.”
“That’s not it. Mm. In the battle just now, Barbatos participated on the other side, right? So I figured she’d be upset as well right now. Even though it’s only appropriate for Barbatos to die, you wouldn’t really like that, right?”
“······.”
“If sis goes to meet Dantalian right now, then won’t you end up running into Barbatos? You’ll end up needlessly quarreling with her again.”
“If that is the case, then more so.”
This lady spoke while putting more strength into her voice.
“Then more so, this lady must go this very instant. The declaration this lady made to accept Dantalian into the Mountain Faction was not a lie. This lady had openly declared in front of everybody that she will liaise the man that Barbatos had made into her lover. This lady had no other choice but to utilize a political intrigue last time, but————.”
This time, it will be fair and square.
While looking straight at Barbatos, this lady will definitely bring in the individual that this lady believes is necessary to us.
“······.”
After seeing this lady harden her resolve, Sitri nodded her head. This child, who had always silently supported this lady, put a trust, that did not change even to this day, into her voice and pushed this lady forward.
“Okay. Have a safe trip, sis. I’ll take care of things here.”
Yes. This lady shall trust you and leave it in your hands, Sitri. My gentle acting general.
Leaving behind the captains who were depressed because they had let victory slip through their fingers, this lady left. Each step this lady took, there was mud, so muddy water smeared onto her shoes and seeped into her skirt, dirtying her mantle, but it was fine. If this lady believed that there were several drops of blood from the soldiers, who had died under this lady’s command, mixed into each and every muddy pool on today’s battlefield, then the thought that it was dirty did not even remotely appear in this lady’s mind.
The rain slowly stopped. From the sky, which the dark clouds could not possibly cover entirely, several rays of yellow light from the setting sun fell onto the earth. Among those rays of the setting sun, one of them seeped into the forehead of a corpse that was sprawled out randomly on the ground. Not a demon, but the corpse of a human. The lamb, the soldier that did whatever he could to look upwards in order to see the sunlight, which he most likely could not see even until the moment of his death, was staring at the sky with inflamed eyes.
“······.”
This lady stopped momentarily and bent her back forward. This lady’s mantle touched the earth and became drenched in muddy water. While stroking down the eyelids of the nameless subject, this lady thought that the duty of the lord, where they must douse their cloaks in order for them to do the simple task of closing the eyes of their subject, was quite dreadful.
Regardless of the fact that this lady was unsure how sullied she must become.
Would it not at least be possible to make the resolution to allow oneself to become that dirty?
This lady sat vacantly on the field where the glow of the setting sun had become pale.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 7 Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance, Simple Prison
Has today’s rain finally ceased?
I took out the tobacco that I had stuffed into one of my coat pockets. Because there was no cover, this was a cell where rain kept flowing in. Although I don’t plan to either say that I quite enjoy getting hit by the rain or complain about it, the fact that I couldn’t smoke properly, that one thing made it boring and inconvenient. This year’s spring rain was tenacious and long lasting.
Clack, I sparked a flame with flint. Clack, clack······ While glancing down at the flickering embers that sparked shortly, similar to electricity, I slowly reviewed the battle that must have occurred today. I muttered words that weren’t really necessary while doing so.
“Ah, this is difficult to kindle.”
Do not win decisively and do not lose decisively. That was the order I gave Farnese. If this were still a long time ago, then Farnese would have most likely been unable to understand what that meant and she would have questioned it. However, her current state, which was educated by both Lapis and myself, was different. She should have been able to figure out the underlying meaning with ease.
The single part that was troubling me was the Imperial Princess Elizabeth’s behavior. I made my response to her move through Farnese. Whether the Imperial Princess will behave according to that or not. If she does so, then what would be different······. In accordance to this, the direction of the war will be decided.
“Badum tat badum tat what shall it be: this or that? Badum tatat tat burn the temples and slaughter the people – shall it be this?······.”
I hummed the military song that I had composed myself.
In short, the ones commanding this war were Elizabeth and myself. By no manner of means could it be Barbatos or Paimon. The purpose of the battle that must have unfolded today, was none other than to inform the two Demon Lords of this cold truth.
Sit still. If you wish to win the war, then free me from this prison and pass the leadership to me. If you do not, then you will all one day die to the Imperial Princess.
A frank and explicit message.
Even though you all were out there, you were unable to grasp the war. Despite being confined in this narrow prison here, I dominated the battleground. That is because I am overwhelmingly more competent than you. There was no irrationality, illogicality, or injustice here. It was simply the truth.
It was solely the truth.
“When they die and die again a hundred times······ Ah.”
The embers finally lit the tobacco. I stopped singing for a moment in order to blow some air onto the tobacco. The ember flickered and just barely managed to start burning away the tobacco with a radiant red color.
“Mhm.”
Perfect.
Ten to one, Barbatos must have realized my intention. The chances that Paimon was able to take the hint were around 50 percent. If the two of them were sensible, then they will realize that nothing good will come from purging me and that victory will become distant if they kill Farnese. The two of them have no other choice but to not make any accusations and simply accept it unconditionally.
Because the humans have a monster known as Elizabeth Atanaxia Evatriae von Habsburg.
Because, the only people who can stop her are myself, Dantalian, and Laura De Farnese who Dantalian had taken in.
I will survive due to Elizabeth’s competence, and in reverse, I was certain that Elizabeth will be able to breathe thanks to my, and Farnese’s, competence. Elizabeth and I were a pair of alpinists who were climbing together while hanging onto the lifeline of the other.
“Now then.”
How will Barbatos and Paimon react? Will they rage? They will probably rage. Will they despair? They will probably despair. I am curious as to what will happen next. A person’s true value has always been proven after the term ‘next’ had arrived.
With a mental attitude that was waiting for everything new that was approaching, I looked at the horizon past the iron bars. The tobacco was sweet and made my mind feel numb. I sang the rest of the song while blowing smoke towards the just setting sun.
“Or if we die and die together nonetheless – shall it be that······?”
I was here in this prison.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 04/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-04-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_03_01.txt
|
Chapter 3: The Day Cherry Blossoms Fall
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 7 Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance, Simple Prison
In the middle of the night.
Farnese returned.
“This young lady has brought commemorative gifts, Lord. A lot of them.”
The gift that Farnese brought while saying that, the very first gift that the girl who had just turned 17, an age where it would only be appropriate for a girl to emanate a freshly sprouted feeling, gave to me, the person who was an existence which was closest to that of her father, was not something adorable like pocket money nor was it a traditional hand-written letter, it was simply a mountain of what appeared to be hundreds of human skulls.
Furthermore, they were skulls that had pieces of flesh still attached to them.
“······.”
“This is a knight from Brittany. This here is the ringleader of the most successful free company in the imperial army of Francia. That individual, who this young lady obtained information about after having tortured prisoners, seems to have had quite the reputation. And this here is the brigade commander that is rather well-known in the Republic of Batavia······.”
With a face void of emotions, however, as if she were a child who had returned from her very first overseas trip and had brought souvenirs for her family members, Farnese displayed the skulls and presented them one at a time. She was able to differentiate them quite well. Although they all looked the same in my eyes and were heads that I wished she would put aside a little, for some reason, it seems in Farnese’s eyes it was as if there were colorful nametags attached to each and every head.
“I see. I understand well that you have a sexual orientation that has an incredibly eccentric and academical value in researching. Therefore, can you get rid of all those in an orderly fashion before I end up vomiting? I am much too normal to accept your preferences in their entirety.”
“Wait a second, Lord. This young lady has yet to reveal the real present. Be overjoyed. No matter how vast this universe may be, the only girl who would possibly gift Your Lordship with a commemorative gift is this young lady. This young lady is unsure, but would it not be because Your Lordship had done an incredibly good act during your past life?”
Farnese behaved pompously.
It was seriously a bit annoying.
Just who exactly does this child take after in order for her to act like that?
If she behaves like that, regardless of whether she’s pretty or not, I’m curious as to whether a man would ever be interested in her. Please do not live while only sticking to my side, you fool. I don’t have a hobby of living while a high-performance psychopath is occupying a corner of my home.
“Okay. In any case, that mind of yours, that wishes to not only give me the news of victory but give me a gift as well, is indeed commendable. So, what exactly is the real present?”
“Hu-hum.”
Farnese spread out her arms while making a ‘Tadah’ sound effect with her own tongue(I’ll add the fact that the action seriously didn’t suit her).
“Among these, this young lady shall permanently gift to Your Lordship the skull that you especially like. How is that? Is Your Lordship not so moved that you wish to build a library exclusively for this young lady?”
“I do not need it at all!”
I roared and stood up in order to press down on the crown of Farnese’s head. However, I realized that it was impossible. Regretfully, there were iron bars placed between Farnese and myself, moreover, there was also a fair distance between us. My body was obstructed by the cold iron bars with a clank.
“Did you come here while bringing something like that in a bundle as your first gift to your sublime lord? If you only consider the number of lessons I have given you, then the lecture fees alone would have been enough to build a temple. Come here and be hit a little.”
“······Surely, is Your Lordship not satisfied with these skulls? How troubling. These are excellent-quality goods which this young lady had handpicked sternly. But do not worry. Does Your Lordship think that this young lady did not consider Your Lordship’s fastidious sense of beauty? Knowing this.”
Farnese clapped her hands.
The moment she did so, soldiers approached while pulling along with them wheelbarrows. Surprisingly, the wheelbarrows were filled to the brim with human skulls. Although the rain had stopped, the sky had the same darkness as before so my sense of vision was limited, I could see a line of wheelbarrows, that reached the very bottom of the hill, heading up towards where we were. Farnese gallantly placed her hands on her hips and declared.
“This young lady collected anything that was a corpse on the battlefield and took only their heads. Now then, Lord. Please appreciate them leisurely until Your Lordship is able to find a head that suits your taste.”
“Like I said, please escape from the idea of gifting a skull to another person, you imbecile!”
This fellow was not right······. Seriously, she was really wrong······.
Farnese tilted her head and muttered, how strange, how could His Lordship dislike this amazing work of art. It appeared as if she was truly surprised.
To Farnese, art meant the moment when life and death flickered brightly. In that regard, the expressions made by the corpses on the battlefield must have been the pinnacle of art to her. Although I did not fail to understand that peculiar logic, I just did not have the amount of leniency needed to passively consent to it.
I let out a sigh.
“Are you jealous?”
“Mm? What does Your Lordship mean?”
“Different to you, the faces that can show expressions freely, I am asking whether you were that jealous of the people who were born normally and ordinarily free.”
Farnese froze.
In the distance, a flame was burning and crumbling. We were going to war while burning the corpses. The floating ashes flew around as if salting the sky, and going against that, black smoke rose upwards. Occasionally, the prisoners, who had yet to die and were latching onto their life strings for as long as they could, were slashed down and killed by our soldiers personally. Crackle crackle······ ah, aaack······ Each time the flames surged upwards, death throes could be heard with a slight delay.
Farnese put those screams behind her and stared vacantly at me. Her emotions were faint. When people say that the temperature of a person’s gaze matches that of their heart, then it felt as if Farnese did not even have anything known as temperature.
“I can guess the reason why you are unable to make expressions well. The more you made various facial expressions, the more your father must have gotten worked up. So you, as a type of self-defense, must have decided to get rid of something like expressions completely, similar to how a forest bug throws away its own intrinsic colors and hides within the woods.”
“······.”
“Farnese, if that is the case, then that is something which you have decided. No matter how cruel or unfair it may be, as it is something that you have gone through personally, in the end, it is something which only you can solve. Even if you were to collect tens of thousands of corpses that possess expressions, the day your rage and scars are relieved will never come.”
“This young lady does not understand, Lord.”
Farnese spoke calmly.
“Your Lordship, you told this young lady on that day within the snowing pine forest. You told this young lady to kill everything which blocks her path, regardless of whatever it may be, to not be afraid, to not be restrained by the things which are not this young lady’s responsibilities, and to cut down everything that tries to restrain her. Your Lordship had told this young lady that if she cuts them down, then in that place is where this young lady’s life will be. Why is Your Lordship now advising this young lady to stop taking the heads of the enemies?”
With her finger, Farnese curled her side hair. It was a habit she showed whenever she fell into deep thought.
“Was this young lady’s treatment too cruel? War is already sufficiently cruel. Are this young lady’s methods too wicked? There is nothing more foolish than discussing one’s duties on a battlefield. Or perhaps, is it because a compassion, which does not befit Your Lordship, has surged······.”
“I told you to kill the things which obstruct you.”
I cut her words.
Although she has become eloquent due to having received education in rhetorics from both myself and Lapis, she still decisively lacked the ability to go against me.
“The thing that is obstructing you is not something like these skulls. Look carefully. Is the thing which impedes your path, not your own past?”
“······.”
Farnese became silent.
As if the girl, who had slaughtered at the very least several thousands and at the very most ten thousand today, was being blocked by an invisible wall, she stood in place without being able to move an inch.
“Although this young lady does not want to admit it.”
By the time Farnese was barely able to open her lips, the sky had already become evidently dark and several torches were lit throughout the military encampment.
“Your Lordship is correct. Although this young lady was able to break free from the point where this young lady had deluded herself into believing that the sound of the snow was the cries of cicadas, this young lady is still bound by the chains of the past. And this young lady is unable to control that with her own will.”
Rather than words, Farnese’s utterance was closer to that of a small sigh.
“Whenever there is a face that is showing emotions before this young lady’s eyes, this young lady wishes to lacerate it with a sword. If there is a face that curses at this young lady among them, then this young lady wishes to display that face after having lacerated it. By doing so, this young lady wishes to savor the feeling of life by relishing in the fact that they are dead and this young lady is alive. What should this young lady do? What must this young lady do in order to change this?”
Farnese lowered her gaze to the ground.
This child was most likely pacing back and forth in her mind since she was unsure of what to do. She knew what she had to fix, but she did not know how to fix it.
However, that alone was already a large step.
Until just recently, Farnese was a mass of traumas. She had denied the fact that she was subjected to violence by her own father, she disguised the fact as a lie while not altering her facial expression even once, and she would only speak about her suppressed scars when she was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In comparison to those days, has Farnese not become much more mature?
Lapis said that Farnese was dangerous. I told Lapis that I would take responsibility and requested of her to leave it to me and wait patiently. While imprisoned in this cage and gazing at Farnese on the other side of the iron bars, I ascertained once more that my judgment at that time was not incorrect.
“I was the same as you.”
Now, it was no longer the time to dig but the time to lead.
“There was a father-like existence within my life as well. Moreover, in terms of filthy personalities, he was perhaps equal or worse than your father, never could he be considered less. My life was ruined because of that man.”
“······Your Lordship, as well?”
“That is so.”
I am able to confess since I have personally experienced imprisonment now. The answer of who’s the easiest person in the world to put in prison. It was my father. This was not a joke.
For starters, there were no two ways about the fact that my father was a beast that deserved to die. I was certain of this since my mother, who had loved him and loved him more until she finally loved even his innards, had tried to kill him.
Except, regardless of whether he was killed or not, until that day arrived,
there was a lot of things I absolutely had to take
. Even while my father was raising me, there had never been a day where I had starved. Was that alone not something to honestly be grateful for? Although I was raised by a dog-like father and grew up to be a son of a bitch, I was, fortunately, an honest human. I had no other choice but to acknowledge the reality that he had somewhat accomplished his duty as a father because of the mere fact that I had never starved ever since I was born.
That was why, instead of ending his life, I decided to be satisfied with just dropping his life into a bottomless pit. The fellows who are known as mercy and tolerance, as they call it. It turns out that even I was quite the gentle and dutiful son.
The method was simple.
I secretly sent in minors to the swap parties my father would often hold at his favorite villa. That was so. Even though he possessed four or five wives, he still enjoyed promiscuous sexual relations. Was he not deranged? There was no way someone could not show respect towards that exuberant sexual appetite. I believed that it was quite the waste that only I knew about my father’s personality, so accordingly, I had earnestly set up scarecrows known as whistle-blowers and secured evidence.
There wasn’t even a need for me to go out of my way to start an incident myself. Even in the places where I had no hand in, my father flirted with a lot of women. Among them, a small sexual harassment scandal occurred in a place that was unrelated to me. Truly consistently, it was another high school girl————there was a reason why I would assert that lolita complex was a mental disease time and time again————while being aghast, I poured the fuel, which I had gathered until then, into the incident that had ignited naturally. Even though I referred to it as fuel, it wasn’t anything special. I simply called them over quietly and said a couple of words to them.
—— Young Master, why do we have to secretly install a camera here?
I told them that they didn’t need to know.
—— Uh. I-Is this really okay······? Can I also trust that you’ll really give me a proper reward once this is over?
I intimidated them to silently believe in me.
—— We’ve called together all of the defense counsels, Young Master. Do not worry. Even if the video were to be leaked, the situation in which the chairman’s family is also harmed will not happen. The fact that a high school student was involved is only a small obstacle, we will do whatever······ Pardon? Are you telling us to leave it be? But······?
If they had a complaint, then I told them to complain.
——······.
——······.
——······.
Making them unaware of the things which they had the right to know, making them have no other choice but to believe the thing which they wished to believe, and making them do the things which they must not do. Authority was originally something like that and I had a sufficient amount of authority.
I smiled towards them and spoke. ‘Why aren’t you responding?’. They all gulped and answered me, who was the successor of the company.
—— Yes.
—— Yes, understood······.
—— As you wish.
The time to hunt had arrived.
When a lion hunts a deer, they do not become intoxicated by the distant fragrance of blood just because they had already tasted the blood of a deer’s neck once.
Even after my father was imprisoned and I had instantly purged all of his close aids, I remained vigilant. I intercepted information and distorted them. His whistle-blowers were unceasing and for some reason, genuine reporters abruptly started to surge from the rotten press. Aha, if it was like this then it couldn’t be helped so I ended up only shrugging.
Stay in prison forever.
That was my final wish and my father more than gladly complied to that small hope of mine.
It became so, consequently.
Four days later, my father died due to a heart attack.
“······.”
I looked up towards the sky that had stopped raining. The vapor refused to dissipate, and instead, chillingly seeped into the earth. Farnese was silently staring at me who was in that state.
“Farnese. I may have succeeded overall, but I committed a mistake at the most vital moment. Although I prevailed in imprisoning that man, I could not possibly expect that he would die due to a chronic disease within four days.”
Aah.
Four days, barely four days.
A time that was much too short to repay him for the resentment that had piled up throughout my entire life.
A mere four days.
I, who had run out immediately after hearing the news of my father’s sudden death, was devastated. Even as I was reading the note that he had supposedly written as a will, only a single thought was going through my head. The thought that this human, this butcher-like bastard, this unequaled venomous snake among venomous snakes, had seen through my entire plan and purposely used a chronic disease as an excuse to commit suicide.
I was unsure how my plan was uncovered. He most likely figured it out with his intuition. He was a monstrous man, after all.
Since heart troubles was a chronic disease he had for a long time, no one suspected his death. The opinion of the majority was that he had died because he was prone to death, and it was my own reasonable argument that he deserved to be killed but I was unable to do so. In the end, I may have succeeded in my revenge, but I had to live the rest of my life with this bitter taste in my mouth.
Good for you, father. You must feel lighthearted since you were able to screw your son over one last time in your final moment of life. That’s right, good job dying. Did you dislike the idea of atoning for your wrongdoing towards me that much? Did you want to portray to me the fact that you didn’t have even a single thing in your life that you had to atone for?
“Haa······.”
I let out a sigh.
“There is quite the valuable moral in my story. Do you know what it is?”
“No matter how damned they may be, since your father is still your father, you shouldn’t confine them thoughtlessly?”
“You fool. What were you listening to my words with? It is the complete opposite. Do not needlessly forgive the man or leave him alone, and without fail, kill him, the father who had ruined your life, with your own two hands.”
“······.”
I propped up Farnese’s chin and stared at her clearly. The very first child who I had decided to take responsibility for after having come to this world. Although I rarely ever expressed this vocally, I consider you to be my adopted daughter. Because the sight of your life being twisted was the same as seeing my own life being twisted.
“The people of the world will most likely give you all sorts of advice. Forgive him. Adjust your way of thinking and change your life to be positive. Oh dear. Those are words that befit those people only. They may, perhaps, not even be correct words, either. In any case, you, have you not suffered things which you cannot possibly say out loud or things that are even more severe than that, by your own father? I can easily guess.”
“······.”
“Lapis killed her own mother. It should have been the first time since she was born that she was able to properly meet her mother, but she simply chased after her on the spot and slit her mother’s throat. In that regard, I consider Lapis to be much wiser than myself. Think about it, Farnese. What will you do if your father dies by the hands of someone else before you are able to do it yourself? I am telling you to imagine that. Is it not dreadful?”
“······.”
“Therefore, kill him.”
I spoke.
Using a tone that assured the answer.
“Punish your father with your own two hands. Get your revenge and end his life. No matter how vast the world may be, since there is no one else out
there who has as much of a right as you do to get revenge
, you must be the one to do so. The task which I was unable to fulfill because I was sloppy, I sincerely pray that you are able to accomplish it.”
As if I were placing a curse on her at the same time as I was bestowing upon her a blessing.
I gave my adopted daughter the answer.
“Once you do so, you will be free.”
Farnese wordlessly shuddered. That was a natural reaction. My words were ice. If one wished to digest ice instantly, then they required a strong stomach and tough teeth. And this girl, who was standing before my eyes, was the pillar that Lapis, the woman who possessed the strongest stomach, and I, who possessed the toughest teeth, had fostered together earnestly. Regardless of whether she grows tired of the cruelty of the acts she must carry out from now on, she will not decline it.
Sure enough.
“······But, Your Lordship. There is a problem. Even if this young lady tries to kill her father, this young lady’s father resides in the kingdom down south. There are more and more people in the north who Your Lordship and this young lady must take the lives of, so when will we ever be able to advance south?”
Farnese pointed out a problem straight away. That meant that she fundamentally agreed to my words that instructed her to kill her own father. This was why I did not dislike children who my words got through to.
“In order to subjugate the Empire, we have to slaughter that Imperial Princess as well, but according to Your Lordship’s words, the Imperial Princess is the largest mountain. The act of even crossing that mountain is quite the distance away, so until that day arrives, how is this young lady supposed to endure the ravages of her past while in this purgatory? How are we supposed to know whether it would take us 5 years or 10 years? This young lady wishes to quickly become free.”
“It is good that you are honest. Each time I witness you slowly turn into more of an honest son of a bitch, it makes me feel so overjoyed that I might break out into a dance.”
“Although this young lady is severely worried since it seems as if her personality is decaying day by day due to Your Lordship and Miss Lapis······.”
“That is fine. Do not worry about it. All we have done is merely brought out what was already rotten. Since that is your true essence, do your best to love it.”
“Your Lordship has the talent to touch a chord with another person’s heart each time you open your mouth. A talent that can touch a chord with another person’s heart in an incredibly bad meaning, that is. Please hastily bite your tongue and kill yourself, Lord.”
I raised the corners of my lips.
“Three days.”
“······?”
“You will be able to kill your father within three days.”
Farnese knitted her brow.
“That is bizarre and inordinate. How could this young lady possibly be able to capture her father within three days?”
“You are not going to be the one to bring him, you foolish child. Have I not told you this time and time again? Please, if what is attached to that neck of yours is a head, then please use it. Think about it. Regardless of whether you have fallen into being a slave or not, you are still the descendant of the House of Farnese. A descendant of their family has betrayed mankind and latched onto the demons, but do you think they would sit around when their dignity as a noble family is on the line? Even if they tried to stay still, do you think the people around them would calmly leave them be?”
“······.”
Farnese became silent. You could tell from her face that it was clearly a scenario which she had never considered. I made a tsk-tsk sound with my tongue and shook my head. This was why a child, who learned about the world from history books, had poor senses when it actually came to something important.
“Listen carefully. Listen well and learn well. Quite a long time has passed since the Imperial Princess Elizabeth had first obtained the memoria artifact. At that point, the Imperial Princess would have already gotten into contact with the House of Farnese. Four days have passed since you became the figurehead and gave that speech, but if it is someone who is as competent as the Imperial Princess, then no matter how severe the situation may be, they should be capable of resolving it within a single week. Therefore, three days from now. Regardless of what happens before an entire week has passed, the Imperial Princess will, without a doubt, pressure you by placing the Duke of Farnese at the front of her forces.”
“How can Your Lordship be certain of that······.”
“Dear Lord. To bring around someone like you as my descendant, I am the one who is misfortunate. Not only are you unable to think, but are you unable to listen as well? Kid, are the rumors that you are the descendant of the House of Farnese and the daughter of a whore not already widespread throughout the front lines of the Army of the Crusaders? Hm? Who do you think could have grasped your personal information so precisely and have also circulated malicious rumors about you, all within three days? Can it be anyone else than the Imperial Princess Elizabeth?”
“······.”
“Therefore, do not worry about whether you will have to wait 10 years or not, but instead, be concerned about the immediately approaching three days. My foolish general, even a week is a time that is beyond your capacity. Fumbling through a single day and discovering the next day again, that is the level which you are still currently at. How impudent of you to try and discuss 10 years.”
“This young lady is starting to dislike Your Lordship more······.”
“That is because a sky is above your sky. I know that feeling well.”
“This young lady also dislikes Your Lordship who pretends to know that feeling well, as well······.”
“Oh? Then try winning against me. For someone who is unable to win, you must have quite the happy life since you still have some pride left. Is that brain of yours feeling peaceful?”
“Guuuuh······.”
Farnese groaned without showing any emotions on her face. What a cute fellow.
Essentially, the desire for power was something that did not forgive anyone who was above themselves. I was the one who had awoken Farnese’s lust for power, and I was also the one who was actually occupying her sky. Due to that, in Farnese’s position, she had no other choice but to feel stifled.
“In any case, since things will be proceeding like that, keep that in mind. So even if the Imperial Princess suddenly brings your father in order to shake your mentality, do not be too alarmed. If anything, be delighted that 10 years was shortened to three days. Get your revenge and take his life. And······.”
And.
It was at the moment I was about to add a few more words.
“————Those are good words, Dantalian. Get your revenge and take his life.”
I heard a familiar voice.
The two of us turned our heads at the same time. From a corner of darkness that was blanketed by the night sky, lively, and yet, light steps were approaching from that direction. The owner of both the voice and the sound of footsteps came all the way to a place which was illuminated by a torch that was near the prison and stopped.
Pure white hair.
Yellow pupils that were like that of a lion.
“As it so happens, I came here because I wanted to say those exact same words to you.”
Barbatos was smiling there.
Tick.
The pocket watch that was submerged in my clothes moved.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 7 Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance, Simple Prison
“Hi, Dantalian. Mr. Self-Addressed Genius.”
The night was thin. The rain that had stopped falling during the evening still remained drifting somewhere throughout the air. Although the torchlight made the shadows flicker like steam, making the outlines appear faint, rather than standing on the ground, it appeared as if half of Barbatos’ feet were engulfed by a pitch black mire.
“Iyaah. It seems that life in prison must suit your body well. Look at the complexion on your face. That mug of yours, that has always been weighed down by exhaustion, has bloomed, it really has. You adorable kid. It wasn’t a waste of time to send you to prison.”
Even though it was vague and ambiguous, the occasion of Barbatos’ distinct presence fading away did not occur. Her voice, it was because her voice was clouded with laughter. Although it was easy for Barbatos to laugh, each laugh was viscous with the thickness which was built up from within her innermost heart. Every time she laughed, it felt as if I could see a well that had no visible bottom.
“······.”
I knew she would come.
My mind was even ready for it.
However, there was one thing. If there was one thing that I did not predict, then it was the fact that Barbatos did not come here alone. Barbatos had arrived while dragging someone by the hair. My heart instantly became cold. I wonder if she had sensed the temperature of my gaze. Barbatos chuckled.
“Ah. Her? I was on my way here when I suddenly had an idea. When you and this girl were philandering a long time back, I gave you some relationship counseling, right? Nevertheless, I felt like you two weren’t spending enough time together recently.”
Lapis.
Lapis Lazuli. My love.
My lover, whose pink hair was beautiful and blue eyes were pretty, was feebly sprawled out there while in the nude and sullied by whip and burn marks all over her body. Barbatos tapped Lapis’ head.
“That’s why I used this opportunity to get a bit more acquainted.”
“······.”
“Wow. Bastard, look at that face. You look like you might accidentally end up killing me, you know? Hm? Right, you already played around with me on the battlefield so why wouldn’t you be able to do something like take my life?”
Barbatos.
You truly are.
“What?”
She grinned widely.
“Is it your first time seeing a bitch?”
I shut my mouth.
The opposition had a hostage. A hostage was a tool that could be dealt with in whatever way that the opposition deemed fit. Therefore, it was a method to flaunt their power before me. In other words, as it was a bomb that could explode at any moment, it must be dealt with quickly and I must not rashly irritate the individual who was trying to flaunt their strength. Since I continued to not show any response, Barbatos made a long ‘hmm’ sound with her nose.
“Good. I like that you’re well-behaved. It seems you’ve realized your place. Well, since both you and I are in a relationship where we’ve seen everything that can be seen, I won’t make this long. Apologize.”
“Apologize?”
“Yeah. Apologize for changing the orator as you please, apologize for requesting a military trial as you please, and above all else, apologize for treating the lives of my soldiers like toys, as if the battlefield were a playground, Dantalian.
Barbatos uttered an ‘ah’ and added in something else.
“Oh right. I won’t permit you to give an excuse. Something like, ‘that wasn’t my intention’, or some rubbish like that. Whenever I hear rubbish, I feel as if the opposition is rubbish as well, but on the other hand, I also get the feeling that they’re treating me like trash. It could be my feelings that are messed up, but well, it’s not right. Something doesn’t sit well with me when that happens. If a person is a person, then they should show mutual respect. Both sides shouldn’t become sons of bitches, right?”
Barbatos hurled Lapis forward. Has she passed out? Lapis did not utter even a single moan and simply fell onto the floor.
“The way to apologize is simple. First, take the head of that human girl over there with your own hands. Next, slit the throat of this outcast here with your own hands. Finally, I’ll have to take one of your arms. How’s that? Simple, right? Apologies need to possess significance, sincerity, and cordiality, after all. Although someone impudent like you may not understand this that well, apologies were originally something like this. It’s difficult, right? Since it’s so difficult, that’s why you shouldn’t commit a mistake in the first place.”
“······.”
“Four thousand people died.”
Barbatos stepped on Lapis’ head with her right foot. Barbatos was the one who boasted a great strength among Demon Lords. If at this very instant, she were to put even the slightest bit more strength into her foot, then Lapis’ head will most likely be crushed.
“It’s four thousand people, you know? Four thousand of just my soldiers alone were killed because of your and that bitch’s so-called fun and games. Does this not seem strange in your eyes?”
“Barbatos, everyone dies in war.”
“Yeah, but they don’t die like a joke. That’s the important part. The fact that a meaning is required in death. With that thought alone, people like us are able to go to war.”
Barbatos pulled a dagger out from her clothes. She then grabbed and lifted Lapis’ head again and placed the blade against Lapis’ cheek. It was at that moment that Lapis slowly opened her eyes.
Our eyes met.
“······.”
“······.”
Although we did not utter even a single word.
Both Lapis and I finished our conversation in an instant.
Regardless of whether she knew so or not, Barbatos continued her sanguineous-humorous attitude. Although only very slightly, the edge of the blade pierced Lapis’ skin. The scarlet blood that formed was distinct in my eyes.
“I didn’t particularly trust you since the very beginning, Dantalian. Trust has always been lacking in our relationship.”
“That is disappointing to hear. I was rather confident that we were able to pile up a rather nice relationship. Although I do not wish to make patronage with something that has already ended, I saved you and your forces once before, right?”
“The language of Habsburg.”
Barbatos smiled.
“I actually know how to speak some human languages, you retard.”
“······.”
“There’s something pricking your conscience, right?”
I immediately recalled a sharp laughter in my head.
—— Oi, would you look at that? Dantalian, what are they babbling about?
Before the war had yet to begin. During the time where both Barbatos and I were in the prime of burning the mountain range, each time we punished the fire-fallow villagers, Barbatos left the translation to me. That was because the proud Demon Lords did not believe it was necessary to acquaint themselves to the human languages. However, was that not the case? Did she know? Despite the fact that she already knew, she pretended not to and simply watched over how I interpreted their words. She had tested me in order to see whether I was trustworthy, to see how far she could trust me. Was that the case······?
At that time, I did not interpret the words exactly as how the fire-fallow villagers had spoken them. I treated the peasants with sympathy at all times. However, in Barbatos’ eyes, it must have appeared as if I were distorting information. A fellow who cannot be trusted completely. I could not argue if I were regarded as so······. However, I had something to protest as well.
“That’s right. There’s something that’s pricking my conscience. So what? You wanted a war to break out. So accordingly, I gifted you a war. You wanted to obtain victory. So accordingly, I gifted you a victory. I have presented you with everything that you desired until now. Despite that, are you distrusting me just because of some trivial translation mistakes? There’s a limit to having a narrow mind.”
“Hah, stop talking nonsense, Mr. Dantalian. Be it war or victory, that’s something we both wanted. Why are you trying to act all kind by saying you gifted something or whatever? Do you want to see a pretty blade mark left on this bitch’s neck?”
Barbatos placed the dagger closer to Lapis’ throat while talking sarcastically. Lapis gazed at me while being completely unfazed by that.
Ah, Barbatos. You’ve made a crucial mistake. Lapis was not my weakness. She was a great woman who absolutely would not forgive herself if she were degraded to something like my weakness. Lapis and I made each other stronger. I was able to remain alive and well because of her unchanging gaze.
“Your words are correct, Barbatos. You and I both yearn for war and crave for victory. Because that is the case, you must not kill my vassals.”
“Aang?”
“Are you feigning ignorance? Or do you truly not know? Since you have experienced today’s battle, you should be aware of it by now.”
I spoke calmly. I put the truth that Barbatos never wished to hear on my lips. I more than gladly vocalized the reality that the Queen of Silver absolutely did not wish to face.
“My general and the Imperial Princess of the Empire are more competent than you.”
Click.
Barbatos’ body froze for an instant.
I could sense that her breath had frozen over. A silence fell around us completely. The moisture that had formed on an iron bar of my prison gathered into a droplet of water and slid down. Barbatos was quiet, so Laura, Lapis, and I simply endured the cold wind silently. Since there was no response for a long amount of time, I was the first person to open his mouth.
“You have already once been cornered to the point where you nearly faced defeat at the hands of the Imperial Princess. Although you claimed that it was because of His Excellency Marbas’ crushing defeat, if you were more competent than the Imperial Princess, then you would not have been forced into such a defensive position. Myself and my general. If Farnese here did not come to save you, then by this point, the Crescent Alliance would have had even our last remaining plain area stolen from us by the humans.”
“······.”
“Furthermore, you were unable to predict the Imperial Princess’ surprise attack even today. If you knew how to speak the language of Habsburg, then that makes it even more of a costly blunder. Why was it that the imperial army of Habsburg could not be seen even though the armies of every other nation were gathered together, you should have been able to notice the threat that was approaching through the heavy rain. Although you had the opportunity to do so, you were unable to realize it.”
I apologize, Barbatos.
But you Demon Lords required some shock therapy. If time continues to flow by just like this, then you will never be able to predict the truth that all of demonkind will be annihilated by the humans. You were all overconfident in your own competence. My role was to shatter that arrogance of yours. Therefore, I told her this.
“That’s right, you said four thousand soldiers died? That is unfortunate. I give you my condolences. However, that is not Farnese’s mistake, that is not my mistake, and that especially is not the Imperial Princess’ mistake. All we have done is do our utmost in our respective positions, after all. Barbatos, the fact that you lost four thousand soldiers today······.”
“······.”
“Is simply because you are less competent than us.”
Although it is incredibly regretful.
Barbatos, it turns out that even you, the individual who shines as brightly as the snowy fields do during a dark lunar night, are less competent than someone else. You may be able to perform a supporting role on the stage, but you cannot play the leading role. That is your limit.
Even you should have vaguely felt it yourself. The fact that your military personnel faced death because you were unable to notice the movement of the enemy troops. The fact that the life of your men solely hung on your own shoulders and that you are unable to shift the responsibility to someone else. You have become this enraged because you detested and regretted yourself.
Aah, Barbatos. Demon Lord whose laughter is merciless. The sacred and inviolable Demon Lord who calls herself the absolute majesty, the master among the counsel of 72 who leads all of demonkind. You were unable to manage this era by yourself. You were slated to go through quite the cruel seasons for the next 10 years. Moreover, the individuals who were destined to become the leading actors were already decided. Elizabeth von Habsburg, Laura De Farnese, and the hero that will one day arrive······. They will write an epic poem about the continent gathering together into a single empire, and you will become a song, that has already ceased and met its end, and disappear instantly.
However.
“Let me live.”
I was here.
“I will give you war. I will gift you victory. I will present to you a future without defeat. I will show our demonkind warm fields. I do not care if you all take exclusive possession of the glory and honor, Barbatos. You all can take every last bit of something like pride and fame. I wish for simply one thing.”
Simply.
Therefore.
“Spare me and my vassals.”
There was a silence.
Barbatos opened her mouth. With lips that no longer had even a shred of humor lingering on them.
“Those words.”
“······.”
“Can you take responsibility for them?”
I nodded my head.
Let us work together, even you have a chance, if we all grab each others’ hands then we can overcome anything————I refused sweet words like these. On the other side of this plain, there was an Imperial Princess who was going to propine the worst nightmare in history. If I was going to stand against her, then I had no other choice but to become a nightmare as well.
And I did not find becoming a nightmare to be disgusting or see it as an arduous task, it was merely a joyous occasion for me. How fortunate was it that I was going to be the one to play that role?! You ought to be overjoyed, Barbatos. Although it seems you were regretful since 4,000 soldiers had died, I can continue to laugh like this even if I were to slaughter 4 million people. Welcome the fact that I am an honest son of a bitch. I shall lead you. I shall take the responsibility.
“Four hundred years.”
I spoke.
“For no less than four hundred years, the expeditions of the Crescent Alliance have continued to fail each and every time. The reason behind that was not because you were weak. On the contrary, it is the complete opposite. You all were a bit too strong.”
“······What are you talking about?”
“Look. Even if we are the Crescent Alliance, at most, only half of the Demon Lords that live in the demon continent are participating. Rank 1 to Rank 4 do not even take part in the expeditions. The only individuals among the highest ranking Demon Lords to engage in warfare are you, Paimon, and His Excellency Marbas. Despite that, we surprisingly have a massive army of a hundred thousand.”
Even if a nation were to scratch together whatever military personnel they could, it would be difficult for them to exceed a military power of 40,000. The Crusaders, a force that was created after every nation had united and squeezed out whatever military strength they could, had no more than a hundred thousand soldiers. Of course, that most likely was not their maximum strength. However, if you consider the fact that demons are stronger than humans on average, then in terms of military power, the gap between the Crescent Alliance and the Crusaders grew much further apart.
“I shall say this honestly. In all of the demon continent, the Demon Lords who sincerely wish for victory are all here participating in this war. To the other Demon Lords, the land that belongs to the humans is nothing more than a nest of bugs that they could easily crush if they put their minds to it.”
“······.”
“If anything, the thing they fear are you guys.”
“······Demon Lords are afraid of other Demon Lords?”
That is right.
I have never thought that it was bothersome.
Becoming a king was the pinnacle of authority that had the role of guiding the people. However, there were a whopping 72 people who were standing at that zenith in the demon continent. I didn’t denounce the demon continent for being similar to that of a tribe nation for no reason.
The only reason why this idiotic society still held was because of the common enemy, in other words, it was because humanity was holding out. What would happen if humanity disappeared? Just as how Barbatos wished, what would happen after we are truly able to subjugate the entirety of the human continent?
“It is simple, Barbatos. After crushing all of humanity, the Demon Lords will, without a doubt, start a civil war in order to distinguish who has the most authority among themselves.”
Barbatos furrowed her brow. Indeed, she was a woman who had devoted her life to conquering the continent. She had not considered the feelings and positions of the other garbage Demon Lords who had no interest in something like justification and merely turned their attention to their own security.
“When that day comes, which Demon Lord do you think will have the advantage? Rank 1 Baal? Rank 2 Agares? Rank 3 or maybe Rank 4? No. That is absolutely not the case. No matter how powerful the individual may be, they cannot withstand the assault of a group. The group they fear the most.”
I chuckled.
“Are you.”
“······.”
“Barbatos. Paimon. Corps commanders such as yourselves who utilizes other Demon Lords as your own military power. Demon Lords of Demon Lords. During the inevitable anarchy that will occur after the extermination of the human race, they have no other choice but to fear people like you, who move together as a group, the most.”
Indeed, this was a self-evident truth.
Because they know that it would be their turn next once the humans have fallen into ruin.
I was certain that the Demon Lords, who were not participating in this Crescent Alliance expedition, were desperately scheming to make the war fail.
The fact that the Crescent Alliance experienced failure after failure for the past 400 years was not a mere coincidence. At most, Paimon only tried to stop me, she has never attempted to mess up the Crescent Alliance itself. People, who were much more wicked and slyer than Paimon, were lurking in the rear of the demon continent.
“Traitors. We are overflowing with traitors. You accused me of having committed racial treason. However, something of my degree is actually humble. It is at a boundlessly moderate level. Although I screwed you over for only just 20 minutes during the duration of the speech, those Demon Lords screwed over their own kind for the past 400 years.”
“······.”
“Do you now understand why you must keep me alive?”
Our enemies are all around us.
In the front, the unique hero known as the Imperial Princess Elizabeth.
In the rear, the powerful Demon Lords starting from Rank 1 to Rank 4.
They pressure, threaten, and intimidate us from both fronts until we finally end up facing mutual destruction.
I stuck my right arm out through the iron bars.
“We do not have the time to fight among one another. Take my hand. Let us take the heads of the traitors, and if we have some spare time, then let us sink the Imperial Princess’ ship as well. Once we have done all that, we shall establish a society which we govern.”
Despite being locked behind these bars, the people who must come to me have all come. From the very beginning, the people who had to be sent were constantly on that side. Because there was no need for me to go to and fro, I was free.
I was here in this prison.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 8 Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance, Simple Prison
······Give me some time to think.
Barbatos left behind those words before departing. The only people who were left here now were Lapis and Farnese. Once Lapis was free from the position of hostage, she let out a light sigh as if she did not feel even slightly affected by the torture she had received.
“It seems this innocent one is the one to receive the wrath because of Your Highness. It has been a long time since this one had last tasted torture. Although this one had nearly forgotten the fact that she belonged to the absolute lowest social status thanks to Your Highness, this one has realized her position once more due to Your Highness’ doing as well.”
“······I am sorry. I took the matters much too easily. I did not think that she would involve even you.”
“It is fine. This one is used to it.”
I gave the words of apology, which Barbatos requested so much for but never received in the end, with much ease to Lapis. Lapis received a mantle from Farnese and loosely covered her naked body.
“However, Your Highness has done very well.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Even though this one was kidnapped, Your Highness’ unwavering posture was very advisable. To be honest, this one had worried that Your Highness may possibly fall into a panic, but it seems this one has no reason to be concerned from now on. Even if this one were to receive harm, this one is now certain of the fact that Your Highness will continue to advance forward. Please continue to do so. This one will do so as well.”
Lapis then headed past the torches and towards our military camp. If she walks around in that state, then there is a chance that she could be assaulted by common soldiers who have been blinded by their sexual desires, but it seems she was not afraid. Farnese, who had her mouth shut the entire time, muttered.
“As expected, Your Lordship is not sane. Does a woman like that truly hit the mark of Your Lordship’s preferences? She is a woman who will live coldly, love coldly, and die coldly.”
“Kid.”
My acting general, who was in charge of my front, had badmouthed my lover, who was in charge of my rear. In a situation like this, a normal person would display an ambiguous attitude and try to gain a favorable impression from both sides.
“Mm? What is it, Lord?”
“You will never be able to compare yourself to Lapis with what little ability you have.”
And I was not a normal bastard.
I declared solemnly.
“How dare you not know your place and badmouth Lapis? Lapis is the first woman I have ever loved and will be the last woman I will ever love. If Lala were to say it, then I would even believe a prophecy about the world ending. However, if you said something like that, then I would probably just give you a spanking.”
I gave her a smooth smile.
“How is that? Has the hierarchy been clearly established in that sewer-like brain of yours?”
“······.”
Farnese opened her lips.
“······They say that one must not get involved even if a crazy dog were to bark, but what is this young lady supposed to do when there are two insane dogs growling above her? Since both the male and female dog have gone deranged together, it seems as if this young lady is the only normal person in the world.”
What is this fool saying?
Your bullshit is bitter, my daughter.
“In any case, the prediction that this young lady’s father will appear on the battlefield soon. This young lady shall go back and ready her heart. If possible, please do not come out of prison forever, Your Lordship······.”
Farnese trudged away feebly. She was heading towards the same direction that Lapis had gone in. The two must be spending time together in the military tent that was peaceful since I was absent.
For some reason, as I imagined the scene of Lapis being the abuser and Farnese being the abused, my mind felt cozy. Those broken things that were in that single spot were my family, but it felt as if my mind went into each of their broken places and mended them to be flawless. I laid down on the bundle of hay and comfortably closed my eyes.
That day.
I had a dream.
Once I looked down, I saw that I was wearing shoes. I knew that I was in a dream by just that alone. It was somewhat intriguing. In the past, I attempted to have lucid dreams several times due to curiosity, but I have never been in a dream where my self-awareness was as sharp as this.
“······.”
All I could see when I looked around my surroundings was an endlessly vast white world. Only a ground, that was like a drawing paper which had yet to be colored, was stretched out all the way to the horizon. And in the center of that, as if it were something obvious, Demon Lord Paimon was standing there.
“······As expected.”
I muttered unintentionally.
Paimon was a mare[1]. Among mares, Paimon was the very person who was referred to as the Queen of Mares. Although my love, Lapis, had thinly inherited the blood of a succubus, I heard that the ability to control people’s dreams was granted to only a small minority of mares. Someone like Paimon could easily intrude in another person’s dream.
Once our eyes met, Paimon gave me a modest greeting. For a person who had just invaded another person’s personal space without having received the owner’s permission, her behavior was much too courteous, making it feel as if this woman was a guest who had formally received an invitation. That was quite the Paimon-like conduct.
“Welcome, Dantalian. To this lady’s world.”
I had a bitter smile on my face.
“Excuse me, but if my memory serves me right, then I have never sent an invitation nor have I received one······.”
Paimon showed a guilty face.
“······This lady apologizes. However, this lady believed that this was the best method to dispel the misunderstanding you have of this lady. This lady believes that with just a little bit more, even you will be able to understand her words, Dantalian.”
“Oh, truly Your Highness does not change. Since Your Highness is freely deciding what I will trust and distrust, I can only admire you.”
“Please forgive this lady’s discourtesy one more time.”
Paimon appeared to still have apologetic eyes. I wonder how many people were deceived and done in because of those innocent eyes. I shrugged my shoulders and went into the main topic.
“Very well. This is my first time dreaming a dream together with another person. Despite how I may appear, I welcome new experiences. So, what is possible here? Is anything possible since this is a dream?”
“Unfortunately, materializing every possible thing is impossible.”
Paimon shook her head slightly.
“Solely the things which this lady has seen and experienced throughout her life can be reproduced here. Like this······.”
Paimon waved her fan. Once she did so, tree roots started to wriggle underneath the ground before instantly surging upwards, penetrating the ground as it rose. It seems the tree was not only a single type of tree. Certain branches had white bark like that of a birch tree, and some other branches were encased in a brown layer of bark similar to the ones seen on pine trees. The tree grew bigger and bigger until it got to the point where it nearly blocked out the entire sky. Since the floral leaves were cherry blossoms, each tree branch shined a bright white color. The world was pink.
Paimon slowly stroked the bark of the tree.
“Like this, although this lady can make new creations by mixing together one feature with another, it is impossible to create something entirely from scratch.”
“Hoh.”
This was honestly admirable. Enviable, even. If I had the ability to fiddle with dreams, then I would be so elated by the fact that I could singe, boil, and burn my father every single night, that I most likely would never want to wake up.
“I see there was a reason why mares are known as the clan of the night. My concubine is a half-blood so she is unable to control dreams. It is a bit unfortunate.”
“······It may be more of a blessing. The fact that she is not a pure blood, that is.”
Paimon smiled sorrowfully.
“As you can see, mares are capable of creating an incredible amount of things within a dream. The lovers of mares are charmed by that. The most beautiful woman in the world, the most captivating scenery in the world, a feast of sweet and fantastical food. Everyone who pairs up with a mare starts to become more enchanted by the dreams that mares can show instead of the time they spend together with their lover.”
Paimon lowered her fan. In that same moment, the tree that was as grandiose as a world tree soon started to fall apart. Poof, as if a bunch of popcorn had popped all at the same time, the cherry blossom petals all fell while in full bloom. In the center of the descending petals, Paimon gazed upwards.
“In the end, people turn their backs on reality. An absolutely perfect dream and a pitiable reality······. It is clear what they would choose. They ignore their wives and steadily throw away their sons and daughters. Compared to their wives and children in real life, they have a more beautiful family in their dreams anyway. That is why the majority of mares do not share love.”
Since they will be betrayed, anyway.
Paimon muttered as she placed a handful of wind onto the petals that were flowing by.
Although I could see a single aspect of the girl who was standing before me here, I did not probe into it. I was not the person who had to take the responsibility. There was nothing more terrifying than embracing a past which you cannot possibly shoulder. I picked up a branch that had broken off from the cherry tree and spoke.
“That is an interesting ethnic tale. If there is time, I wish to leisurely listen to the love stories which Your Highness Paimon has experienced. However, is this the reason why Your Highness invited me here? In order to exchange love stories?”
“······This lady.”
Paimon turned her gaze and looked at me.
“Has thought of this since a long time ago. A woman who is closest to being perfect exists. The most beautiful scenery and banquet exist. If that is the case, then perhaps————would it not be possible to dream of the most perfect and beautiful society?”
“······?”
The most perfect society? What is this woman trying to say?
I couldn’t comprehend her. Of course, everyone lived while burying their respective ideas of what an ideal society was within their hearts. As I was not unaware of that, I was suspicious of the ulterior motive that was going out of its way to try and take out what was buried in my mind. Paimon, we are not close enough to leisurely share the scenery within our minds, is that not so?
Should I try sending a light jab?
“A perfect society, is it? Would something like that really be possible?”
“Yes, of course not. This lady is aware of the impossibleness.”
Paimon laughed nearly inaudibly.
“It is most likely absurd. It was futile in the past, and it is still impossible even to this very day. However, Dantalian, this lady is the Queen of Mares. A race that sows the dreams of the night into people. Even if this lady, who held that position, had allowed herself to have such a pious dream, this lady believes that it was not something which went excessively beyond her means. Sir Dantalian, in order for this lady to continue her life, similar to other people, this lady required a type of bliss.”
Paimon glanced down at the flower petal that had landed on her palm and lamented.
“Ah, it was a regretful dream. Yes, once this lady looked back at it after everything was over, it was an intoxication. However, what could this lady have lived with if that did not exist?”
“······.”
“At first, it was 400 years ago. This lady believed that for demonkind as a whole, a society where Demon Lords were the rulers, was a society that was closest to perfection.”
Paimon waved her fan.
The scenery changed. I found myself standing in the very center of a battlefield which I had never been to before. Soldiers flickered like shadows, approximately a hundred thousand demons passed through our surroundings. Since they were phantoms that lacked physical bodies, they phased through both Paimon and myself like ghosts.
At the way front, there were three people who were leading this massive army. There was no one else whose figures were as distinct as theirs. They were familiar to my eyes as well. They were none other than the corps commander Demon Lords; Barbatos, Paimon, and Marbas.
—— Oh, my army! You are all praiseworthy! You all have truly obtained a great achievement!
Barbatos shouted while her white cape fluttered in the wind. Different to her current self, she was wearing a silver helmet and a matching silver set of armor. Barbatos shined a radiant silver color due to the descending rays of the sun.
Paimon mentioned 400 years ago just now. If that was the case, then that means this was Barbatos from 400 years ago. The days where Barbatos had yet to turn into a necromancer and was waving around a sword as a warrior······. After examining her carefully, she was smiling in a way that gave off a completely different feeling compared to what she showed now. It wasn’t a sloppy smile that was caused by being perennial. It was a smile that resembled a mid-summer sun, a smile that confidently threw herself out to the world.
—— However, there are still many things we must do! We are the demons of conquest. Our glory is not placed in yesterday’s victory, but instead, it is solely placed in the future where our great conquest is over.
—— Cowards say that we have fought enough, that it is now the time to rest. However, what do we warriors say in response? Us, warriors who have surpassed both race and status, and have solely become one due to camaraderie. How will you respond?
—— It is not enough!
Barbatos raised both of her arms and extended her nails like a cat. As if she were trying to claw and scar the entire world with her small hands until she was able to devour it all.
—— It is not enough! We still lack too much!
—— More battles and more blood! In order to make every battlefield, which we have fought on, into the land that our descendants will live in! Until each drop of blood, which we have shed, has turned into fertilizer for the land that our descendants will cultivate!
——Aah, gentlemen! My proud warriors! We love our posterity infinitely. For that reason, we not only have no other choice but to fight eternally, but we are able to fight thanks to it!
A hundred thousand soldiers all cheered at the same time.
Demons, dwarves, and centaurs started to blow their horns as they pleased. The sound of drums resonated without any tune or tempo. Although the soldiers were in a chaotic state, on the contrary, it felt as if they were a coherent whole.
This was the magnificent form of the very first Crescent Alliance. The cries coming from the army echoed throughout the distant continent and tinged all the people of the continent with fear. These elite troops were led by the corps commanders, Barbatos of Immortality, Paimon of Benevolence, and Marbas of Nobility, all standing side by side.
—— For eternal death! For eternal glory!
Barbatos turned her back and personally went forward to the front line. Her white cloak fluttered blindingly. Being driven by that movement that was like a hand gesture, the hundred thousand soldiers became a tidal wave and followed her.
“It was a glorious battle.”
Paimon muttered while gazing at the tidal wave of shadows that was pushing out into the distance.
“We had seized victory perfectly. With an army of 120,000, we defeated the Crusaders of approximately 260,000 at the time, repeatedly. We ruined a single kingdom within half a month, and two months after that, we completely destroyed another kingdom. The three of us were certain. The fact that we were invincible. That we would truly be able to build a nation for all of demonkind on this ground since we could never be defeated. Yes. We had unwavering faith.”
I see.
If it’s the war that had destroyed 2 kingdoms, then it wasn’t the first expedition but the second. Since I had read the history book, I knew how this was going to end. The second Crescent Alliance was recorded as the most horrendous failure in all of history.
Paimon closed her eyes.
“Until our kind betrayed us.”
“······.”
“After we conquered the second kingdom, we immediately advanced deeply into the center of the continent. It was immediately after we had demolished the Crusader’s main force. Split the continent into two pieces before the enemy troops can reform. That was the larger flow of our plan. Perhaps, no, without a doubt, our judgment was not wrong.”
However, the Demon Lords who were in charge of the supply line in the rear had betrayed them.
Principally, supply lines were managed by low ranking Demon Lords. Demon Lords with low ranks had just as little military power as well. It was appropriate to concentrate them on the supplies instead of sending them out to the front. High ranking Demon Lords stood at the front lines, and low ranking Demon Lords supported them from behind······. An incredibly rational arrangement.
Nevertheless, they committed betrayal.
————The scenery changed once more.
The brilliant army of silver, which I saw just a moment ago, had disappeared without a trace. Each soldier was ragged.
An army that was unable to eat properly because the supply lines had been cut. Even if they tried to obtain provisions through pillaging, the Crusaders were employing a scorched earth policy. Since even a proper way of pillaging was being prevented, as time passed, the massive army started to tire itself out as it continued to drag around its large size.
From every direction, detached forces from the Crusaders emerged and bit away at the Crescent Alliance. They were tenacious and rough like a pack of hyenas hunting down a lion. Even if they wanted to resist, it would only cause more time to be delayed. Barbatos bit her lips and gave an order.
——······abandon.
——Abandon our forces and retreat.
Tears of blood were flowing down Barbatos’ face as she muttered that command. Putting the scenery of the subjects, who she had led all the way here from the demon continent, being terrorized and slaughtered behind her, Barbatos fled. It was not solely her, but Paimon and Marbas as well.
“······.”
That was Barbatos’ past.
The incident that had stolen the warmth from Barbatos’ heart.
“Sir Dantalian, can you guess how many out of 120,000 soldiers returned alive? ······This lady remembers it vividly even to this day. Even though 400 years have passed, this lady can still clearly see the scene where the three of us received the report from our adjutants together.”
Paimon gently opened her eyes.
“Twenty-six thousand and eighty-four.”
Out of the massive army of 120,000 soldiers.
“Only······ Barely twenty-six thousand and eighty-four people were able to come back alive and step on the soil of their homelands.”
Within the scenery of the dream.
Barbatos was silently shedding tears. She was absently staring out into an empty space as if she were a doll that had its strings cut. With a battered and worn out cloak, which was also filled with holes, wrapped around her body, she endlessly wept in silence.
Paimon placed her hand on top of that Barbatos’ shoulder. However, Barbatos was merely a phantom within a dream. Paimon was unable to stroke the shoulder of the girl who was once her comrade and simply drifted her hand over an empty space. Paimon stopped her hand and spoke to herself.
“Why did this happen······?”
The scene was swept away by a gust of cherry blossom petals.
Barbatos’ dim shadow, her distinct tears, and the plain that was vastly covered with the corpses of soldiers sprawled out, all disappeared and the world returned to being a white landscape.
“······This lady was unable to tell her that it was okay. This lady was unable to console her by telling her that everything would turn out better from now on. There is a chance that this lady may have already felt it by then. That we will no longer······ that the day where we are able to fight together will never arrive.”
Paimon gazed at my face.
“Last night, this lady overheard the argument you had with Barbatos. Dantalian, you most likely know the reason. The reason behind why the Crescent Alliance had failed time and time again.”
I nodded my head.
Towards the opposition who had, without reserve, spoken her mind up to this point, regardless of whether she was my political rival or not, I had no desire to give a cynical remark. Moreover, the person whom Paimon had shown to me the most was Barbatos. If she had brazenly belittled her, then I would have responded accordingly. There was no benefit I could possibly gain from badmouthing my political partner behind her back.
“Even if they are all Demon Lords, each of their power varies infinitely depending on their individual ranks. If the continent is united, then the Demon Lords, who were commanding, will naturally form a large group. In that moment, a war not between humans and demons, but a war between demons and demons will break out. And with an incredibly high probability, you[2] will be the ones to win.”
“That is precise.”
Paimon laughed sheepishly.
“This lady realized that truth one step too late. Until that moment, this lady believed that our supply lines had just been pillaged by the humans. Surely our fellow Demon Lords would not have betrayed us······ at that time, during those days, this lady could not imagine that possibility.”
Although after knowing that truth, Barbatos claimed a few good people and established the Plains Faction, is what Paimon added at the end.
“This lady had a slightly different way of thinking. The reason why this lady had devoted herself to war until that moment was because this lady believed that the unity of the continent was the sole path for demonkind. If we can just subjugate the humans, then the days where demonkind can live bountifully and peacefully will unfold before us. This lady was able to commit slaughter without hesitation because she believed that······.”
However, Paimon realized.
She realized the fact that, on the contrary, if the continent were ever united, then the land of demons will burn in a hellfire.
The fact that the instant the pretext known as the subjugation of humanity is over, then the warring states period will arrive and tear the demon races asunder.
For a single emperor, the entire demon continent will bleed and be split into two sides just to raise a single King of Kings. What meaning could there possibly be in such a thing? What was that continental conquest for? If the result of fighting for the demon race was the chaos of demonkind, then was that in itself not already an antinomy? Paimon pondered and continued to ponder······.
And she arrived at a conclusion.
“Humans, are a necessary evil.”
At a self-evident fact.
“We may also be a necessary evil to the humans as well. We need each other. If either side of humans or demons never existed, then we would have gone to an eternal war against our own kind much sooner.”
A correct deduction.
Paimon let out a sigh.
“Even if the continent were to be united or not, war will still break out anyway. Is that not strange? No commoner desires for war. If their life and assets are guaranteed, then be it humans or demons, they would more than gladly not jump into war. And yet, just why does war continue to occur? The answer is simple.”
Paimon whispered in a small voice.
“The rulers. It is solely because of the individuals in power.”
“······.”
“Imagine if the people could decide on their own whether we should go to war or not. The people have to take upon themselves all of the hardships that happen during a war on their own. As they have to carry spears by themselves and commit murder, they have to cover the expenses consumed during a war on their own, and they have to bear the remainder of their lives in the cities and villages that will be completely devastated due to the aftermath of war. The people obviously will not easily approve the idea of war.”
A heated feeling started to flow from Paimon’s voice a little bit at a time.
“However, the individuals in power are different. They are not a part of the people. They are the owners of the people. They are fellows who will always bet whatever they possess on a wager if it means that they can possibly obtain a more substantial gain······. This lady came to the revelation. Be it humanity or demonkind, as long as society is being treated as the possession of the people of authority, war can never be stopped!”
Paimon’s pupils, that were as crimson as blood, silently glimmered with rage.
“How foolish were we······!?”
She shouted.
“How dim-witted were we Demon Lords!? We thought that we were working for all of demonkind. We believed that we were fighting for the commoners. And yet, look. The Demon Lords were not actually the ones to have fallen. Only a small minority of Demon Lords bled and died on the battlefield. The ones to have truly been sacrificed————the tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of things that were killed off, were not the Demon Lords, but the very demons whom we were trying to protect······!”
Paimon gritted her teeth.
“Despite that, we believed, we thought that it was a flag for demonkind. It was a hypocrisy and a deception······. Even if the continent were united, hypocrisy most likely will not disappear. In the end, deception will never cease in human villages or even demon towns. By blazing more splendidly, it is clear that it will burn that and this side of the mountain range, the human and demon continents, and the entire world. Within a war that would never vanish anyway, we were pushing them into a flame that could never be extinguished due to the single justification that we were authority figures!”
The scenery, once more.
Instead of a pure white space, a battlefield.
Instead of fluttering cherry blossom petals, scattering ashes.
Instead of a tranquil stillness, the screams cried out by humans and demons.
Slaughter, just endless slaughter.
“It was this lady’s mistake!”
With the burning world behind her, Paimon cried out.
“It was not the fault of the humans who had become commoners. It was not the fault of the demons who had become subjects, either. The delusion that an ideal society would unfold if we led the world and governed over society, that deep-seated grudge was the cause of every tragedy!”
That was why.
Indeed, that was why Paimon had suddenly started to cling to me. She knew what meaning the speech, which I had created, contained. She believed that she had discovered cordiality within the proclamation that I had prepared bastardly.
Demon Lord Paimon was a republican.
“Dantalian, the speech that human child had recited, this lady guesses that you are the one who had actually written it. A society where a minority of rulers have a monopoly over everything is wrong. Anyone. No, to be more exact, a society where all people have authority must unfurl. That is why this lady wishes to make a request of you.”
“······.”
“Please come underneath this lady’s flag. The Plains Faction, Barbatos cannot shoulder you. You will be thrown away. You will be tossed aside. However, this lady is different. This lady is capable of understanding your thoughts. This lady can support whatever path you decide to take as much as you desire.”
Both of Paimon’s eyes shined with certainty.
“······.”
This.
How should I say it?
This is a masterpiece.
Using Paimon’s resolve here and controlling her to my desire was simple. However, if she appeals to me this passionately, then even I, who’s pessimistic towards the world, would have something I wish to slightly ask her.
The direction itself where Paimon was pointing the end of her fan was correct. In the end, republicans will be the ones to obtain influence. However, in order to say the single phrase ‘in the end’, just how much blood has to be shed?
It was not on the level of tens of thousands. It was not to the degree of something like hundreds of thousands, either. Millions, they had to be massacred millions of times and then some, at that. Is the simple term ‘in the end’ able to endure the weight of that blood? Of course, it is something that does not very much matter to me, Paimon. I am curious as to how resolved you are······.
“Your Highness Paimon, I apologize, but in my eyes, I can only see you as an idealist. I can positively say that in order to establish a republic society, as Your Highness Paimon has implied, then that in itself will require a countless number of sacrifices.”
“This lady thinks so as well.”
Did she really? Was she truly determined to let a certain amount of blood flow? Referentially, I am keeping in mind the possibility that it will take more than a million lives in order to defeat the Imperial Princess Elizabeth. Have you also swallowed down that much venom?
Do not worry. I am a kind gentleman. Regardless of my benefits, I was sufficiently ready to test your intensity.
“Think about it a little bit more. After achieving the unity of the continent, the people will shed a countless amount of blood. In order to accomplish republicanism, the people will have to bleed just as much as well. Either way, the commoners will be sacrificed. Is that not so?”
Whether we chase after Barbatos’ ideal or Paimon’s ideal, the people are going to be the ones to be sacrificed anyway. If that was the case, then Paimon, I am somewhat curious.
“Why is Her Excellency Barbatos incapable and yet Your Highness Paimon is?”
“······.”
“If you are unable to answer this, then Your Highness is nothing more than another person in power as well. In order to achieve one’s goal, you will burn the world and lure the people, who are blinded by the flames, into being moths. Of course, I do not personally dislike that sort of thing······.”
I did not really fancy the fact that you were still pretending to be detached.
“Your Highness Paimon, I do not have even the slightest intention to criticize your idea in itself. I think that it is noble. However, is Barbatos’ unwavering will not beautiful as well?”
“······.”
“Therefore, if you wish to bring me into the Mountain Faction, then convince me. If you are going to convince me, then do not simply preach about the rightness of your idea. Show me your plan. Unfold your blueprint. Republicanism, that is all fine. So concretely, how do you intend to shed only a small amount of blood? Is there a possibility?”
Paimon closed her mouth.
As expected, did she have no answer? Regardless, I was not disappointed by that. Why Paimon, who was my political rival, had relentlessly dashed towards me the moment the speech was over, I was satisfied with finding out just that. Furthermore, there was no one easier to exploit than an idealist politician who was filled to the brim with desire. This is something to look forward to.
I shrugged my shoulders.
“It seems it is about time to wake up from this dream, soon. As a matter of fact, I already have a previous engagement with Her Excellency Barbatos. It is fine. I do not plan to go around and say in public that Your Highness Paimon is a republican. Rest assured and······.”
“There is.”
I paused.
Paimon was staring straight at me.
“If it is a blueprint, then without a doubt, this lady has established one.”
“······.”
“Dantalian, this lady is not only slow-witted. 400 years ago, before the term republicanism could be applied to this lady’s ideal, this lady had already established a plan thoroughly.”
An amusing grandiloquence. I narrowed my eyes and tried to feel out Paimon’s intention. I gazed at her with eyes that looked as if they were asking ‘So?’, and pressured her to continue speaking.
“This lady thought that instead of a society that was like the one within the demon continent, where tradition was excessively firm, would it not be a bit easier to establish a republic within the human society? That in order to figure out whether a republic will work or not, this lady must test it out on the other side of the mountain range first.”
Don’t tell me.
Paimon’s face was steadfast. Her sharp eyes contained the fierceness of a revolutionary who had no doubts about the path they had to take. For the first time in quite a long while, I was at a loss for words and merely fumbled my tongue.
“What do you······.”
“The Republic of Batavia.”
Paimon spoke.
“It is the sole republic within the human continent. Have you never thought that it was strange? The fact that within the continent, where kingdoms and empires are running rampant, there is a single remote nation that claims to be a republic? Dantalian, do you, perhaps, think that that sort of induced nation formed all on its own?”
“······.”
A shock struck my head.
I felt that a truth, which no history book possessed and no one could have possibly known, was approaching. While carefully glancing at me, who was in that state, Paimon gripped both ends of her skirt and spoke. She bent her waist forward like a lady who was greeting her partner for the first time within a ballroom. With a gesture that was detached and elegant in all respects.
“This lady shall introduce herself for the first time, Dantalian, the man who is trying to become the king of peasants.”
A good-natured smile was placed on Paimon’s lips.
“This lady’s name is Paimon. A monarch of the 9th Rank and the one who had unduly been bestowed the title of Demon Lord of Benevolence. The representative of the dignified demonkind and one of the lords who occupies one of the 72 seats. And————.”
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 04/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-04-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_03_02.txt
|
Chapter 3: The Day Cherry Blossoms Fall
“——————And, the leader of the Republic of Batavia.”
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 04/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-04-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_03_03.txt
|
Chapter 3: The Day Cherry Blossoms Fall
Translator's Notes
[↑] Mares and succubi/incubi are generally being treated as the same race here.
[↑] You = Crescent Alliance.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 04/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-04-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_04_01.txt
|
Chapter 4: The Courier Who Knows the Address of Hell
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 8 Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance, Simple Prison
Why did I not think further into this?
Something that was in Paimon’s hand was passed on to the Imperial Princess Elizabeth much too easily. I simply thought that it was because Paimon was a traitor to the Crescent Alliance, no, because she was a traitor to our kind. However, how would it be if I were to change my way of thinking and look back at it?
If Paimon had already established a group within the human continent on her own. If she were neither simply on the demons’ side nor on the humans’ side, and merely moved according to whichever side benefited her the most.
“······.”
Paimon was closely interrelated with the Keuncuska Firm. The Keuncuska Firm was a large merchant association that did not discriminate between races and had their reach spread out to various places across the continent. Adding to that, they had an ironclad rule where their executives were selected by their skills alone, disregarding their stratum and status.
————What if, by a very rare chance, they were colluding with a republic nation?
Rank 9th Paimon. The person who loved the humans more than anyone else and ended up betraying her own kind. In the original timeline, she was a woman who was criticized as a bizarre whore and an uncommon betrayer of her own kind. That was the typical image I had for Paimon until now. The fact that Paimon was involved in the founding of the Republic of Batavia, be it from even 〈Dungeon Attack〉, it was a fact that I did not hear from anywhere······!
No, stay calm. Be composed. Although an excessively large variable had appeared in the path of comprehending the situation of the continent henceforth, this was something that I can still handle. Now then. Let’s calmly get a grasp of the situation.
“······The leader of the Republic of Batavia? What do you mean?”
“Oh dear. It seems you are finally showing a slightly grim expression.”
Paimon hid her mouth behind her fan and giggled. As if a refreshing music note was attached to the end of her sentence, she appeared to be delighted. No, I was certain that she was delighted. She might as well be bobbing her head side to side and humming a tune.
“Aah, this lady said it. This lady ended up saying it in the end. It was something that must not be told to anyone, truly. It cannot be helped. If you ask this lady ‘what can you possibly do’ in such a provoking way, then this lady’s head will quickly become heated.”
What was that?
“Ah. This lady is not blaming you, in particular, Dantalian. This lady merely spoke in the way which she wished to speak. Just that, since even a single moment would be fine, this lady desired to see the sight of your misfortunate face turning grim!”
Paimon smiled broadly.
A bright smile that did not have even a single ulterior motive.
“······.”
I fell further into a haze. Just how far did her sincerity go and from where did her lies begin? Her intentions could not be read because of that fake innocent smile of hers. There was absolutely no chance that every single one of her words, which she had uttered, were sincere. Damn it, that was impossible for a politician. Since Paimon was different compared to any other person I had ever met, I ended up furrowing my brow.
“Well, it is fine. Generally, whenever this lady acts according to her emotions, the result strangely ends up better, after all. The Gods most likely adore this lady. Behold, this lady was even able to see your dazed face as a result, Dantalian. It is a profit.”
Oh ho ho.
Paimon crudely laughed over her fan. They say that laughter had a characteristic of becoming more degraded the more elegant it was, and this was exactly that case. While I was listening to Paimon laugh, I had a revelation.
There was no doubt about this.
Absolutely not like Lapis, the complete opposite of Barbatos, and slightly different compared to Farnese————this woman in front of me was also a formidable maniac. Furthermore, she was also, perhaps, a natural maniac. A type of lunatic that I had yet to encounter or experience.
“Ehem. Although this lady wishes to enjoy this moment a little bit longer, should we get to the main topic? Even if this lady is referred to as the Queen of Mares, this is more difficult than one can imagine. Earlier, you obliquely hinted that you wished to leave soon, but it is at the point where this lady is the one who wishes for you to quickly leave. This lady’s magic is depleting in real time.”
Paimon smiled with her eyes. Her eyes were stretched narrowly like that of a cat.
“······Or should we meet separately later on and continue our conversation then? You must be quite exhausted after having such a heated discussion with Barbatos, Dantalian. It is fine if this lady shows you consideration, you know?”
This woman······ if she thinks she has the superiority, then she was the type of person who unhesitatingly teased the opposition by using that high ground!
What did she mean by ‘we must denounce the people in power’!? Are you not reveling in the enjoyment of authority the most!? This was why I despised hypocrites!
“Okay. This lady understands, so please stop looking at this lady as if she were some insane woman. Therefore, what should this lady talk about first? Mm. Yes, establishing a republic was not an easy task. Truly, there was a countless number of trials and errors.”
Paimon waved her fan pleasantly.
“However, this lady succeeded.”
The surrounding scenery changed to show a village. It was a peaceful fishing hamlet that was placed beside the vast ocean. Even in a place where several boats were shabbily settled on top of a mud flat, it gave off a scent which informed people that it was inhabited. Once Paimon drew an oblique downward line with her fan, time was fast forwarded.
Citizens gathered, a dock was built, and the dock developed into a harbor. As the heights of the buildings grew taller in real time, a pure white rampart formed and wrapped around the entire city like a white snake. Waterways flowed through various areas of the city, making it into a beautiful city of water.
There were 12 temples huddled up in the center of the town, every hour a bell from one of the temples would ring and the people, without having to even raise their heads, were able to discern the time of the day by the tone of the bell. The sounds of bells resonated endlessly and reached out far into the distant blue ocean.
“It took 150 years for the capital of the Republic of Batavia, Amstel, to be built.”
Paimon looked over the ocean. Paimon’s gaze was gentle as if she were watching over an endearing child.
“We mobilized the wealth, information, and military power we had accumulated during that time and started a war of independence. That took 50 years. With the pretext of inheriting the idea of the Old Republic, we started an extended war. That took another 50 years. Lastly, with the justification of accepting other races as official citizens, we started a war of liberation. This lady skillfully used the 7th Crescent Alliance expedition here. At last, after basing everything, the independence, expansion, and liberation, on the international treaty, we were acknowledged.”
Paimon silently spread out her arms. Before her eyes, forty ships drifted over the ocean waves and moved forward.
“A good 150 years. That was how much time it took to establish the League of Merchants, the Republic of Batavia, that consists of 13 cities.”
“······.”
Paimon silently gazed at the scenery, which she had created, for a long time. I had no other choice but to follow Paimon’s silence with my own. Although I have experienced all sorts of things throughout my life, this was the first time in my life meeting an outstanding individual who had founded a single nation.
The nation was not a normal nation, either. Within the center of this medieval age where kings and barons still had immense influence, she had fully stuck a single republic nation on the map. After facing this feat, I did not have the decency to move my tongue unrestrictedly······.
“Earlier, you asked this lady in return whether a perfect society was possible.”
With an ‘Ufufu’, Paimon laughed and scratched her cheek.
“No. It is impossible.”
“······.”
“Even if humans and demons are equally accepted as citizens in the Republic of Batavia, there is still contempt and discrimination there. Despite that, in this lady’s eyes······ it is a bit better compared to 200 years ago. It may be by a handspan. But perhaps, are the politicians, who are like this lady, not living for that handspan?”
With an endlessly modest and pure face, she spoke.
“This lady is able to say this since she has lived for 500 years now. Although time is excessively slow, so it sometimes deceives our eyes and occasionally disguises itself to appear as if it were not flowing, even now time continues to move by minutes and seconds that even a handspan cannot erase. Some people refer to that as the flow of history. Believers will most likely refer to that as a destiny which the Gods have predetermined.”
Paimon shook her head.
“However, this lady refers to that as simply the fulfillment of one’s dreams. Because life is cruel and abject, it will always disappoint us. Thus, the day may come where both you and this lady fall and all of humanity and demonkind become lowly. This lady will not request of you to overcome that nor will she ask you to be overflowing with hope and leap over every obstacle. Just that————.”
Paimon stuck out her hand.
“Until that day arrives, will you not be together with this lady?”
I glanced down at her slender fingers.
Mare. A race that could control a person’s dream however they pleased.
As they teased and satisfied people with all sorts of pleasures, mares desired for eternal happiness within those dreams alongside the person they were with. However, this woman, who had approached me, refused to settle with just dreams and was personally pioneering a reality. In order to make the reality itself into a single dream and embrace it.
I nodded my head. There was no other individual who deserved to be called the Queen of Mares more than this girl who was in front of me.
“That is all fine, but I have a single question.”
There was one final thing which remained in my head that also weighed on my mind.
In the original course of history, Paimon betrayed demonkind. She loved the hero. Compared to the persona, which Paimon had shown me right now, and the appearance she displayed while on the path of history, which she was destined to go down, the two were much too different. Just how did she end up like that? I was so curious that I could no longer endure.
“Yes. You may ask this lady anything.”
“It will sound like a strange question. Your Highness Paimon will most likely be unable to understand the reason behind why I am asking this sort of inquiry. Regardless, it is a question that is personally quite important to me. I will be grateful if you provide me with a sincere response, if possible.”
“Those are quite peculiar words.”
Paimon opened her eyes wide.
“Now that this lady thinks about it, Sir Dantalian has always been far from normal. You are also going out with Barbatos······. Although it is not something which this lady should be saying. Mm, the human child, who you appointed as your acting general, seemed to have a severe flaw as well. She appears normal on the outside, but is the error on the inside?”
I casually ignored the slander.
“For example, let us pretend that there is an incredibly powerful human.”
“Hm. How powerful?”
“The person is simply immensely powerful. A hundred, no, a thousand times stronger than us. Only the corpses of demons will be piled up on that human’s path. Even the Demon Lord of Eternity, Baal, cannot defeat that person on his own.”
“Oh dear.”
Paimon made an expression on her face that appeared as if she were slightly troubled. However, since I had requested beforehand for her to give me a sincere response, she did not make any unnecessary comments. Speaking moderately, a hero has yet to appear in this era. It was also obvious that it would be difficult for her to comprehend my speculation.
“One at a time, that human tactfully faces us Demon Lords separately. So that human is basically subjugating us one by one. If things continued to flow like that, then every last Demon Lord will end up falling in battle. If a situation like this were to occur, Your Highness Paimon, what would you do?”
“······.”
Paimon tilted her head.
“Are the Demon Lords unable to form an alliance and attack ‘that human’ together?”
“Unfortunately, that is not possible. That person does not lead an army. They will meddle with our side while leading a small unit that consists of either them by themself or at most 10 people.”
“Hmm. In other words, with a gathering of barely 10 people, they are strong enough to defeat us Demon Lords one by one. So you are telling this lady to imagine such an absurd group, is that right?”
I nodded my head. The hero’s party was approximately 10 people so it was not far from the truth. After contemplating for a moment, Paimon responded.
“How about annihilating them politically through remonstration?”
“The greatest monarch within the human society places their complete trust onto that human and also supports them. They are a human whose political backing is firm.”
Elizabeth von Habsburg. The culprit behind picking out the hero, who was nothing more than a villager from a fire-fallow village, and raising them to be the figurehead of mankind. It was the same as how I had set forward Farnese as the figurehead of the Crescent Alliance.
“Mmm. Is the human society, perhaps, united into a single nation?”
“That is yet to be the case. Fortunately or unfortunately.”
The reason being, the day Elizabeth united the entire continent was after the extermination of every single Demon Lord.
“Within the situation that you are speculating, Dantalian, which nation does the monarch, who you claimed to be the greatest, lead? Is it the Empire of Habsburg? Anatolia? Surely it would not be Francia.”
“Yes, it is Habsburg.”
“If that is the case, then this lady sees a path.”
Paimon shrugged her shoulders.
“This lady will split humanity into two sides.”
“······.”
“Although the Empire of Habsburg is mighty, they are located at the center of the continent. As much as that is the case, it is a nation that the surrounding countries are wary of just as much. This lady shall control the surrounding nations appropriately and incite them into being hostile towards Habsburg. That is right, if it is this lady, then she will instigate the Empire of Francia and the Kingdom of Brittany. Those are the places which this lady has placed the most numbers of spies in, after all.”
I was quiet.
Since the words were quiet, my thoughts became quiet as well.
In the original history, the hero and Farnese opposed one another. As the hero represented the Empire of Habsburg, Farnese acted for the Kingdom of Brittany.
Aah.
Before I knew it, Paimon had continued talking.
“It will be dangerous if Habsburg were to keep growing like this. You all must actively cooperate in order to keep Habsburg in check. Throw out a bait, that goes along those lines, and do whatever this lady can in order to lure in one of the two nations. If both sides take the bait, then that would be the best case scenario. By doing so, this lady will induce a civil war between the humans. Once human society falls into chaos, that would be the opportunity. This lady will deal with that so-called powerful human in that moment.”
Was that the case?
“How is that, Sir Dantalian?”
Paimon.
“If it is this much, then would it not be enough to get rid of them?”
Was it you?
While the other Demon Lords were helplessly being done in by the Imperial Princess and the hero, in a future that had ended up like that, was the person who had plotted the division of humankind, the culprit who moved behind-the-scenes, none other than————you?
“······.”
I pressed my forehead. My thoughts were instantly organized. The plan which I had made for conquering the continent from this point on had changed. The X mark, which I had brandished over Paimon’s name on the map that was drawn within my head, had promptly disappeared. It would be too much of a waste if I were to be hostile towards, or tried to purge, this sort of individual.
Except, there was a thirst that had yet to be quenched. If she filled me in on even this, then be it the Mountain Faction or anywhere else, I will more than gladly squeeze in. Now, answer me this.
“Certainly, it is an excellent move. However, it is still lacking. Even that method ends up failing. Due to the fact that the monarch, who governs over the Empire of Habsburg, is truly the formidable mastermind, they are able to destroy both the Empire of Francia and the Kingdom of Brittany at the same time. In an incredibly short period of time, at that. Now it would be exceedingly difficult to split apart the human society.”
“······Dantalian.”
Paimon leered at my direction as if she were admonishing me.
“How can such a monarch possibly exist? Even the speculation that a human who is stronger than Sir Baal appearing is already a reckless suggestion that was difficult to swallow, but for there to also be a monarch who is powerful enough to nearly unite the entire continent with one action. This lady is not particularly complaining, but is that not impossible?”
“That is correct. Please think about it while taking in that impossibility as a premise.”
“Umm. Hmm. Mm······.”
Paimon chewed on the end of her fan with her teeth. By the looks of it, that seemed to be an old habit of hers. If you display that sort of habit, then your inner thoughts can be read by the opposition, making it an incredibly bad habit. Does she not seem so experienced at times that it makes it difficult for me to read her intentions, and yet, in times like this, does she not seem immature like some child? Truly, this woman was incomprehensible.
I wonder how much time had passed. Paimon laughed dejectedly.
“Well, what else can this lady do? If that is the case, then this lady will resort to even selling her body.”
“······.”
“It does not matter whether that human is a man or a woman. Ehem, despite how this lady may appear, this lady is the Queen of Mares. If it is simply a single feeble-minded human, then this lady is confident that she will be able to capture them with ease. This lady will approach that human while pretending to be doing them as many favors as possible. This lady will then utilize all sorts of means and methods in order to make them fall in love with this lady!”
Like that.
“Ah, is that, perhaps, also not allowed? Haa. This lady surrenders. It is this lady’s defeat. This lady is no longer able to think up of any more plausible ideas. No, in the first place, Sir Dantalian was the one who had brought forward too many absurd conditions. It is not this lady’s fault. Even if you were to ask this question to someone that is not this lady, they would all raise a white flag······.”
All of my questions have been answered.
—— It is this lady’s first time meeting a man such as yourself.
—— This lady shall bestow upon you the right to steal this lady’s lips, Mr. Self-entitled Hero.
All of those things were an act.
It was a desperate struggle in order to seduce the calamity known as the hero.
—— Yes, this lady is a Demon Lord. This lady has deceived you, Hero. However, is that a problem? This lady loves you. Leaping over all sorts of favor and spite, be it race or status, enemy or ally, this lady simply loves you truly. Ever since the moment this lady had first laid her eyes upon you, and for all eternity.
—— ······Demons and humans living together. This lady had started to dream of that possibility after meeting you. However, it cannot be helped, can it? Since dreams are similar to that of the fluttering of frail flower petals, this lady cannot blame you.
It was all a tactical deceit.
—— Humans are truly amazing. Did you know that there is a country referred to as a republic nation somewhere on the continent? This lady heard that humans, fairies, and dwarves all live equally without exerting or receiving any discrimination whatsoever. The day where even humans and demons are able to live together harmoniously like that will one day arrive. Yes, this lady has no doubts about it.
—— This is an already dying body. Could you not bestow upon this lady a final kiss?
Paimon.
Even when she was breathing her last breath, she implored love from her enemy. In the exact moment the shadow of death had enshrouded her face, the last thing Paimon felt was the hero’s lips. In the end, her death was the enemy’s breath and kiss. For that to be someone’s last moment, it was excessively cruel. Exactly what emotions were going through Paimon’s mind as she requested for that kiss?
Her love, affection, confession, blushed cheeks that appeared as if she were shy, the movement of her head as she shook it, the hundreds of lines she had spoken, and the thousands of body gestures she had made, what was going through the Queen of Mares’ head while she was doing this entire performance on her own? Just what sort of venom did she have to embrace in order to make her performance of affection, that was directed towards the enemy of her kind who was standing before her, possible······?
Okay.
I will admit it.
From this moment on, you are no longer my political rival. A cooperator. You are a political partner like Barbatos. How could I possibly leave alone this rare model of an actor?
Your twisted lamentation. Your resolve that had soaked and tempered that twistedness and struck it with a hammer until it was stretched out properly. I had taken a liking to it. Even if I have to grab and drag both you and Barbatos by the collars, I will lead you two on top of the stage.
Be grateful. I am selecting you retired actors, who were once destined to merely meet your ends while playing supporting characters, to perform leading roles. The fact that you two treated each other as enemies was of low importance to me. If you are going to fight, then fight. Except, exchange blows and slander one another in an area behind the stage where I cannot see. Since you both are now actors who will be performing with me, you have the obligation to be beautiful while on stage.
After making a decision in my mind, I moved my lips.
“Your Highness Paimon.”
“Yes, Dantalian?”
“Please come visit me at my prison once the morning sun has risen. I shall decide my position at that time.”
Be relieved, Paimon.
You have escaped from my purge list.
However, you will have to be drenched in the blood of others just as much instead.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 8 Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance, Simple Prison
It was a day where the cold was evidently clearing up.
In each place, where the firm earth had melted and became soft, muddy water flowed over the ground as if it were oozing. The soil, that had compacted tightly because of the cold spring rain, was just barely able to become disgorged after it had received the rays from the spring sun. It was an unsightly spring since there were no flowers or trees in sight. It seemed as if spring had yet to arrive because of that. Amidst this season that felt as if it were still approaching, two people were approaching from the distance.
“······.”
“······.”
Two people were walking this way from the distance. The two noticed each other and stopped momentarily. They then resumed their way towards me while furrowing their respective brows.
The first side to open their mouth was Barbatos.
“Fucking Hell. Dantalian, what’s this bitch doing here? Don’t tell me you called her here. I advise you to tell me that you didn’t. Hurry up and chase this bitch away. If you don’t, then there’s a good chance that the answer, which I contemplated throughout the entire night to decide, will change in less than a minute.”
“Oh dear, this side is the one who should be making a complaint.”
Like a piano that had come in competitively during an orchestra performance, Paimon then followed up.
“This lady had personally received an invitation from Dantalian to visit around dawn. You coming here at this time is purely a coincidence, is that not so? If anything, if there is a person who deserves to be chased out of here the most, then would it not be you?”
“This bitch said some nonsense a couple of days ago about Dantalian being hers, but it seems she’s completely nuts now. Seriously, it feels as if the smell of shit is going to start flowing out of her mouth.”
Barbatos raised her middle finger on her left hand and made a V shape with her index and middle fingers on her right hand. One side was a gesture commonly used in the demon continent, while the other side was a gesture often used in the human society. Regardless, both sides contained the same implication of ‘respectfully, go fuck yourself’. By the looks of it, it seems Barbatos thought that gifting only a single ‘fuck you’ to Paimon would go against courtesy. That was why, in order to make sure that anyone would be able to tell that they were being given the bird, she had presented a ‘fuck you’ on a global perspective.
“Beasts that shit out of their asses are more aristocrat-like. There is nothing that can be done for a crazy bitch who shits out of her mouth. Listen carefully, whore. Dantalian is not your object. Regardless of whether you invaded Dantalian’s dream and raped him or not.”
“Haa? What kind of preposterous delusion······. Barbatos, although this lady does not have the duty to go along with your vulgar tone, this lady will at least clearly tell you a single fact. This lady did not engage in a physical relationship with Dantalian. Purely in a mental meaning, that is what this lady meant by having taken Dantalian. In other words, it contains a psychological context that is so pure that someone who is of a low birth like you cannot possibly be able to comprehend it. It is all your foolish misunderstanding and prejudice.”
“Look at this? A female is clearly emitting an air that she had bedded a male, so either my eyes are retarded or there’s absolutely nothing to misunderstand. Aha, or did you two, perhaps, copulate using the rear hole instead of the front? ‘That was what I had slightly misunderstood from the air that was floating around you two fuckers right now’, are you trying to tell me some bullshit that goes along this line?”
“It seems you are still unable to comprehend words. Is it your ears that are weird, or, as this lady had expected, is it your brain that is rotten? If your hearing is broken, then that is understandable. If your brain is out of order, then there is room for sympathy. However, if your personality is the thing that is corroded, then that is beyond redemption.”
“This underhanded whore······.”
“What will you do about it, gum-scab chest?”
How beautiful.
The path that must be crossed in order for life to become a single melody was distant, but these two were able to extract tunes abundantly by merely crossing each other with swears. They were gifted singers to one another. Nevertheless, I had no other choice but to open my mouth and cease the performance.
“The two of you, please calm down.”
If possible, I wanted to keep watching over your argument, however right now was the time to cooperate, not fight. The two heard my voice and turned to look this way.
“I did, indeed, call the both of you here. It is fine to quarrel, but please do it after listening to what I have to say.”
“Ah, well, that bitch was the one who started it first since she screwed me over by refusing the military trial, right? For starters, let me receive an apology since it’s her fault and not mine.”
“This lady had advised you to not punish Dantalian in the first place. But you were most likely unable to hear this lady’s words since your ears, brain, and personality are corroded three times over.”
“Does this bitch want to die?”
“Go ahead and try.”
This is troubling. I sincerely want to continue listening to this.
Thus, I let them be for a single moment.
Once an hour had passed, the two of them were breathing heavily due to exhaustion. If I were to give my personal impression, then even if you combined all of the profanities that I heard throughout my entire life, that would still be lacking when compared to the profanities which I had heard during the past hour. Also, consider the fact that I did not receive only one or two obscenities from people. That was a remarkable achievement.
“Is it fine for me to talk now?”
“······.”
“······.”
There was no objection so it was unanimous.
I cleared my throat.
“I, as well, am fully aware of the wrongdoing which I have committed. A Demon Lord’s authority originates from the fact that they represent all of demonkind. However, the war speech, which was only bestowed upon Demon Lords, was stolen from them by a human. The Demon Lord, who should represent all of demonkind the most, had passed on the right to give the speech to a being, who cannot and absolutely should not represent all of demonkind the most; a human······. The demons would have no other choice but to carry suspicions. Why did a human child have to represent us? Has the Crescent Alliance lost its pride? In truth, was there no other talented individual out there who could represent us besides that human······?”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“Even if the commoners did not harbor any doubts, the problems continue. There are quite the number of Demon Lords who carry dissatisfaction towards the current system of the Crescent Alliance which is led by the Plains Faction-Mountain Faction-Neutral Faction group. Those people will be the first ones to take action in order to circulate doubt. They will claim that the current Crescent Alliance does not have the qualification to act for the demon race. Your authority itself will tremble.”
There were many discontented elements. Rank 1 Baal, Rank 2 Agares······. The Demon Lords with the highest amount of prestige did not take part in the Crescent Alliance. They were most likely making an implicit complaint.
“They are merely looking forward to the day we fail. The Demon Lords who have started this war are us, and the Demon Lords who will have to take the responsibility for the loss of the war will also be us. The right to criticize us will be presented to the Demon Lords who, from beginning to end, did not participate in the expedition.”
Barbatos and Paimon, they both fell under the category of being faction leaders. Although their respective political ideologies were different, because one side was a radical party and the other was a moderate party, they both had the same single common ground, the fact that they were both onboard the same boat known as the Crescent Alliance.
We were a group that shared a common destiny.
It would be troublesome if I did not make them realize this soon.
“Your Excellency Barbatos. Your Highness Paimon. We must become one and form an alliance as soon as possible. If we do not, then the only thing that will be awaiting us in the future is ruin.”
“······.”
“······.”
After the two of them had adjusted their breaths, they glared at each other.
“But I lived until now just so I could torture this bitch.”
“What a coincidence. It is also this lady’s life goal to trample over you.”
It took 30 minutes this time.
I beamed while the two panting people were standing before me.
“I understand that the two of you are alive because you have not killed each other yet. However, what about this? Does killing each other still have the priority even when there are backstabbers, who have been selling the two of you out, brazenly walking around your military camps?”
“······What? Backstabbers?”
“For 400 years, the expedition of the Crescent Alliance has failed. During those 400 years, you all have endeavored in order to obtain victory, but the other Demon Lords in the back must have devoted themselves just as much in order to make you all fail. Surely, you do not believe that there would not be even a single traitor within your factions?”
Due to the immensely realistic remark, both Barbatos and Paimon became silent. There was probably something specific that had come to their minds. To a certain degree, they were conscious of the fact that there could be traitors, but they had purposely turned a blind eye to it. Doing that put them more at ease, after all.
Paimon slowly opened her mouth.
“······Dantalian, this is an action that can never be stopped once it has started. The entire demon continent will be split into two sides and a civil war will begin. It is unadvisable to make enemies in our rear when we are currently in the situation where the Crusaders are located right in front of us.”
“If anything, this moment is the golden opportunity.”
I declared.
“Our forces had suffered a defeat just yesterday. It may have not been a crushing defeat, but a defeat is a defeat. ‘Surely in this situation where we had lost to the Crusaders, they would not attempt to purge the ones who, like themselves, are in the rear’, in the position of those traitors, a purge is something that is incredibly difficult for them to imagine.”
“A defeat on the battlefield is, on the contrary, a quick opportunity to clean out······.”
“Yes. That is correct.”
I nodded my head. While Paimon was calmly dwelling on my words, Barbatos scowled her face at me.
“Wait. Setting aside the traitors, what are we going to do about those Crusader bastards? In the end, a purge is just an act that cuts off your own flesh. We’re already in a state where we’re being pushed back, so we’ll reach a dead end if we become even weaker now.”
“It is fine. Currently, the side that is in more of a crisis is the Crusaders.”
Although I normally used informal language when speaking to Barbatos, no matter how you looked at it, I was an outstanding gentleman since I was going out of my way to use formal language because of the mere fact that Paimon was with us. However, similar to how someone would not notice some dirt stuck underneath their nails, Barbatos seemed to have not noticed my consideration.
“Why’s that?”
“Recall the battle that had unfolded yesterday. Is something not strange? Regardless of how many disparate groups may be mixed in with their forces, the overall movement of the Crusaders was excessively poor. They rushed in the instant Farnese tossed herself out as bait as if they were all waiting for that exact moment.”
“······.”
Barbatos’ eyes became narrow. She immediately understood what I was trying to say. That made the story quick. As expected of Barbatos.
“······Hoh. That means the speech that human child gave is showing more results than I expected. In order to hold the soldier’s wavering minds tightly, there was a need for them to kill that child.”
“Precisely.”
I raised the corners of my lips.
“The current situation within the Crusaders is probably severe. Even if deserters did not particularly appear, the soldiers’ morales have most likely fallen by themselves. On the other hand, there is a reason why only the officers and men of Habsburg, who are led by the Imperial Princess, are still firm.”
“Because the Imperial Princess’ speech was excellent.”
That was so.
Yesterday’s battle ended with the victory of Farnese and Elizabeth. Farnese’s victory revealed the divided appearance of the Crescent Alliance while Elizabeth’s victory reflected the dreadful morale within the Crusaders. There was nothing more miserable than an army where only a single hero has obtained victory.
“Moreover, multiple nations were nearly annihilated in yesterday’s battle. The credit of saving them goes completely to the Imperial Princess······. From the generals to the privates, there is most likely unrest looming over them within the Crusaders. Excluding Elizabeth von Habsburg, there is no one else who is dependable. I am certain that this sort of atmosphere is blowing violently through their forces. Furthermore, the leading members of the governments of the other nations would never forgive the spread of this sort of mentality. In the end, before long, the Crusaders will······.”
“······.”
“······.”
Barbatos and Paimon gazed at me, glared at each other, and then turned to look at me once more before nodding deeply. The word that came to mind within the three of our heads was coincidentally the same.
Purge.
Our Crescent Alliance was not the only group that was going to arrive at an internal conflict. Even the Crusaders, while embracing a different reason, will leap into a state of civil war where the victorious humans will purge all of the humans who had been defeated. In other words, from now on.
“————This, is a race against time. According to which army finishes their purge the fastest, and according to how quickly and efficiently they are able to carry it out, the outcome of the war will be decided.”
Paimon muttered quietly.
It was just as she had said. It was solely a race against time.
We had to finish our purge as soon as possible and project a single condensed military strength. Will the Imperial Princess Elizabeth be first? Will we be first? The fate of the continent will be determined according to that. I fumbled with the pocket watch that was in my pocket. Although a moment of time was a person’s everyday time and the time of war, from this point forth, time was simply a moment to slaughter our kind for us. There was no room for hesitation here.
“Identifying the traitors is simple. The two of you both, return to your respective encampments and criticize each other. The reason why we were defeated in yesterday’s battle was because the opposite faction had responded to the situation foolishly. You two badmouthing each other whenever you have the time to spare is a daily occurrence anyway so no one will suspect a thing.”
“······.”
“After doing so, ‘Ah, how good would it be if there was a trustworthy ally?’, slip in this remark. In that moment, there will be a couple of fellows who will quietly approach you and offer to liaise you with a ‘Demon Lord who they personally know’. Those people are the traitors.”
Those who try to seize the opportunity of when the three factions are faltering in order to carry out a military takeover.
Those who act as the informant of someone specific and try to lure Barbatos and Paimon.
They were all parasites that deserved to be exterminated.
That night.
Barbatos and Paimon made their way through the dark curtains and came to visit me. Their faces, which were half in doubt when they left at dawn, were now grim. After a long moment of silence, Barbatos began to speak.
“······There were three people on my side. What about you, whore?”
“Four people. Although they were mostly youngsters with low ranks······.”
Paimon sighed.
“Each one of them was an informant for a different Demon Lord. Sir Baal, Rank 3 Vassago, Rank 4 Gamigin, and Rank 6 Valefor······.”
“Wow. Fuck, that’s nearly the same as me. I got Vassago, Gamigin, and Valefor on my side. Those fucking bastards······. There really is no easy way to deal with these bat-like bastards.”
Barbatos gritted her teeth.
There are approximately 30 Demon Lords who are participating in this war. If 7 of them were informants, then that meant that nearly 1/4 of the entire army were traitors. For leaders, who led a faction, that was a ratio which they had no other choice but to grind their teeth with vexation about. Referentially, this was also a number that did not include the Neutral Faction. Paimon spoke in a worried tone.
“What will we do about Marbas? Since he has departed in order to pillage for supplies in the rear, he will be unable to return for a while.”
“With that old man’s personality, it’ll be a lot better if he isn’t present when we carry out a purge. For someone who looks so sinister, he dislikes shedding unnecessary blood, after all. Once he gets back after the situation is over, we’ll explain it to him then.”
Barbatos made an invidious remark.
“All right. Purge. The Imperial Princess will be after that and then you’ll be last, whore. Until then, I’ll cooperate with you.”
“That is something which this lady should be the one to say since we will be forming an alliance only until everything has been settled. Keep your neck clean until that moment arrives.”
Barbatos gave the middle finger and Paimon showed a V with her middle and index fingers. These two had quite the pretty relationship.
On this side of the cage, I watched the appearance of the two Demon Lords who had snarling faces and appeared as if they were about to tear each other apart. It seems that the moment to be released from this prison has almost arrived. It was short, but it was a beautiful life in prison.
I was still in this prison.
▯A King’s Lone Sword, Human, Laura De Farnese Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 9 Bruno Plains, Dantalian’s legion
“Farnese, you definitely said that you could play music, right?”
“Mmm? Indeed, that is the case, Lord.”
Today was the day that hung at the end of the week which His Lordship had forewarned about.
This young lady adjusted her clothes in front of the prison. Different to other commanders, this young lady did not appoint an attendant. This young lady had to manage life on her own, but since this lady was going to consult with His Lordship about what she should do on this day, this young lady was receiving an inspection from His Lordship to see whether she had put on her military uniform properly or not while she was at it.
“This is related to music, but······. Oi, your mantle is crooked there.”
“Where?”
“There. Right there.”
“If Your Lordship only says ‘there’, then how is this young lady supposed to know where that is? What method is this young lady supposed to use in order to figure out where ‘there’ is, when it could be Your Lordship’s eyes or balls? Instead of only saying ‘there’, give this young lady some exact directions.”
“Haa, this troublesome child. I have always laid the right direction out for you. Come here so I can fix it myself.”
This young lady approached the prison and left the arrangement of her clothes to His Lordship. His Lordship pulled on the edge of this young lady’s clothes firmly. Tug, tug······ through the thick layer of cloth, this young lady could feel His Lordship’s hands entwining here and there. It almost felt as if it were this young lady’s first time experiencing the sensation of having another person help put on her clothes.
“So what do you mean by music, Lord?”
“Is it not your hobby to gather skulls and compose scores while those skulls are spread out around you? However, you have only written scores, never have I ever seen you perform them. What sort of conduct is that?”
“This young lady did not feel the particular need to play them.”
This young lady answered honestly.
Music was this young lady’s old habit. This young lady was gifted with an excellent sense of hearing to an accursed degree. As this young lady was unable to ever forget something which she had heard, it was indefinitely piled up in a certain corner of this young lady’s skull like oil. There were many, many days where the oil, that had accumulated like that, would occasionally become a mirage on its own and play in this young lady’s head as if it were an auditory hallucination. It was in those very moments that this young lady would compose scores.
“Since the sound had already flowed through this young lady’s head, what reason could there possibly be for this young lady to go out of her way just to perform and repeat the same tune?”
“I am saying this because it seems I will soon be able to leave this prison. I went through this precipitous state in order to protect you, so would it not be your duty to welcome my release from imprisonment? Any song would be fine when I come out so pick out the song that you can play best.”
“The commemoration of Your Lordship’s release from prison, is it······?”
After hearing the reason, it was logical.
Since this young lady has not even once performed for anyone throughout her entire life, devoting that first experience to His Lordship was sufficient enough to be a present. The fact that His Lordship had to spend a week behind bars because he had covered for this young lady was, as expected, this young lady’s burden. Referentially, since His Lordship was a small-minded male by nature, he would never forget a debt. Rather than living while in debt to His Lordship, being able to call it even after devoting some good-for-nothing thing like a first experience was much better.
Right when this young lady was about to nod her head, a question abruptly appeared in her mind and made its way through her lips.
“Lord, this young lady does not mind performing a complimentary concert, but this young lady has a question.”
“It must be nice to be curious about so many things. What is it this time?”
“Is this young lady Your Lordship’s doll?”
Suddenly.
His Lordship’s hand stopped.
This young lady turned her head back dubiously. His Lordship was silently looking this way. His Lordship’s pupils contained a single black color so it was relaxing to stare into them. Black was this young lady’s favorite color.
“Who said that to you?”
“The Imperial Princess of the Empire did.”
“······.”
“This young lady apologizes for telling Your Lordship this now. This young lady did not go against your order, Lord. Something like fighting against the Imperial Princess did not occur. However, after the previous battle was over, the Imperial Princess had called for this young lady. The Imperial Princess said this after calmly examining this young lady. Are you a puppet? Are you a corpse? Or are you both? She claimed that it was perplexing since all of the people, who Your Lordship tries to embrace, have only remains left.”
“······.”
“The Imperial Princess said to pass on a message to Your Lordship. That, after meeting your doll, I, Elizabeth von Habsburg, think she is somewhat pretty.”
His Lordship listened up to that point and let out a sigh.
“Were you shaken by those words?”
“This young lady did not waver. Since this young lady is neither a puppet nor a corpse, she is a human who is living properly. Your Lordship had given life to this young lady. That is something which this young lady has never had a shadow of a doubt about.”
“However?”
However.
However······.
This young lady nodded her head.
“As expected, this young lady wondered if she were a child who was wrongly born into this world.”
His Lordship became silent. Even during muteness, emotions did not emerge in His Lordship’s eyes. His Lordship, for someone who mostly displayed trivial emotions to his heart’s content, never expressed even a shred of any serious emotions. Even though people were generally the complete opposite of that. Since His Lordship was quiet, this young lady continued speaking comfortably.
“This young lady can guess why Your Lordship scrapes together only remains. A ruin will not be lonely when within ruins. If there are only collapsed remains in one’s surroundings, then the wreckage is not something that had simply met its end there, but instead, it is something that feels as if it can continue to stay there and something that appears sufficient on its own. This young lady is able to consider herself to be a normal individual when within that place since Miss Lapis, Captain Humbaba, and the other witches are there. Your Lordship must also be like that in your own right.”
“······.”
“Regardless, we are able to breathe by going into Your Lordship’s embrace, but what does Your Lordship plan to do? Even if Barbatos can hug Your Lordship, is she not incapable of shouldering you? Even if Paimon pulls Your Lordship in, is she not incapable of taking you in whole? Miss Lapis and, as expected, this young lady as well are worried that, on the contrary, Your Lordship may be the one to embrace those two······. Lord, is that okay?”
His Lordship scratched his forehead. After sighing a couple of times, His Lordship soon drew his brow together and flicked this young lady’s forehead.
“Hoah.”
“That is why I have been telling you to quickly become independent, you fool. Look at Lapis. Even if I do not give her any orders, does she not get everything done on her own? It would be great if you all were able to hastily follow Lapis’ example.”
“It feels like the horrors of the world would increase if people followed Miss Lapis’ example······.”
“What nonsense is the person, who should have already easily slaughtered over 10,000 people, saying?”
That was true.
His Lordship took something out from his coat. It was a masquerade ball mask. This young lady tilted her head, unsure of what His Lordship intended to do by handing that mask to this young lady.
“What sort of mask is that?”
“Tomorrow, we will purge every last traitor within the Crescent Alliance. When you perform your concert in celebration of my release, the majority of the Demon Lords taking part in the Crescent Alliance will gather momentarily under the pretext of holding a religious service towards the Gods. Those who are wearing masks will live, and those who are not will die.”
“······.”
I see, a tool to identify friend or foe.
This young lady was curious as to why it was a music performance of all things. This young lady’s performance was bait to attract attention. The Demon Lords will take their seats and will all be watching this young lady. That very moment, when they have lowered their guards, was the prime opportunity to wipe out the traitors in one fell swoop.
“It seems it will be quite the special concert, Lord.”
“Of course, it is the day where I am being released from prison so it should be special, should it not? The preparation of the stage will be taken care of by Barbatos and Paimon. Do not be concerned and just perform. By the time you hit the last key, the bodies of traitors will be sprawled out there.”
This young lady nodded in approval.
“However, you have yet to answer this young lady’s question, Lord. Trying to go past it evasively will not work on this young lady. Please answer. Is this young lady Your Lordship’s doll?”
His Lordship clicked his tongue.
“It seems only your pettiness has increased needlessly. If you are curious about that, then come back after carrying out today’s battle. By the time you return, you will have figured out the answer on your own.”
Thus, this young lady set forth.
Today was a day where the short rainy season of early spring had ended and the sky had cleared.
Although there were pools of mud still stagnated here and there on the ground, it felt as if they were going to dry up soon because of the hot spring sun. Once the soil has become firm, the war will most likely resume in earnest again. Currently, be it the Crescent Alliance or the Crusaders, they simply sent out detached units occasionally and had minor battles.
This young lady led a single squad and wandered from this side to that side of the great plain. En route, we encountered enemy scouts and assaulted them, but they were barely a problem. It was at the moment when this young lady thought that today was going to simply end like how the past couple of days had. From the other side of the plain, a single group of enemy soldiers gradually rushed towards us. This young lady held her breath for an instant after glancing at the flag the enemy soldiers were carrying.
“······.”
A pattern with a blue hydrangea and a buck.
The House of Duke Farnese from the northern region of the Kingdom of Sardinia.
The flag of the family that this young lady was born and raised in was there.
“Araa? For some small unit like that to try and pick a fight with us, they have a lot of guts. What should we do, General? If you tell us to wipe them out, then we will immediately.”
“······.”
“General? The likes of us can only move if you give us a command.”
This young lady merely answered the Captain of the Royal Guard, Humbaba’s words with silence. Even while this young lady was quiet, time steadily flowed and the enemy soldiers gradually drew near. Then, the enemies soon stopped.
Shortly after, a single man came out from the center of the enemy group while riding on a war horse. The man, who was brilliantly wearing a blue set of armor and helmet, spread his arms out wide and shouted.
“Laura! My loveable child! This father of yours is here!”
————By that one line, regardless of whether they were allies or enemies, every single common soldier stared at this young lady.
The bewilderment on the soldiers’ faces was evident. Especially the witches who were a part of the Royal Guard. The witches were aware of the secret behind this young lady’s birth. The fact that this young lady was the daughter of a slave and was also a child who was sold off as a slave.
Indeed.
Indeed, it was exactly on the third day, Lord.
Despite not having seen him, the Imperial Princess babbled smoothly as if she understood His Lordship, and His Lordship as well was able to accurately predict what the Imperial Princess would do because he understood her, despite not being able to see her.
This young lady carefully observed the elderly man. A deeply seamed face, a smile that appeared as if it were overflowing with goodwill towards people, without a doubt, this man was the biological father that had given birth to this young lady and had also violated her.
“I rushed here urgently after I heard the news that you were here. Aha, but what is this? This father of yours is a human and you are the child of a human, and yet, why is the place where you are standing at not among humans but in the center of demons? Laura, return to the place where you rightfully must be.”
“······.”
This young lady’s father.
The place where she rightfully must be.
Was this young lady’s biological father referring to that dust-filled library as the place where this young lady must be? That small room where one had to offer their body once in order to receive a single meal? The name of the prison where this young lady had tried to disappear just like that by starving herself to death, but without fail, her father would break down the door and keep this young lady alive, and by keeping her alive, he kept her dead.
This young lady quietly closed her eyes. The sound of cicadas that could still be vividly heard were there, and between the bug cries that compactly resonated all around, a groan crawled through.
—— Laura, uh. Laura······.
When this young lady’s father violated her, this young lady was silent.
She did not resist.
This young lady did not wish to raise her nails and leave her mark by ripping into his shoulder blades. People who do not want to disappear from the world are bound to grab onto something, but the only place that this young lady could grab was her father’s exposed back. Whenever this young lady’s father groaned slightly into this young lady’s thigh, stomach, and face, the thought that this human still fairly wants to live would cross her mind.
Well.
Since this young lady boasted an immense amount of beauty, it was not like this young lady was unable to understand her father. If there were a large rod attached to this young lady’s lower body and, after throwing a slight amount of this young lady’s ethical conscience away, this young lady had the ability to freely penetrate the most beautiful woman in the world, then this young lady would test out the effectiveness of her rod without any hesitation. If you do not use it in times like those, then for what reason were you born with one?
—— I love you, Laura. I sincerely love you······.
—— I am doing all this because I love you. What is wrong? You are acting strangely. What is it, you keep behaving weirdly.
“······.”
Aah.
This young lady could say this confidently now that she has met His Lordship. That was not love. That behavior, which had harmed, turned, and twisted this young lady, was not and could never be love. If there was love in the world, then it must not become something like that. How could forcing yourself onto another person and being in a position where you have no other choice but to embrace them, be called love?
If something like that was love, then this young lady will forever live cold.
There was no one who could accept this young lady and there was no one this young lady could accept.
In truth, there was only a single type of love that people like His Lordship, this young lady, and Miss Lapis were capable of. Not a love where we loved each other, but a love where we all loved a single thing together. That alone was the one and only livelihood that could avoid ruin. The one and only. In order for people like us to survive, the one and only······. As we would die if we loved in a different method. As we would kill and would also die, the one and only······.
Something quietly brushed against this young lady’s cheek and flowed by.
Beside this young lady, the captain of the Royal Guard muttered in a tone that felt as if it were crawling on the floor.
“Your Excellency Acting General······?”
“The world is quite damned, Captain. This young lady was not born because she wished to be born and she was not raised like this because she aspired to be raised this way, and yet, why must this young lady handle her entire life on her own? This young lady cannot forgive anyone.”
She must not even try to forgive.
“This young lady does not have that kind of strength.”
She must not even try to think differently.
“No ability.”
This young lady is merely tempted to kill the human before her.
Aah.
“This young lady is incompetent······. This young lady is, boundlessly incompetent. This young lady has no other choice but to live the way she was born. Even if this young lady lives in that regard, that is not living. The Imperial Princess’ words were correct. This young lady is a corpse, a doll. However, it cannot be helped. This young lady is incompetent······.”
“······.”
Humbaba, the Captain of the Royal Guard carefully grabbed this young lady’s forearm.
The Captain uttered ‘Mm, mm’ for a long time as if she were trying to audibly select her words inside of her mouth before eventually, she smiled gaily.
“Yup! That’s right. Really, the world is damn jumbled! Moreover, the General is damn incompetent as well. Even if you kill ten thousand and know how to slaughter a hundred thousand, what can you do when you can’t even kill something like your own past? Ah hah ha! But it’s okaaay. General, it’s completely fine.”
Captain Humbaba laughed.
“If need be, then we can kill master and commit suicide all together!”
“······.”
“Ahahah. It’s a relief that there’s still a lot of people in the world who are trying to kill our master. ‘How dare someone like you attempt to take our master’s liiife?’, and we have to be the ones to kill those people first, right? That’s why, General, endeavor with all your strength and kill a lot! Until the day when there isn’t even a single person, who wants to kill our master, left in the entire world!”
The witches shrieked with laughter. Delightfully like devils and innocently like children, the witches dispersed heated laughter throughout the air. This young lady was certain that she had seen the spring sun, which thus far was only stagnated on the pools of mud, had at last begun to flow because of the sound of the witches’ laughter.
Was that it? Did this young lady simply need a person who would die together with her?
This young lady imagined herself being killed by a person other than His Lordship. That was unforgivable. This young lady also imagined His Lordship being murdered by someone other than this young lady. That was unpardonable.
I see.
That was so. That was it. That was the case······.
This young lady nodded her head.
“That man. This young lady dislikes the sight of him. Sweep them away and bring him here.”
“Yeess, Your Excellency!”
The witches jubilantly flew into the air. The witches had a monopoly of the sky which had little vapor since the rainy season was over. Throughout the air, the witches scattered the gunpowder from their pouches and dropped flames. The enemy formation instantly collapsed and dispersed.
Did they perhaps assume that this young lady would not ruthlessly attack her biological father? The Imperial Princess most likely sent him as a disposable card anyway. If this young lady is persuaded, then that would be the best case scenario, if this young lady’s heart wavers, then that was what the Imperial Princess was aiming for, and if this young lady kills her own father, then the Imperial Princess could utilize that politically as it is. This sort of calculation must have been contained within this action.
If this young lady was a single person, then she would have even considered realistic calculations.
“La-Laura······! You, what are you······?”
But this young lady was not alone.
A man who was much, much more competent than this young lady was standing behind her.
Even if this young lady were to go around stirring battlefields however she pleased, there was an individual who was supporting her from behind and will always pick up after her.
Therefore.
Right now, this young lady will live however she pleases.
“Father.”
This young lady looked down at her father who the witches had dragged before her after having bound his limbs. He looked this way with a face that appeared as if he could not believe what was happening. A pitiful man. Does he even know the fact that he had been used by the Imperial Princess?
If he was able to persuade this young lady and bring her to the side of the Crusaders, then that was like establishing an exploit that will remain throughout history. The man standing before this young lady was most likely lured here by those honeyed words. Blame yourself who was foolish enough to have been deceived by that.
“Laura······.”
“That is right, Father. It is your Laura. The girl who was your Laura is here. For what reason did you deliberately roll all the way to a perilous place like this? This is a battlefield where devils salivate. This is not a place where a careless man, such as you Father, should ever dare set your foot in.”
This young lady knelt down on one knee and matched her father’s eye level. He must have felt kindness from this young lady’s words as his face had brightened up. He seemed to have sensed a hope that, at the very least, he will not lose his life.
This young lady lifted her father’s right arm and pressed it firmly against her cheek. The arm that had violated and suppressed this young lady. That monster’s strong and rough palm was now ticklish.
“Thank you for giving birth to this young lady, Father.”
“I-I am also happy that you are my daughter.”
“Mhm. Then you will also be able to depart happily.”
This young lady smiled brilliantly.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 04/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-04-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Chapter_04_02.txt
|
Chapter 4: The Courier Who Knows the Address of Hell
Just now, this young lady may have made the most beautiful smile she has ever made since she was first born.
This young lady could feel it herself.
This young lady’s father blinked.
“What······?”
“From this point forth, this young lady is no longer Father’s Laura, but instead, she is simply His Lordship’s Farnese. Although this young lady is not incredibly happy about being His Lordship’s Farnese, it seems to be enough for this young lady to continue living. This young lady was able to bask in this much satisfaction thanks to you, Father, for having given birth to this young lady, so how could she not possibly express her final gratitude?”
This young lady took out a dagger from her clothes and before the opposition could even utter another word, she slit the throat of the man before her. A crimson red line spread open and blood splurted out. Although the man struggled, this young lady did not let go of his right arm till the bitter end. This young lady kept it pressed against her cheek firmly until the man went limp.
“Please die painfully. Duke of Farnese, this young lady is happy that she was able to kill you.”
Ack, ack, the man vomited blood as he collapsed. This young lady stroked the man’s head for a long time. The witches were laughing together while taking the lives of the other captives. ‘Kill and kill again’, the words which His Lordship had once said to this young lady were occurring here. Since His Lordship’s words were a verbal promise, there was never a day where his words were never realized. The flag, which His Lordship had earlier bestowed, was fluttering above our heads due to the gentle breeze.
Authority for blood.
Blood for authority.
Ah, the spring day amidst the screaming of the captives was beautiful. This young lady sat down on the mud where blood was being spilled and shut her eyes. The puddle of blood, which this young lady’s father had shed, viscously received the weight of this young lady’s body. For the first time in this young lady’s life, her heart pounded in anticipation for the approaching seasons.
This young lady killed her biological father on this day.
And on this day, this young lady became His Lordship’s child.
▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 10 Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance, Simple Prison
An altar was set up at the bottom of the hill that was visible from the prison. It wasn’t a fancy altar. As it was an altar that was made so that the army, which had faced a poor defeat, could quell the anger of the Gods, fanciness was a luxury that was unworthy of them. However, even if it was not fancy, Barbatos was a woman who knew how to make things pretty.
“I heard that the number of skulls your girlie collected in the meantime easily reaches the thousands. If we erect a tower with those, then that’d be the perfect decoration for the ancestral rites.”
In short, it was a suggestion to make a tower of skulls. Although it was a design that went so astray from being sane that it would make someone’s head feel dull, performing an ancestral rite with the skulls of the enemy was appropriate to use as a justification. Above all, Farnese was very pleased by it.
“Mhm. Your Lordship’s lover has good taste. The skull has the most beautiful physical form in the human body. When holding a religious service, is it not obvious that displaying only the most beautiful region of the human body is appropriate? This young lady supports the tower of skulls.”
“Don’t try to buddy up with me, you human girlie. What do you, who was born with muddy blood, think you’re doing by thoughtlessly speaking informally with a monarch? If you weren’t Dantalian’s acting general, then you would have died by my hands a hundred times over.”
Although Barbatos complained, she prepared the stage anyway. She utilized her troops and stacked the skulls in a neat pile. Farnese possessed the skulls of privates, the skulls of noncommissioned officers, the skulls of captains, and the skulls of commanders, all separated by category, so the tower was piled up according to ranks. The privates were at the very bottom and the commanders were at the very top. Alas, that was the chain of command, it was the chagrin of military personnel who were treated according to their ranks even after death.
Humans held their ancestral rites at dawn and demons held theirs at dusk. The rain had ceased and the evening sun was seeping into the transparent sky. Each skull that was smoothly cleaned, received the setting sun and glowed a bright red, and occasionally, amber.
“Hmmm.”
Barbatos stretched.
“Now the preparations are over. Let’s quickly spray some blood over the ancestral rites table and get this over with. We have to kill the Imperial Princess as well, and also torture those snakes lurking in the rear. Iyaaah, since there are so many bastards we have to kill, this year is going to be an abundant year.”
“Barbatos, if you do not attach an obscene word at the end of every one of your sentences, then do you perhaps contract malaria? Regardless of whether they are traitors now, they were once one of our followers. Please be a bit more solemn.”
“Whether they die by a solemn bastard or a frivolous bastard, in the position of the guys who are going to die, they’re sons of bitches and those sons of bitches are them, so what’s the point?”
“Haa. At any rate, people like you······. Oh well. This lady will go down first, Dantalian. This lady will see you later.”
The two Demon Lords went down the hill side by side. Their shadows stretched out all the way to the prison where I was seated.
Time passed and the Demon Lords from the Mountain Faction and the Plains Faction slowly started to gather down below and took their seats. Eventually, all of the Demon Lords were finally present at the time when the sunset was at its zenith. Although the Demon Lords were talking in whispers and chatting away, they all closed their mouths once the ancestral rite had begun. The bottom of the hill became still.
“······.”
“······.”
Several priests came forward and started to recite sutras. The memorial service progressed calmly. Each time the priests kowtowed, the Demon Lords would stand up and do a deep bow as well. After several bows in worship, which meaning could not be understood.
Step.
Farnese walked out into the center of the ceremony. Farnese was barefooted. Farnese stepped on the soil, that was still wet, with her white feet. Even though I was far away in this prison and could not see Farnese’s face, it felt as if the sound of pitter-patter resonated each time she took a step.
Farnese sat down in front of the piano without even greeting the Demon Lords. I felt as if I could hear the sound of a portion of the Demon Lords voicing their complaints. According to Barbatos, it seems there were quite the number of people who considered the very act of letting, not a demon, but a human participate in our memorial service as blasphemous. Barbatos declared that, since those soldiers were killed by that little one, it would only be correct if she were the one to play the melody and soothe the Gods. Since those were not incredibly wrong words, the other Demon Lords said that they understood and looked over it.
“······.”
Farnese slowly placed the end of her fingers on the keys.
I did not offer any particular words to Farnese who must have probably returned after having killed her own father yesterday. I believed that she was able to think on her own now, and I also believed that she will be able to overcome it on her own.
Therefore, as this was a recital to purge the long-standing traitors.
At the same time, this was also a concert that announced Farnese’s farewell to her past.
I rested my chin on my hand while sitting in my chair and gazed at Farnese. Today was the day that officially marked the fact that I have been in this prison for over a week. Although I was still in this prison, I was watching over Farnese closer than I have ever done so before.
“······.”
And.
The performance of blood began.
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 04/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-04-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Intermission_01.txt
|
Intermission
▯Demon Lord of Benevolence, Rank 9th, PaimonEmpire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 10Bruno Plains, Army of the Crescent Alliance
“······Hmm. Let’s see here. It’s about time.”
“Yes. Let us begin.”
Without needing the other side to say so first.
This lady and Barbatos took out our masks and put them on.
It was not only the two of us. The majority of the Demon Lords who were watching the performance put on masks as well. Only the 7 betrayers were dubious and started to whisper among one another. They were people that ridiculed not only the factions but the ideal of the Crescent Alliance itself. The embrace of the world is not sufficient enough to forgive them.
—— What is this fuss?
—— Do they intend to hold a surprise concert······?
—— In any case, that child’s performance is rather······.
It was at that moment.
Blood splattered here and there from the seats that were arranged for the Demon Lords. The ones wearing masks stabbed, impaled with swords, and hacked with axes the bodies of the ones who were not wearing masks. The ancestral rite ceremony that was tranquil with music instantly turned into a realm of Hell.
—— Wait, what are you······!?
The traitors rolled on the ground and stretched out their arms. Their bodies were half covered in dirt and half covered in blood. Even if they stretched out their arms and requested for someone to rescue them, be it the Mountain Faction or the Plains Faction, there was no one who would show them mercy. Their fingers were soon stabbed by spears and severed by blades, making them fly throughout the air one finger at a time. Screams and groans mixed together, causing the auditorium to descend into being a slaughterhouse in a flash.
Those trying to kill people.
Those trying to not be killed by people.
Those who are trying to block the people that are attempting to escape.
Those who use the people beside them as a sacrifice and try to run away.
This lady spoke emotionlessly.
“······How should we absorb the military troops of the traitors?”
“It’d be difficult to manage them, so is there really a need to absorb them?”
Barbatos yawned. She lifted her wine glass to take a sip, but she then remembered the fact that she was wearing a mask and cursed.
“Fuck. In any case, just finishing them off would be fine since it’d be easier on the mind. There’s probably a lot of spies hidden among them, anyway. Picking each and every one of them out would be a chore.”
In that moment, a single Demon Lord rushed to us and groveled on the ground. He was not a member of this lady’s faction. This lady recalls that he was one of the low ranking Demon Lords that Barbatos led around.
——Your Excellency Barbatos! S-Save me! Those people went insane and are······!
However, before he could even finish his sentence. The air was split by Barbatos’ light downward hand gesture, and that formless blade decapitated the man’s head just like that. With its head gone, the body shook back and forth before falling backwards with a thud. Barbatos yawned once more.
“Haamm. We should have done this sooner. We ended up fucking around and pointlessly throwing him into prison. I thought that Dantalian had sex with you so I had contemplated on whether I should get rid of him or not.”
“No. Like I said, that was a misunderstanding.”
“That’s if I can easily believe the words you say, bitch.”
“This lady is going to say this now, but during the 2nd expedition, this lady suggested that we should retreat quickly since something felt amiss, you know? The one who did not believe that and asserted that we should continue advancing until the very end was you.”
“······Was it like that?”
“It was. Who is calling who a fool all the time, truly.”
|
LNWNCentral_Dungeon Defense
|
Dungeon Defense - Volume 04/Dungeon-Defense-Volume-04-[Shalvation][Proxus]/Intermission_02.txt
|
Intermission
This lady shut her lips. Soon after, Barbatos went silent as well. For the first time in quite a long time, the two of us were seated side by side and watched the girl who was still playing the piano despite the slaughter that was occurring. Barbatos looked up towards the sky and muttered.
“It’s spring. Hey, the weather is good. It’d be easy to kill people.”
Those words most likely were not directed to anyone specific. However, this lady unconsciously raised her head as well. In that place, the clouds were drifting across the evening sky, indifferent to what was happening on the ground.
“Yes. It is already spring.”
Similar to how the sky is indifferent to our affairs, we also kill the people who must be killed while being unrelated to the sky.
Although it was an affair that momentarily, flowed by on some spring day.
Fin.
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.