Dungeon Defense (WN)

Our volunteer army was disbanded for the time being after we were safely escorted to a nearby city.

Brittany’s forces ended up completely taking over a portion of Parisiorum. A majority of the royal troops that disobeyed the Emperor’s orders ended up getting subjugated. The Empress Dowager’s faction had mostly fallen. The people of Frankia were in both fear and awe of the young queen’s accomplishment.

The Emperor’s faction……. Well, should I include Brittany and call them royalists now? It should be fine to say that the Royalists had firmly established their position.

The mass slaughter that started at Parisiorum spread like a plague to the other cities. At some point, the Emperor’s mistake had been disguised as ‘His Excellency’s action to get rid of the republican traitors’. The republicans were slaughtered all throughout Frankia excluding the ones in the north.

The mayors and bureaucrats were the ones who led these slaughters. In other words, this was their way of saying ‘I’m on the Emperor’s side so please spare us!’. The country was in quite the state.

The bureaucrats had been debating whether they should take the Emperor’s side or the Empress Dowager’s side, but the battle at St. Dennis Plains was the final push they needed. Everyone bowed their heads to the Queen who annihilated 60,000 soldiers with only 20,000.

Everyone was desperately participating in the slaughters so that they wouldn’t get accused of sitting on their hands. The mayors that happened to have a conscience simply overlooked the slaughters. The tide had turned. Republicans were going to have to be careful even when they masturbated in the safety of their own homes……if they weren’t already dead, that is.

They fully understood how defeat felt.

“They say that the knights that departed from Habsburg mostly gathered at Frankia.”

“Yes.”

Paimon took a sip from her cup of green tea.

I was called by Paimon immediately after our defeat. I was worried that she was going to tell me to take responsibility for the loss, but, fortunately, that wasn’t the case. Even from Paimon’s perspective, she could tell that the battle at St. Dennis plains wasn’t something that a single commander could handle by himself.

Batavia Republic’s Government House. Paimon and I were seated at a table in the secret garden near the Government House.

Spring had arrived. There were blue and red flowers blooming here and there throughout the garden.

“There is still a fair number of nobles left in the New Habsburg Republic. A large portion of them are knights.”

“I see. They would only become potential rebels if they left those nobles in their nation……Elizabeth basically killed two birds with one stone by sending them to Queen Henrietta. Is this the basic gist of what happened?”

Paimon smiled brightly. She was like a maiden from a respectable family.

“It seems your discerning eye has not gotten rusty, Dantalian.”

“I am nothing more than a commander who had lost pitifully.”

I shrugged back at her.

There was an alliance between Consul Elizabeth and Queen Henrietta. It was good for Consul Elizabeth since this meant that she could deal with her knights with noble backgrounds without having to shed any blood while Queen Henrietta got her hands on a powerful army.

These two used to fight like cats and dogs in <Dungeon Attack> for the sake of ruling the continent, but for some reason, they had formed an alliance in this world. This wasn’t right.

“There are always mistakes in both victory and defeat. You have done more than enough, Dantalian.”

“I wonder about that…….”

“At the very least, the republic’s influence has managed to spread throughout the northern region of Frankia. In other words, one of the most affluent areas of Frankia is now within the republic’s grasp. If this is not an achievement, then what is? Have more confidence in yourself.”

Paimon quietly brought her teacup to her lips.

“I am undeserving of such praise. Haha.”

I scratched the back of my head. I’m not sure how to explain it, but it felt like our positions had switched.

However, this was probably Paimon’s personality. She was more used to defeat than anyone else.

She had devoted hundreds of years to establish the Batavia Republic. Slowly. More leisurely than everyone else. This was most likely Paimon’s belief. From her perspective, occupying the northern part of Frankia was probably a sizable accomplishment.

“This is not only happening in Frankia, the <Liberation Alliance> is rising up all throughout the continent. Revolutions are currently being carried out in Bernicia, Sardinia, Castile, and Moscow. They will also be happening in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Kalmar soon.”

“You are going all out, I see.”

I quenched the inside of my mouth with some tea. I felt the anxiety that was wracking my body melt away once the hot water flowed down my throat.

“……What do you think our chance of winning is?”

“A complete victory will most likely be impossible, but we should be able to liberate some provincial cities.”

Paimon responded calmly.

It sounded modest, but she had basically declared that she would mass-produce numerous free cities. Most of those cities were probably going to be affluent. This was going to decrease the amount of taxes paid to the nation and deal a critical blow to the rulers.

“You did well during these past few months, Dantalian. You also need to rest. I will call for you if something comes up again.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“Hm. If you have no plans today, then how about spending some time with this lady?”

Paimon smiled. Her eyes glimmered like a female lion eyeing her prey.

“I am honored, but I must refuse, Miss Paimon.”

The title of ‘Man who had sex with both Barbatos and Paimon’ was tempting, but I was afraid of the future problems that a title like that would bring. Paimon was definitely going to go around telling the other female Demon Lords that she had slept with me. Solely for the sake of teasing Barbatos.

Barbatos will then come running at me with her scythe. She would say something like, ‘I won’t let you use your dick however you want ever again’ with a wide smile and rip it off. I wasn’t joking. Barbatos would actually do something like that.

Paimon let out a small sigh.

“Haah, I am still the Succubus Queen. Please be honest. Am I really that unappealing?”

“Miss Paimon, you are one of the most beautiful women in the world. However, Barbatos will kill me if she were to find out. Well, I may reconsider if you promise to keep this a secret from Barbatos.”

“But it would not be fun, then.”

Paimon covered her mouth with her fan and laughed. Sheesh, I knew it.

I said my farewell and left the garden. The thought of going back to my Demon Lord castle after 2 months made me not care that much about my defeat. Right when I was about to take the secret tunnel out of the Government House, I realized that I had left something behind. I had forgotten the wooden ball that I would hold in my right hand whenever I felt anxious.

“Silly me, Miss Paimon. I forgot…….”

I ended up witnessing it as I was about to apologize.

In the middle of the garden that was blooming with spring flowers, Paimon’s head was lowered under the bright sunlight. She was covering her face with a handkerchief……and her shoulders were shaking slightly.

The sound of crying seeped out from the gap between her face and her handkerchief. The sound of a Demon Lord crying flowed throughout the garden that didn’t have even a single attendant present.

“…….”

What was she crying about?

There were several very obvious guesses.

The sadness that came from being another step away from a world with a free republic. The sadness that came from one’s people losing their lives pointlessly. The sadness that came from being unable to end a civil war in one swoop and ended up dropping the entire nation into turmoil instead.

I thought she was used to defeat, but that was a mistake. No one was used to defeat……. There were only people who were used to acting as if they were used to defeat. I’m such a fool.

Paimon cried when a mere goblin merchant, a merchant who had betrayed her, killed himself. This time, tens of thousands of people who sympathized with her cause were slaughtered. It was impossible for me to fathom how much grief she was going through right now.

I smiled bitterly.

‘It would’ve been better if she just blamed me.’

And yet, she didn’t blame me at all. Paimon was quite the proud Demon Lord…….

I quickly tip-toed my way out of the Government House. I may be cooperating with the Liberation Alliance at the moment, but I could betray them at any point for the sake of my own gain. My resolve might weaken if I let myself see something like this.

I’ll pretend as if I didn’t see anything this time. Tears didn’t suit selfish Demon Lords like us. Don’t you agree, Paimon?

* * *

I gave Jacquerie complete control of the civilian militia before returning to my dungeon.

As a side note, Daisy, Luke, Jeremi, and her assassin group followed me. The group was rather sizable so I had to use an intermediate teleportation scroll. I first dropped Daisy and Luke off at a village―I was being considerate to them so that they could meet their parents―before running off to my Demon Lord castle.

“The libertine who had left home has returned, my lovely sweet home!”

I approached the entrance of the cave which I called my Demon Lord castle and shouted. However, the external appearance of the cave had completely changed. Large pillars had been built like some sort of temple. There were goblin workers next to those pillars carving detailed sculptures.

“Ooh! Is the first floor almost finished already?”

“Oh, if it isn’t Your Highness?”

A goblin who appeared to be the supervisor came up to me and bowed.

“Has Your Highness been in good health? No issues I hope.”

“Haha. Just hearing your greeting is enough to wash away the fatigue that had built up during my travels.”

I patted the goblin’s back. The goblin must’ve thought that his brown-nosing had worked as he rubbed his hands together more eagerly.

“This humble one is in charge of the entrance and we are already putting the finishing touches. We did the best we could, but we were unable to portray all of Your Highness’ prestige due to our lack of skills. Please forgive me.”

“Nonsense, this looks more than good enough. If a Demon Lord’s home looks too elaborate, then I would get made fun of for being human-like. It should be prudent and dignified to a degree, don’t you agree?”

“Truly wise words! Hehe.”

The goblins who were working nearby chimed in and shouted ‘As expected of His Highness!’. They were practically in sync.

Aah―.

This was the feeling.

This atmosphere of everyone submitting themselves to me and doing their utmost to look good in front of me. I wasn’t able to experience this while I was at Frankia. As expected, Demon Lords have to be in the center of demons to shine the brightest.

“Hahaha. I am in a great mood! Let us have a grand banquet today!”

I took out a pocket and scattered a handful of coins. The goblins let out a cheer as they rushed to my side.

“Gold! It’s gold!”

“Kerururuk, our salary is on the ground!”

The goblins crawled on the floor like dogs as they picked up the gold coins. Their race was the most renowned for being greedy in the demon world. Even the goblin who had been trying to appeal to me had thrown away his dignity and was crawling on the floor picking up coins with the other goblins.

“Huhaha! My purse is still hefty so there is no need to worry!”

“Keruk! Hooray for His Highness Dantalian!”

“Hooray for the greatest Demon Lord on the continent!”

I made a shower of gold fall whenever I wanted it to and the goblins cheered whenever I did. This was why humans and demons were all the same when it came to money. I was easily able to improve my mood like this even though I had been feeling depressed after losing a battle.

I made it rain gold at every tunnel I passed through in the cave. The dwarves and goblins who had been focusing on constructing the Demon Lord castle let out a cheer for the untimely luck. This much celebration was required for a Demon Lord’s return.

After about 30 minutes of walking, I saw Lapis in the distance. Lapis was wearing her usual black business suit and giving orders to the workers. A dwarf and goblin who appeared to be executives were following her around.

I let out a shout.

“Laaaaapisss, it is I! Dantalian has returned!”

“…….”

Lapis turned to glance at me. The blue eyes that I had longed for even in my dreams were directed to me. However, the response I expected didn’t come out. Lapis remained impassive.

“Yes. Reserve a spare space in that area. We will need a storage room. No, there is no need to make that area wide. I hope that your people at Blue Celosia are able to secure the materials…….”

She turned away and resumed giving complicated orders to the construction workers. The workers didn’t seem like they particularly cared about my presence either. I felt awkward as I carefully approached her.

“Uhm, Lapis. It’s Dantalian? The Demon Lord you haven’t seen for two months? I’m not hoping for some elaborate welcome party, but maybe you can offer at least one warm line……?”

Lapis responded emotionlessly.

“Can you not see that I am working right now? You are getting in the way, so please talk to me later.”

“…….”

Lapis was Lapis as usual.

***

TL Note: Thanks for reading the chapter. Sorry about the late upload. Well, I think this is a late upload? My head has been a bit of a mess lately, so I lost track of time. On another note, it’s great that we’re finally seeing Lapis again after what felt like such a long time. It’s banter time. I think I’m most looking forward to seeing how Daisy and Jeremi interact with Laura and Lapis. Did I mention this before? I don’t even know anymore.

I’ll see you guys in the next chapter.

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