Dungeon Defense (WN)

Chapter 355: Neutral Nation (8)

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The internal cleanup was finished quickly.

Demon society stirred greatly. Within only a single week, there was an assassination attempt and a purge. At first, everyone was confused about what was happening, but they quickly got riled up once we gave an official statement.

– Cowards that tried to kill their own kin using a method as terrible as assassination.

– It’s shameful that we even referred to them as Demon Lords until now.

– Not only did they cause the Crescent Alliance to fail, but they almost foiled the recent expedition as well. They’re dogs that don’t know what shame or honor is.

The flags that represented the six Demon Lords were set ablaze within the demon world cities. Among the executed Demon Lords, Ipos was once known as a splendid sculptor, but his sculptures were all destroyed in public.

Despite the death of eleven archdukes, there wasn’t much of a reaction in regard to that. This was probably because archdukes were more like ‘rulers’ than they were ‘spokespeople’.

If anything, the Demon Lords were closer to being spokespeople. The emperor of the Roman Empire apparently declared that he was the spokesperson of the people and this was basically similar to that. Why did the people treat rulers who reach the peak of the caste as spokespeople? I feel like I had a vague idea, but also not. Well, there’s no harm in letting them misunderstand on their own.

In any case, this was the general situation.

I wonder if it was because they read the mood, but the personal soldiers of the independent Demon Lords surrendered on their own. They courteously asked for forgiveness, so I gladly gave it to them. Although about a thousand of them resisted until the very end.

“It was a pointless rebellion.”

Brother Beleth grumbled as the leader of the subjugation unit.

Just as he said, their defiance was absolutely pointless. With the death of their Demon Lords, the only thing they could do was crumble apart along with the already collapsing Demon Lord Castles.

Valefor’s Demon Lord Castle, the mobile fortress <Labyrinthos>, met a gallant end.

This Demon Lord Castle was usually standing tall in the middle of the ocean, but its outer walls slowly crumbled like there was a landslide. It then kicked up a huge splash and tidal wave as the castle submerged.

“It was a fairly impressive spectacle.”

I listened in awe as Brother Beleth explained what he saw.

We had rented out an entire bar in the capital and were drinking beer.

“Oh? It’s unfortunate that I couldn’t see that personally.”

“You brought that on yourself since you’re always sitting in your room.”

I honestly couldn’t remember when we had started drinking. Brother Beleth grabbed me by the collar while I was working at the palace. By the time I collected myself, I was already holding a glass of beer in my hand. Well, this is fine. These kinds of days can happen.

Brother Beleth spoke in a soft tone.

“There were about three hundred royal guards who still had the will to fight back. They could have escaped if they wanted to, but…….”

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“They remained until the very end.”

“Indeed. Their deaths were meaningless, but their will was beautiful.”

Beautiful, huh? He was probably only able to say that since he was watching from a distance. I poured some beer into my mouth.

“So they lived and died like the flow of a waterfall.”

“Haha, who else in the world could say that their life was like a waterfall? Perhaps the mythical Hercules?”

Brother Beleth laughed.

“Listen here, Brother! They ran about desperately in order to at least live like the droplets of water that splash around waterfalls. They poured their all into a single moment just so that they could appear as if they were afloat, even if it was for only a brief moment.”

“I see.”

Brother Beleth stopped there.

His gaze was somewhat gentle and soft. I also understood what he was trying to say, so I didn’t ask any further. We clinked our glasses before naturally changing the topic.

“Is it about time for us to swallow the Habsburg Republic? If I remember correctly, the woman you really dislike is there, isn’t she?”

“The woman I really dislike, is it?”

I couldn’t help but let out a laugh. A rare genius, the savior of Habsburg, and dictator, there were all sorts of titles you could call Elizabeth by, but Brother Beleth was probably the only one who would refer to her like this.

“No. I intend to wait patiently.”

“Why? Helvetica has also submitted to us. Doesn’t this mean we practically have the Republic surrounded on three sides? No matter how clever that woman is, I doubt even she could do something in this situation.”

Helvetica referred to the nation that was an alliance between dwarves and elves.

They were the nation that became disillusioned after witnessing the Crescent Alliance fail over and over again for two thousand years and declared neutrality.

They must’ve felt concerned after I carried out my large-scale purge as they came to us on their own feet and begged us to forgive them for leaving before. Thanks to this, Elizabeth was now surrounded by us on 3 sides: the west, north, and east. The demon world naturally cheered greatly for this voluntary submission.

In truth, I had also given the representative of the Helvetica Federation a sizable threat, but that’s a different topic. I looked straight at Brother Beleth.

“You are right. If we start a war with them now, then there is a high probability that we will win. The republic nation would fall. However, the worst-case scenario would be awaiting us afterward.”

“The worst-case scenario? What may that be?”

Brother Beleth tilted his head.

“Elizabeth will abandon her own nation.”

“……!”

I took a sip from my beer before continuing bitterly.

“Brother, do you know what happens if the thing a person cherishes the most is crushed?”

“……Of course, they would fall into despair.”

I nodded.

“Most people lose to this despair; however, there are those who are able to display an iron will even while in this despair. Those individuals then devote the remainder of their lives to revenge.”

Elizabeth will most likely seek asylum in another nation.

The ruler of a fallen nation was something that could be used politically. Especially in the case of Elizabeth since she has the blood of the Habsburg Empire running through her. Whatever nation she goes to could marry her off to some prince and make her a surrogate mother. And Elizabeth knew better than anyone else that she has a lot of value as a surrogate mother…….

“The reason why Elizabeth is unable to move at the moment is due to her having something to protect. The people, ideology, and cause of her Republic. Those things have become chains and are holding her down. But what would happen if those things were to disappear?”

“I see. That would give birth to a phantom of revenge.”

I smiled wryly.

“Every nation is aware that Elizabeth has military talent. She will most likely be used as a mercenary commander. Once that happens, Elizabeth will use the power and troops given to her to torment us…….”

She was truly a troublesome lady.

We’ll lose if we simply leave her alone, and if we defeat her completely, then she’ll come back as a phantom of revenge. A small fry like Valefor couldn’t possibly compare to how troublesome this woman is.

I gave an ultimatum.

“We must seize an overwhelmingly dominant position over her and maintain that position. This is the best we can do.”

“Mmm.”

Brother Beleth groaned in displeasure due to how passive this stance was.

But I firmly believe that this was the best solution.

Fortunately, Elizabeth wasn’t in possession of a hero at the moment. Daisy was bound to me by a pact and Luke was influenced by all the revolutionary ideas and thinks of Elizabeth as a dictator.

Since Elizabeth doesn’t have the hero card, she will probably resort to hiring assassins. The situation will improve if she can somehow kill Demon Lords. No matter how many troops we have, they’re nothing if we don’t have a Demon Lord to command them. This is probably what she’s thinking.

In <Dungeon Attack>, Demon Lords only had two options. Either hole up in their Demon Lord Castle and defend it to the very end, or come out with all of their troops and push to the front.

Although holing up in one’s Demon Lord Castle could lower the chances of dying, it also means that your range of actions would be narrowed down immensely. You would end up at a strategic disadvantage. There is also nothing worse than allowing Elizabeth to have a strategic advantage over you.

The situation doesn’t improve even if you come out of your Demon Lord Castle. Elizabeth is the greatest expert in field warfare throughout all of history. Even Barbatos ended up being defeated and dying in battle against her.

In the end, there are only two conclusions. Stay in your base and die of unknown causes or die horribly on a battlefield. These were quite terrible options…….

However, the current situation was completely different.

Elizabeth doesn’t have an ultimate weapon that could kill Demon Lords on their own. Additionally, it was practically impossible to rely on assassins to kill Demon Lords.

Therefore, Elizabeth has no other choice but to make use of a traitor on our side.

If I had done nothing, then I am sure that Elizabeth would have conspired with Valefor within a few years. She would’ve thoroughly investigated which Demon Lords were displeased with Dantalian and whether they existed. Maybe, no, I’m certain that she’s already investigating this.

If it’s Elizabeth, then she would be able to draw a rough outline of her plan within two years. No, she would finish in less than a year. I had to hurry. This was why I snuffed out the group that was displeased with us as soon as I could…….

“The only remaining method that Elizabeth could have used was shaking us from the inside. If she cannot beat us from the outside, then start from within. This is a natural sequence.”

“Mm. And you preemptively stopped this from happening.”

That’s right.

You could call me paranoid. Even if the opposition is the genius Elizabeth, I may be overthinking things. But out of everyone in the world, I’m the only one who knows that Elizabeth was destined to kill all of the Demon Lords. How could I not be worried?

“This is out of curiosity, Brother, is that the reason why you personally went when the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was preparing to invade……?”

“Yes. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was allied with Elizabeth, but not anymore.”

“…….”

Brother Beleth drank the rest of his beer in one gulp.

He slammed his glass on the table and let out a strange sound.

“How interesting. Doesn’t this mean the two of you are treating the continent as a board and are playing a game of Go on it? Because of that woman, the kingdom moved and caused the deaths of Demon Lords and archdukes. I bet that woman would be ecstatic if she knew this! Kuhuhu. It’s like the two of you are treating the continent as a marital asset and are courting each other.”

I refilled Brother Beleth’s empty glass. He finished that in a single gulp as well. He looked so delighted that I couldn’t help but ask.

“Brother, what is putting you in such a good mood?”

“It’s nothing. I was worried that you and Barbatos were actually going out or something. Kuhaha.”

Brother Beleth bellowed with laughter. I flinched a bit.

Referentially, Brother Beleth still believed that Barbatos and I were simply SM partners with me being the side that’s one-sidedly abused.

“T-There’s no way that would be the case. I am nothing more than a physical slave to Barbatos. A lump of meat that she does whatever she wishes to. Even yesterday I was whipped a whole bunch by her.”

“I see. So it turns out there is another woman you actually like!”

Brother Beleth filled my glass with more beer. Uh, Brother? The beer is overflowing.

“Come to think of it, if you marry her and inherit the Republic from her, then we will be able to conquer the continent smoothly! Kuhaha! Brother, I will fully support your love!”

“No. There is almost no chance that will…….”

“Now then, let us raise our glasses!”

I considered explaining to him that a republic nation wasn’t something you inherited, but I stopped myself. Brother Beleth is an absolute idiot outside his specific field. Well, it feels like a ridiculous misunderstanding was created, but it’ll probably be better to leave it like this. For both me and the unfortunate Beleth.

“Cheers.”

In the end, I smiled widely as I clinked my glass with Brother Beleth’s.

Do your best, Brother. I sincerely hope that you’ll be able to escape your thousand years of virginity.

***

TL Note: Thanks for reading the chapter. You do have to admit, from a third-party perspective, Dantalian and Elizabeth do probably look like their interest in each other borders that of obsession. And Beleth here is interpreting that obsession as a romantic interest. Although I guess readers would want it to work out in that way as well, you know there’s probably no way it’ll end up like that.

In any case, late chapter, life ruff as usual and busy. Spent like 300 bucks on a baby shower gift for my brother, so now I feel poor. I’ll probably have to skip lunch for a week or two :^)

I’ll see you guys in the next chapter.