Dungeon Defense (WN)

Once we finished dancing, we were applauded from here and there throughout the ballroom.

The locations in which the applause came from and the people who sent it made it evident what the current composition of power within the Demon Lord army was like.

The group that applauded the most energetically was the Plains Faction. On one half, they were showing their respect and affection to Barbatos, and, on the other half, they were praising the greatest advisor their faction had ever given birth to.

However, Beleth and Zepar looked displeased that the position as Barbatos’ partner had been taken.

“Kuh! I was the one who escorted Her Excellency when Brother wasn’t around.”

“Does Her Excellency prefer schemers over warriors……!?”

The two Demon Lords had competed for the position as her partner for centuries, but they both shed tears of blood today. Pathetically.

Next was the Neutral Faction.

This small faction of sensible individuals, like Rank 5 Demon Lord Marbas, considered me, Dantalian, as a like-minded comrade who was understanding. To them, Dantalian was a rose that had miraculously bloomed in the Plains Faction which used to only be filled with ignorant warmongers, so I was also their only conscience.

“And he tolerated the Mountain Faction during the Crescent Alliance. He is a man who can be spoken to.”

To the Neutral Faction that valued political tolerance and balance, Dantalian was a politician who ‘sought profits but made sure to never cross the line’. This was also the image of the ideal politician.

People like Paimon who cried out about the gains of everyone as a whole instead of their own gains were dangerous. Even if they were to offer something, people like her would refuse to negotiate because of things like their great cause and ideologies. The type of people who would run rampant and cross the line thoughtlessly were naturally dangerous as well.

On the other hand, Dantalian always sought out his own gains and was always ready to negotiate.

In other words, he was someone who could be spoken with.

Demon Lords that could be negotiated with were precious within the Demon Lord army that was filled with mental patients. The people of the Neutral Faction hoped that Dantalian would continue to stay in the Plains Faction and hold their reins.

Finally, it was naturally the Mountain Faction.

They were looking at the ballroom uncomfortably. They looked like they weren’t in the mood to applaud.

The Demon Lords of the Mountain Faction whispered among each other as they referred to Barbatos and Dantalian by bad names.

“The Lunatic and the Crippled. As expected, aren’t they the perfect combination?”

“One of them spills blood under the sun while the other sucks the blood up under the moon. The Plains Faction possesses quite the impressive leader and advisor.”

Only Sitri was being fidgety as she looked between her fellow faction members and Dantalian over and over again. 

‘Isn’t Dantalian our benefactor who saved Big Sis Paimon’s life?’

She honestly couldn’t understand the current situation.

It was the Mountain Faction that made a preemptive strike. Not the Plains Faction. It wouldn’t have been weird if the Mountain Faction were broken into pieces after taking responsibility. 

‘Shouldn’t we actually be grateful to him? Hnnng.’

If Dantalian didn’t make a magnanimous decision back then, then the Mountain Faction would’ve been disbanded. This was what Sitri believed. She couldn’t understand why her comrades would hate and scorn the person they should’ve been grateful for…….

The applause ended.

Dantalian gave a courteous bow before walking somewhere. He went to where the Neutral Faction was gathered. Several Demon Lords tilted their head as they wondered why a member of the Plains Faction would go to the Neutral Faction.

“Will you grant me your first dance?”

Dantalian had invited a Neutral Faction Demon Lord to dance. The other Demon Lords gasped. Their shock wasn’t surprising. The person who received Dantalian’s invitation━was the head of the Neutral Faction, Rank 5 Demon Lord Marbas.

Demon Lord Marbas was naturally a man. Dantalian had asked a man to dance with him!

“What is he trying to do?”

“Is he sane?”

“He’s gone mad…….”

The sound of shock came from multiple Demon Lords. Even if the demon world was lenient to homosexuals, a male-male duo wasn’t allowed in an official place like a banquet for Demon Lords. No, even if it were allowed, it wasn’t something that Dantalian, who was a mere Rank 71, could possibly do!

Marbas gave Dantalian a vague look.

“Hmm.”

The two Demon Lords communicated with their eyes alone.

Marbas stroked his beard twice before letting out a light laugh.

“Of course. To think that I would be selected as the next beautiful flower after Barbatos, it is an honor.”

“Haha. If Barbatos were not my close friend, then you would have been the first flower.”

“An even greater honor.”

Marbas placed his hand above Dantalian’s. The female Demon Lords started to get excited as they watched the two male Demon Lords walk forward.

“Dear Lord! Look, this is my first time seeing Sir Marbas dance!”

“Wait, wait. Don’t tell me, is Sir Marbas also Dantalian’s lover!?”

“Kya! This is spicy!”

On a side note, there was no better topic than male homosexuals when it came to getting females riled up. Especially if the man was someone as dandy and popular as Marbas. The eyes of the female Demon Lords became ablaze as they discussed ‘who between Marbas and Dantalian took the role as the male’.

The person who seemed to be having the most fun was obviously Barbatos. She was cackling while holding her stomach. Beleth was also pointing at the two Demon Lords and laughing loudly.

“Wooo! Good on you! Keep it up! Keep going!”

“You really suck at leading for a guy!”

The quiet ballroom was now long gone. It didn’t matter whether they were from the Mountain Faction or the Plains Faction as the female Demon Lords cheered. Most of the spectators were watching with interest, but there were some who looked disgusted.

Gamigin was agitated.

With this, the rumor she had started would become pointless. Rumors about whether Marbas and Dantalian had some sort of unique relationship were overwhelmingly more interesting than a rumor about Gamigin and Dantalian being in a relationship.

High society was probably going to be filled with talk about the two male Demon Lords for a while. The rumor Gamigin had devised had vanished before it could even spread…….

* * *

The first night ended with only a banquet and the negotiations were supposed to start on the second night, but━high society was already filled to the brim with discussions about me and Marbas.

“The Neutral Faction is supporting Dantalian.”

“They’re probably planning to take the Plains Faction’s side in the upcoming negotiations.”

Groundless rumors had begun to circulate. There were people who were saying that Marbas wasn’t my lover and that his display at the ballroom the other day was his way of showing that he thought favorably of the Plains Faction.

It was an excessively broad guess, but people seemed to accept this answer more. This felt more natural than saying that it only made sense for Marbas to abruptly start dating Dantalian since he was someone who had lived his entire life without even a single partner…….

Well, this was my intention.

Sir Marbas was indebted to me for multiple things now and I basically forced him to repay it. We didn’t discuss it beforehand, but we naturally came to an agreement. He probably realized what I wanted almost immediately. As expected of the old man with peerless political skills.

Like this, the negotiations started while I was already in a favorable light.

Baal was seated in the mediator seat, but he barely said anything. Just as Barbatos had said, it seemed like Baal really didn’t plan on doing anything other than preparing a place for us to negotiate. Gamigin came out as the representative for the other side while I came out as the representative for our side.

Honestly, this was enough. The air felt heavy with just Baal sitting nearby. Baal had an overwhelming atmosphere about him that prevented people from talking thoughtlessly. Was this what you called years of experience?

“The Plains Faction wasn’t the only group to contribute to the conquering of Habsburg.”

Gamigin continued.

“It was something that was obtained through numerous legions moving together. It’d be troubling if your side suddenly claims to be the regent of Habsburg and swallows up everything~.”

“Are you saying that we should calculate who contributed the most during the war?”

I calmly refuted.

“It was our Plains Faction that faced Habsburg’s main force. It was also our Plains Faction that noticed Paimon’s plan first and crushed it. It would only be appropriate for the land of Habsburg to be given to the Plains Faction. Of course, I am not saying that the other legions should not be rewarded.”

“Hmm~?”

“A sizable amount of the goods gathered in Habsburg will be given to the other legions as compensation. I promise that the reward will be satisfactory.”

Gamigin tilted her head.

“That’s just messing around. Do you think we’re doing this because we don’t have enough gold? Obtaining land of our own on the continent. Only this is important. I’m going to be honest, but the Plains Faction trying to be the heroes of the demon world by themselves is gross.”

“So, what are your demands?”

“The Plains Faction can take 5, while Agares and I will take 2.5 each. How about it? I feel like this would be an appropriate distribution of land.”

I shook my head.

“Let us compromise with the Plains Faction taking 8 while Miss Gamigin and Miss Agares take 1 each.”

“Hmm.”

Gamigin let out a long sound. The Demon Lords in the spectator seats started to buzz.

Gamigin maintained her polite smile as she whispered to me.

“Does the Plains Faction want a war?”

“I will speak without any preamble. Who incurred the most losses during the recent war? Miss Agares and Miss Gamigin may have both led a legion, but everyone knows that the both of you avoided engaging in any direct confrontation with the humans.”

I deliberately spoke so that others could hear.

“Who captured the fortress city of Krems? It was the Plains Faction. Who was it that pursued the surviving members of the Habsburg army after we made Vindobona fall? It was the Plains Faction. Miss Gamigin, you chose to retreat even though the stragglers of Habsburg were right before your eyes.”

“It was a strategical retreat.”

Gamigin maintained her smile as she answered boldly.

“Barbatos lost her army trying to pursue them. I’m not foolish enough to waste my soldiers for such a pointless battle.”

“A pointless battle, was it……?”

I smiled wryly.

“Defeating the humans and creating a world for demonkind on the continent. There will naturally be losses for the sake of this great cause. They are not pointless sacrifices. They are sacrifices that are absolutely necessary. It is through these sacrifices that we were able to capture the northern part of Habsburg. And yet, someone who refused to make sacrifices is trying to take the land of someone who had made sacrifices……. That is quite the splendid mindset. I am in awe.”

“…….”

It was an obvious provocation. The sound of mumbling from the spectators became louder. Did they think I had gone too far?

Of course I would. I have to go too far. I wasn’t here as only one Demon Lord. I was out here as the representative of the Plains Faction as a whole. I’m the Plains Faction.

I can’t be submissive in front of Gamigin who was out here as a single Demon Lord.

“Everyone is misunderstanding and thinking this negotiation is for a power struggle. That is not the case. To all intents and purposes, this is the Plains Faction trying to protect their cause and everyone else arguing to try and make personal gains.”

“Don’t you think you’re being a bit harsh~?”

“It is not harsh at all.”

I answered firmly.

“Look at the Neutral Faction. The Neutral Faction had also retreated instead of proceeding with the pursuit. However, the Neutral Faction did not stay in Habsburg and try to take land for themselves. They instead advanced to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This is what conviction looks like.”

I smirked.

“On the other hand, the attitude Miss Gamigin and Miss Agares have been displaying has honestly been disappointing. The areas you were in charge of were somewhere else, not Habsburg. Why are you not going there? Is it because you do not wish to fight or make sacrifices? I did not know that someone who did not fight or make sacrifices could acquire land…… I do not know when being a Demon Lord had become such an easy job.”

In the end, the negotiations that day fell apart.

Both Gamigin and I refused to take even one step down from our positions. This will probably end with a majority vote between Demon Lords after running in parallel to each other for a while. If that happens, then I was the one with the advantage, not Gamigin.

I planned to prolong the negotiations. I thought it would be fine if it ended with the Plains Faction taking 7 and Gamigin and Agares taking 1.5 each.

However, once I saw Barbatos enter my room with a red face the next day, I realized that something had gone wrong.

“That bitch Agares invaded while we weren’t home.”

“What?”

Barbatos fumed as she shouted.

“She snuck in and pillaged while we were out, that bitch!”

***

TL Note: Thanks for reading the chapter. Uh oh, the overpowered Agares is starting shit. I wonder how they’ll deal with her and also handle the negotiations. On another note, FFXIV Endwalker is coming out soon. If my release speed slows down, you guys will know why :^)

I’ll see you guys in the next chapter.

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