Dungeon Defense (WN)

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The official residence of the mayor of Niflheim.

A heated discussion was currently being had in the same place where the hearing was held a while ago. If Walpurgis Night is a gathering that’s organized for the sake of socializing, the Demon Lords currently present had gathered hastily in order to discuss the events that were happening in the human world.

The scale was different as well. Different from Walpurgis Night which only had 32 Demon Lords in attendance, there were no less than sixty Demon Lords here at the moment. Practically every Demon Lord was present.

“We must burn down the Frank Empire! Even the women and children.”

“Leave! If you intend to only say such things, then leave right this instant!”

“Get out! There’s no reason to even listen to the Plains Faction’s nonsense⎯⎯.”

“We should rip out the insides of every human that exists on the surface!”

The conference room was in an uproar. Dozens of people were talking over each other. It was impossible to distinguish who was saying what, so the entire conference room looked like a massive mouth to me. That massive mouth was making incomprehensible noises without end.

“I can’t see an end to this.”

“Hmph. Serious meetings held by Demon Lords are usually like this.”

Barbatos answered with an irate expression on her face. She wasn’t upset at me but was actually pretending to be angry right now. She was attending this meeting as the head of the Plains Faction, so she had to show that much dignity. The Plains Faction had lost one of their Demon Lords. There was a need for her to display to the others around us that their faction’s loss angered her greatly.

I furtively glanced around the room. The room was largely divided into 4 groups. A majority of the Demon Lords were standing on the left side of the room. The Mountain Faction. Among them, Paimon was looking forward while in deep thought about something.

The Plains Faction was occupying the right side of the room. With Barbatos at the center, the Plains Faction Demons Lords were standing in a row on both of her sides. Roughly 10 Neutral Faction Demon Lords were clustered around the entrance of the room. I could see Rank 5 Marbas, the one who handled the proceedings of the hearing last time, standing among them.

Finally, on the opposite side of the entrance, there were 5 Demon Lords seated at the seats of honor. They were all silent and looked either unfriendly or bored. No one could approach them as they were the 5 strongest monarchs present in the conference room.

Rank 2 Agares.

Rank 3 Vassago.

Rank 4 Gamigin.

Rank 6 Valefor.

Rank 7 Amon.

Not a single one of them had uttered a word since the meeting had started. Nonetheless, you could still tell that everyone who was currently shouting and screaming was being conscious of the 6 monarchs. Despite the 6 monarchs’ silence, they were releasing a formless pressure. I also had goosebumps. Their aura was intense.

I whispered to Barbatos.

“Hey, why are they acting like a bunch of mutes?”

“Because old man Baal isn’t here.”

Baal was referring to the Rank 1 Demon Lord.

“Even if they blabbered right now, it’d become moot once old man Baal shows up. If they pointlessly assert something now and that old man denies it later, then fuck, they’d just be losing face.”

“You’re telling me to endure this marketplace ruckus until Baal shows up? How dreadful.”

“Hm. Yeah, it is dreadful. I should get them sorted once.”

Barbatos stood up. The Demon Lords that belonged to the Plains Faction shut their mouths. Barbatos then shouted at a volume which one wouldn’t believe could come out from such a small body.

“Quiet!”

Her voice echoed throughout the conference room. The commotion died down in an instant. The Demon Lords who had been arguing all turned to look at Barbatos and she glared back at them. They quietly turned their heads away once their eyes met hers.

Barbatos spoke in a tone overflowing with grandeur which was a complete contrast to her usual demeanor.

“Rank 49 Crocell has died. Rank 50 Furcas has lost his Demon Lord Castle as well. The other races that claimed to be allies of demonkind in the human world have abandoned us without any hesitation.”

She waved her right hand. A large, transparent map appeared in midair. The human continent was drawn on the map and the Demon Lord Castles of all 72 Demon Lords were marked on it. An X was drawn over the two castles that were marked as ‘Crocell’ and ‘Furcas’.

“According to the most recent piece of information we were able to obtain, the army of the Habsburg Empire has begun to march north. Is there anyone here who has more information regarding this?”

“My informant within Habsburg told me something.”

A Demon Lord from the Neutral Faction responded.

“He informed me that the imperial army has departed towards the Valencia province. Rank 68 Belial and Rank 61 Zagan are located there. We must prepare for the invasion from the northern region of Habsburg!”

“That is absurd!”

A Demon Lord from the Mountain Faction shouted.

“The Empire of Habsburg has not made any moves. Our armies are more than enough to handle the empire. The humans are not invading, they are trying to appease the other races! They are using this opportunity to create an alliance. Even now, the fairies and dwarves are meeting with the human messengers! They are trying to create an anti-Demon Lord Alliance. There is a chance that we may once again lose our control over the other races within the human world.”

“Nonsense!”

A Plains Faction Demon Lord retorted this time.

“The fairies and dwarves will not go against their stance as neutral parties! They know very well about our power. I am certain that humans are creating an alliance with other humans. The Habsburg Empire is not the only group that has moved! All 12 nations have mobilized. They intend to gather their forces at the entrance to the Black Desert.”

Thud, the conference room shook. Barbatos stomping caused a small earthquake to occur. Once everyone’s eyes were focused on her, she spoke.

“We will first merge the pieces of information that we have. We cannot have a discussion when our information differs. Paimon.”

“……Did you call for this lady?”

Paimon, the leader of the Mountain Faction, responded. She gave Barbatos a doubtful gaze. Barbatos and Paimon are well-known for being enemies. Barbatos also despised the idea of conversing with Paimon, but she had no other choice but to put up an act right now because of my earnest request.

“My Plains Faction acquired the information that all 12 nations of the human world have mobilized their troops. We also have a good idea as to where each army is going. How about the Mountain Faction?”

“…….”

Paimon placed her chin on her hand. She was most likely contemplating how she should respond. I already know that she received the same information as the Plains Faction. I was the one who ordered for the information to leak to her as well, after all. Barbatos had chosen me as her advisor, so the Plains Faction had acted as one under my plans.

Paimon let out a sigh.

“We have acquired the same information. This lady is aware that the armies of all 12 nations have moved.”

“You probably know quite well where their armies are heading.”

“……I will not deny it.”

Barbatos flicked her wrist. Once she did, thick lines were drawn on the map that was hovering in the air. The 12 lines represented the human armies. Each line started from the capital of each nation and headed towards different locations. Among them were the already destroyed castles of Crocell and Furcas.

Finally, the lines all merged together at one point.

“The northern region of the continent. It is where an absolute majority of our Demon Lord Castles are located.”

“…….”

Paimon didn’t answer. Everyone understood that her silence meant she wasn’t denying it, thus the room broke out into an uproar once again. The Demon Lords began to clamor. Their shouts came pouring out like a flood.

“Is that true, Miss Paimon!?”

“This is not a simple invasion! Those human bastards are forming an alliance!”

“Those damn pieces of trash! How dare they try to aim for our land!”

I mentally chuckled.

For the past 5 months, I had pulled a countless number of strings in order to control the movement of the human armies. The Keuncuska Firm made many bribes in order to approach the higher echelon of the human world and managed to succeed in spreading our information.

The paths of 12 armies merging into one is the result of that.

Each respective course of the 12 armies was headed towards a single direction. There’s no way people would check this off as a mere coincidence. They would naturally begin to worry and think that the humans are preparing for a massive invasion. Adding fuel to their concern, the two Demon Lord Castles that were in their path had actually been conquered. A Demon Lord had even died in battle. The human invasion isn’t something to be taken lightly. It wouldn’t be a stretch to believe this to be the case…….

“Please assist me! My Demon Lord Castle is in danger!”

A Demon Lord with a mustache cried out. Once I whispered to Barbatos and asked her who he was, I was informed that he was Rank 68 Belial. In many regards, he was someone I had an ill-fated relationship with. The reason for Belial’s urgency is simple, it’s because his Demon Lord Castle is located right in the path of Habsburg’s imperial army.

Habsburg’s imperial army has 2,000 men. It wasn’t a number which Belial, a Rank 68 Demon Lord, could possibly handle. Belial must feel like danger is at his doorsteps.

“Please assist me!”

“…….”

“Our great cause must not crumble because of the humans! We are the predators and the humans are our prey. We must not let the hunters become the hunted……. Please, I beg of you!”

The other Demon Lords turned away as if they found Belial to be bothersome. As long as the flames of war weren’t going to engulf them any time soon, they welcomed the potential decrease in competitors. This was most likely what they were thinking. Belial’s complexion became pale.

He approached Paimon with weak steps. Did he intend to rely on the head of the faction he belonged to? Belial got on his knees and raised a hand towards Paimon.

“Miss Paimon, please help me. A thousand, no, if you send an army of at least 500 men! This humble one, Belial will never forget your grace.”

Paimon remained silent. As expected, she was wise. If she announced here that she was going to send him reinforcements, then that could be interpreted as the Mountain Faction’s intent to actively participate in the war. The risk was too high for her since she was the leader of the Mountain Faction that went against the idea of going to war with humans.

She spoke quietly.

“For now, please be silent.”

“Miss Paimon!”

Belial’s complexion changed into that of shock. Paimon had just abandoned Belial for the sake of the Mountain Faction as a whole. This may have been a rational decision for the leader of the faction to make, but in the case of Belial, who had just been tossed aside, it was a statement that broke his will.

This is the time.

I looked at Barbatos. She noticed my gaze and nodded. Barbatos’ voice echoed deeply throughout the conference room.

“Belial, I, Barbatos, will help you.”

“I-Is that true!?”

The eyes of the other Demon Lords opened wide in surprise. The Plains Faction and the Mountain Faction being archrivals is a well-known fact. There’s no way they wouldn’t be surprised when the leader of the Plains Faction, Barbatos, offered to help a member of the Mountain Faction. Paimon furrowed her brows as she glared at Barbatos.

Nevertheless, Barbatos uttered the words we had discussed beforehand.

“We are compatriots. Although we may normally be enemies, we are all living under a single goal of conquering the human world. How could we allow ourselves to be tied down by our usual favor and spite and ignore our cause when those humans are aiming for our land!? I, Barbatos, will immediately mobilize 500 of my Death Knights!”

“O-Ooh……! Thank you, thank you very much!”

Belial was moved. 500 Death Knights alone were more than enough to crush 2,000 imperial soldiers. Belial bowed over and over again as he thanked Barbatos. Paimon had an annoyed expression on her face as she watched this unfold.

I barely managed to hold back my laughter.

Paimon was way too cautious.

With this, the Demon Lords of the Mountain Faction will start to harbor doubt towards Paimon’s leadership ability. Paimon who decided to stand by and watch as a member of her faction falls into ruin and Barbatos who had gladly offered reinforcements despite being on the other side. It’s as clear as day which side appears more trustworthy. The Plains Faction scored a point in the first round.

Things were proceeding according to the outline Barbatos and I had drawn beforehand in a calm and orderly way.

“R-Rank 1!”

The doorman at the entrance of the conference room shouted. The doorman was terrified.

“The first monarch and Grand Duke of the demon world! The ruler that leads sixty-six armies and lord of all blades! His Highness Baal has arrived⎯⎯!”

The heavy doors of the conference room kicked up dust.

All of the Demon Lords hastily bowed towards the entrance. There were no exceptions, be it even Barbatos or Paimon. Even the 6 highest-ranking Demon Lords that were on the seats of honor displayed the utmost courtesy. The true ruler of the demon world was approaching.

***

TL Note: Thanks for reading the chapter. Nothing of much importance to say this chapter, so I hope you guys are having a safe and pleasant summer. I’ll see you guys in the next release, and then I’ll be going back to Handholding.

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