Dungeon Defense (WN)

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There are many inconveniences in this world. One of them being music. There are occasional moments in life when music is needed. It would be perfect if Georges Bizet’s Habanera were resonating playfully throughout the room right now. Or maybe even Maurice Ravel’s Bolero! I wanted to take Laura by the hand and dance. What can I do when there’s no way to listen to music? I made do by humming.

“Why anarchy? Why does Your Lordship want anarchy?”

“Solely for the sake of survival.”

I spoke while doing my best to not lose the rhythm of the music.

“As you know well, I am weak. I have no power to strengthen. Compared to me, how are the other Demon Lords? How are the human nations? They are much too powerful. There is a need for them to drop into a swamp and fall into chaos.”

“And Your Lordship will strengthen your forces while that is happening…….”

That’s right.

Barbatos has my intentions completely wrong. She thinks that I’m intentionally lowering the number of Demon Lords for the sake of the Crescent Alliance’s success. That’s wrong. Why would I foolishly let the Crescent Alliance succeed!? The Crescent Alliance must succeed and fail at the same time so that both the human and Demon Lord forces create an exquisite balance.

Once an armistice is established between the Plains Faction, the Mountain Faction, and the third imperial princess, Demon Lord Barbatos will immediately become the owner of a small piece of land on the continent. Demons Lords and human monarchs aren’t so stupid that they would fail to understand the significance of this……This would undoubtedly appear like a golden opportunity for the villainous heroes of anarchy. Humans and demons will cooperate indiscriminately for the sake of either obtaining more land or protecting their land. 

It’ll be hard to start, but it should become simple afterward. If the third imperial princess and the commander of the 6th legion cooperate and display that they’re able to obtain a tangible profit, then the other monarchs will scramble to their abacuses. You don’t have to worry about the monarchs who are unable to dive into anarchy because they’re afraid of public opinion. I’ll gladly kick their heavy rears. It’ll be a special service. Please do enjoy it since it’s free.

Laura gazed at me with eyes as deep as the ocean.

“Humans and demons will die in countless numbers.”

“That is what I want. I want them to die and die some more.”

“Numerous tragedies will unfold. Commoners will wander the land after losing their families and companions.”

“How unfortunate. I can cry for them. I might cry so much that I dry up. However, my tears are not the tears of a noble.”

Commoners are not weak. Anarchy is an opportunity for commoners as well. Revolt as much as you want. Start as many revolutions as you desire. Carry out an uprising. The era will become that intense and that much profit will return to me.

I know. In <Dungeon Attack>, the human world consists of Royalists and Republicans. I will light a fire on that side as well. For example, what would happen if I published a book similar to the Communist Manifesto under an anonymous name? How will the era respond to a book that it cannot withstand? It might simply be buried. It could also result in something completely unexpected……. It’s definitely something worth testing.

“Has your impression of me changed?”

“No, I was simply confirming Your Lordship’s resolve.”

“Dear me. I have a disrespectful vassal who tests their own lord.”

Well, I did get dizzy by the smell of burning human flesh a short while ago. Laura must’ve wanted to test my resolve at least once.

“Your Lordship is twisted. You are someone who does not hesitate to do the cruelest thing in order to survive, but you end up shedding tears when you actually witness it for yourself. People must be bold to a certain degree in order to maintain their sense of self. This is not my fault, this is a tragedy which they have incurred upon themselves. You have to be bold like this.”

Laura took a step towards me.

“However, Your Lordship said this to me. On the day we first met, you claimed that this was the arrogance of the strong. A privilege that only the strong can enjoy. If this is the case, then what art of living does the weak have left……? They have no other choice but to stare directly at the horrors they have created. They cannot cover it with an excuse or rationalize it as they must take in the tragedies in their entirety. And yet, they must continue forward without being crushed under the weight. Is this sort of attitude possible? Can it be maintained?”

She took another step.

“Your Lordship is not alone. I am walking this path with you. However, this is a forest path which no one else has ever walked before. It is a path where straw shoes are chafed by thorns. Lord, this young lady is afraid that our future may be smeared by some plausible rhetoric in the end.”

“That is why I have chosen anarchy. Nothing has been determined. There are no safety measures to help you back up. We have no other choice but to prove our method of life.”

We quietly clinked our cups together. The sound of glass couldn’t shatter the silence of the office. If anything, it deepened the silence. In the center of this silence, we spoke.

“To Dantalian.”

“To Laura De Farnese.”

We slowly tilted our glasses. Slowly, but without stop, we drank the whiskey while giving each other sidelong glances. Once our mouths were decently filled, no initiative was necessary as our mouths overlapped. Her sweet alcohol flowed down my throat.

From this point on, we will cut across the center of anarchy. If I were alone, then there’s a high chance that I would lose my way. But if there are two people, if the number of people to walk together increases from three to four and beyond that, then the path through the sea of trees will be trodded on more and more until it eventually becomes a single, respectable boulevard.

How unfortunate, Barbatos. You think that I am simply a Demon Lord. You trust me fully. You believe that I’m a comrade who’s walking towards the same ideal as you. However, I would gain nothing even if the Crescent Alliance succeeded immediately. You’ve overlooked this fact……. Please continue to overlook this.

Traditionally, a lover is similar to a beautiful rose to a monarch. The number of monarchs that have fallen into ruin throughout history due to their lovers is insurmountable. As long as you’ve made me into your lover, you must be resolved to have your name included in those history books. 

Well, we are still good allies right now. At the moment, we have to take care of the margraves, the crown prince, and their united imperial armies. This battle will most likely become the skirmish to open the curtains to anarchy. Let’s try to get along for now.

* * *

“Brother! What is the meaning of this!?”

A girl threw open the door to the crown prince’s personal office. She was the third imperial princess of the Habsburg Empire, Elizabeth. The guards couldn’t possibly try to stop the imperial princess as they followed behind her helplessly. Even if you’re a part of the imperial family, you normally aren’t allowed to enter the crown prince’s personal office without permission; however, anyone who stood even remotely in her way or tried to stop her were met with, ‘I am here to discuss a serious matter related to the empire! Are you trying to control the fate of the empire!?’. Thus, they couldn’t do anything.

“Dear me, Earl Evatriae. You should maintain your dignity as a noble.”

The young man seated in a chair let out a sigh. It was a sigh that mocked the other party. The young man who had become 26-years-old this year was the crown prince of the Habsburg Empire, Rudolf von Habsburg.

“It is because you act rashly like this that the public opinion of the imperial family has been becoming worse by the day.”

“If we were to discuss the degree of rashness, then I could not possibly hold a candle to you, Brother.”

Imperial Princess Elizabeth walked over to the Crown Prince with wide strides. She then slammed her hand down on his table. A single piece of paper was pinned under her palm.

Crown Prince Rudolf raised his right brow.

“What is it?”

“It is about the composition of the imperial army that will face the Crescent Alliance. The names of the generals participating in this expedition are written here. Let me ask you this again, Brother. What is the meaning of this? Half of the main army is not written here!”

Rudolf gave the Imperial Princess a pitying gaze.

“Is it not obvious? Who will protect the capital if all of our forces are dispatched? It would only make sense to leave behind half.”

“Defend the capital, you say?”

The Imperial Princess snickered.

“Every nation is being invaded by the Crescent Alliance. What sort of nation would fall into madness during this time to invade another nation? This is the safest the empire has ever been from the other nations thanks to the Demon Lords.”

“It is exactly for that reason.”

Rudolf spoke confidently.

“Everyone would think like that. No one would think that a monarch would try to attack another human nation while the Crescent Alliance is invading. This is common sense, after all. However, this sort of situation would undoubtedly appear like a golden opportunity for underhanded rulers. If we empty the capital simply due to the belief that the other nations wouldn’t dare to attack us during these trying times, then we would basically be asking for them to strike us on the back of the head.”

“Hah! Invade another nation when they are already struggling to defend their own nations? That ruler would be insane. I cannot imagine that such an individual could have become the ruler of a nation.”

Despite the Imperial Princess’ clearly mocking tone, the Crown Prince answered back in a casual manner.

“I believe the same; however, how could one possibly see through the veils of the world? This is simply a precaution. It is the responsibility of the one who has inherited the throne to consider every single possibility. Earl Evatriae, do not irrationally complain about this matter anymore.”

A possibility, is it? Imperial Princess Elizabeth snorted.

There’s a limit to how much you can bury your head like an ostrich. Every single general that belongs to the Imperial Princess’ faction was excluded from the list of participants announced by the Crown Prince for the expeditionary force. He claims that it’s for the sake of protecting the capital, but even a mere child would be able to see that there’s political reasoning to this. The Crown Prince’s intentions were as clear as day. He was trying to take all the glory of defeating the Demon Lords.

It has been 200 years since the last Crescent Alliance. The opportunity to seize a radiant token as the ‘royal who had saved humanity from calamity’ had presented itself for the first time in 200 years. The Crown Prince didn’t try to hide his greed. Normally, he would include at least two or three generals from the Imperial Princess’ faction in order to save face, but he made the expeditionary force consist of only his men. In this situation where the entire imperial army probably wouldn’t be enough to face this threat to mankind, he brought upon an internal discord all for the sake of distinguishing himself. The Imperial Princess wanted to spit on his foolishness.

“Very well, then. This lady knows very well how tactically capable you are, so I will quietly submit to your decision.”

“……Are you mocking me!?”

The Crown Prince slammed both his hands down on his desk as he stood up. His face was slightly red.

Three years ago, there was a time when the Crown Prince advanced as the supreme commander in order to suppress a revolt that had started in one of the provinces. Even though his army was twice the size of the rebel forces, the Crown Prince still lost. Naturally, the rebel forces became high-spirited after their victory. The third imperial princess, who at the time was 14-years-old, wiped out the rebels with an army 3 times smaller than theirs. This incident plummeted the crown prince’s honor to the dirt while surging the imperial princess’ military prowess up to the sky. Elizabeth was mocking Rudolf by implicitly referencing that incident.

“You are acting high and mighty for someone who came in like a mutt and took down the foes that I had weakened beforehand……!”

“Interesting. After your defeat, four barons and seven viscounts joined the rebel forces. If you simply consider their manpower, then their forces had increased by two times. As someone who is short of knowledge, I do not know which book on tactics refers to raising enemy numbers by two times as having weakened them.”

Rudolf swung his hand. The sound of flesh coming in contact with flesh resonated.

“…….”

The attendants and guards around them were taken aback. Rudolf had just slapped the imperial princess. The imperial princess’ neck didn’t turn even remotely in response to Rudolf’s slap which contained all his strength. She simply continued to gaze at the crown prince coldly.

“Get out of here! The fate of the country relies on military strategy! You have committed the crime of going against our principals when not only our nation, but the fate of mankind is on the line, and, although it would not be satisfying even if I were to punish you now, I will overlook this transgression since we are siblings!”

Elizabeth and Rudolf glared at each other for a moment. It was the imperial princess who turned her gaze away first. She turned away without hesitation and her dress fluttered like a mantle as she left the office. The crown prince fumed as he sat back down. He vented his anger.

“That hypocritical bitch!”

She probably came here because she wanted achievements as well. Despite that, she hid her intentions by using words like tactics and whatnot. The crown prince despised Elizabeth. There are plenty of foolish and blind people in the empire! What about that girl is so impressive that she’s praised as the last hope of the empire!?

Even if she’s a little smart, she’s still a woman. All she has to do is obediently serve under him, the crown prince. Her sister also didn’t know her place and tried to climb up. It wasn’t until after he shoved his penis into her vagina a couple of times before she realized her place and committed suicide.

Since she’s the little sister of that woman, the crown prince came to the conclusion that he should utilize the same method. Once this expedition succeeds, his faction will become overwhelmingly superior. No one would try to shelter the imperial princess. He’ll go to her at that time and make her realize her place. She may be an arrogant bitch, but her looks are impressive. There should be some merit in kindly educating her. The crown prince calmed his rage as he looked forward to the future.

***

TL Note: Thanks for reading the chapter. I’m slowly losing things to do as the semester draws to an end and my graduation approaches. Oh God, I’m not prepared.

Here’s to another chapter while I’m going through a mental struggle. See you guys on the next chapter.