Dungeon Defense (WN)

* * *

‘Calm down.’

Elizabeth closes her eyes and mutters in her mind.

A dark landscape unfolded over her head. In endless black space, only Elizabeth sat on the chair. In front of it, there was an imaginary chessboard.

In Elizabeth's mind, the chessboard meant the continent. Every word had meaning. It was sometimes a symbol of money, sometimes a symbol of a saint, and sometimes a monarch of nations.

The king of the black chess horse pointed to Elizabeth herself.

Meanwhile, the king of the white chess horse…… of course it meant Dantalian.

Sometimes Elizabeth is obsessed with imaginary work in order to organize her thoughts. A light smile was drawn on her mouth.

‘It's been a long time since I felt so comfortable. ’

It's like I went back to my childhood.

At that time, I thought I could use the continent as a chessboard whenever I wanted to. There was confidence, and the summer sunlight poured out in all the time. Even though the steam was hot and harsh surrounding life, it was only a fate that should have been borne if it had grown into the sun.

‘It's been a long time. ’

If things were different from back then, would the excitement that was cheerful disappear and only calmness remain as thick as the background?

‘No nightmares. ’

Elizabeth slowly opens her eyes.

In the landscape of the mind, she looks straight ahead. It was covered in darkness. Like this, the chair was placed on the other side. However, the person sitting in the chair was painted in darker black than the surroundings, so only the contours of the body were barely captured.

“ ─ ─ ─. ”

Started.

Only the right arm rises from the dark, blurry side. My hands were awfully dry and my flesh was weak. The hand grabbed the horse. Took the horse forward and put it on the chessboard.

‘Bribe the emissary with money. ’

Elizabeth stares at the table with her expressionless eyes.

‘…… It's difficult to respond. ’

The Republic was short on budget. Not enough bribes to use in diplomatic warfare. She retaliates against the opposing team and moves her chess horse, but senses that a black army is already being pushed by a white army.

‘It has been for a long time. Dantalian thoroughly attacks the enemy's weaknesses. ’

Elizabeth analyzes the target dozens and hundreds of times. The Black March Battle, the Temple, the Frank Civil War, the Lily War. That's why Elizabeth seemed to have a hazy outline of Dantalian.

‘On the contrary, if you are unclear about the opponent's weakness, you will never attack……. ’

Another arm protrudes from the dark side. As it moves the horse, this soldier is captured.

Elizabeth feels a cold sweat on her forehead.

‘…… and fast. ’

After diplomatic warfare began, I dropped Tuton and Kalmar in less than a full night. It was too fast.

‘Three days to take down the Black Mountains. Seven days to capture Brandenburg. It took only 10 days to take down the Parisian room. ’

When Dantalian took the lead, everything accelerated abnormally.

This characteristic is even more evident when compared to the Lady General Laura de Farnesera, presumed to be the Dantalian's henchman. Fort Heidelberg has been taken down over 11 months. It was too long for Dantalian who strongly preferred fast rope. Long before the fortress fell, Elizabeth realized it wasn't Dantalian's plan.

‘You seem to be suffering from obsession. They're always moving like clockwork. ’

Elizabeth's eyes glow in darkness.

‘…… Why? ’

It is not the strong that suffer time, but the weak.

In war, the strongest take safety seriously and slowly squeeze the opponent. The situation is advantageous, so there is no need to move quickly. In the current situation, Dantalian clearly belonged to the strong. However, I was busy diplomatic warfare about what was so urgent.

‘If we don't settle this quickly, we'll be in trouble. Empire. Or there is a potential threat to the Demon King's army. Possibly an explosion and potential threat if we don't resolve this winter. ’

Elizabeth grabs the chess horse.

‘Am I wrong?' ’

The heavy chess horse lands on the board.

Mobilize the holy women of the continent. That was the meaning of this one.

If Dantalian uses his opponent's weakness, there's no reason not to act the same way. The Demon King's army had no religious symbols worthy of opposing the Holy Spirit. Even if it's a repentant blow.

“ ……. ”

Was he paralyzed by a surprise attack?

A shadow covered in black gazes silently at the chessboard. There was no response for a moment. The Shadow Arm slowly moves. Elizabeth frowns at the opponent's offer.

‘Long Gwi of Brittany. ’

The opposing Pokémon also counteracts unexpected attacks.

Longgwi rather criticized the other saints. God insisted that all men are equally servants of the gods, transcending identity, gender and race, if they want eternal peace.

‘Excellent.'

In a holy woman, we face her as a holy woman. Simple and effective

The people of the continent will be shocked just by the divided opinion of the saints. Which saint is right. People will think and wonder what the problem is. At least now we can't blame the Empire unconditionally.

‘But Yonke convinced Henrietta. ’

Henrietta is losing her support among the nobles. You would have taken advantage of it.

‘As Henrietta's support disappears, it causes the Longevity Lady to be supported by the public instead. As a result, if the popular Longevity Lady supports Henrietta again, Henrietta will recover quite a bit of lost folk……. ’

Elizabeth quickly scans the chessboard.

Where? In what way do you plan to make the princess popular? How did you convince her?

‘Frank's central and southern cities. ’

Elizabeth's gaze was fixed on a chessboard.

‘There is a telephone between the two forces. We need a narrow box to mediate them. I would normally try to mediate in the Habsburg Empire.... You've conceded that role to the Longgwi Lady. It's a great trick. ’

Elizabeth smiles faintly.

‘Frank's southern side is more colorful than its northern counterparts. There is no great hostility in Brittany. If Henrietta chooses to mediate herself, she will rebel, but the story changes when the saint moves. ’

The saint girl went beyond national hatred and acted as a symbol of peace.

Elizabeth has made her decision.

‘Now that the Longgwi girl is here, it is to show her face. ’

If things go on like this, Lady Longgwi will have a very plausible reputation.

First, the Longgwi girl insisted on peace beyond discrimination between humans and the Horses.

Second, the Longgwi girl led peace across the borders of Brittany and Frank.

Third, even the Longgwi girl has been taken captive by the Demon King's army and is also the Virgin of Brittany. Nevertheless, he had a peace policy in favour of the Demon Lord and Frank.

This is why it seems that the Longgwi Lady truly loves peace.

‘Is it the birth of a true saint? ’

And she sits next to Enrieta, who fell just before the crash.

This was the script that Dantalian used to persuade Queen Henrietta and the Longevity Lady.

"The Demon King made a saint. What's more, I'm going to be praised for being a true saint! Dantalian, is that your tool? How far are you willing to go to mock and mock humanity? ’

Elizabeth stares at the black shadow sitting over there.

In her view, Dantalian was truly born to blaspheme mankind. They denied humanity's sacred alliance against the Wall Alliance. You have insulted the Great Kingdom. Now this loathsome Demon King tried to corrupt even humanity's faith.

Elizabeth clutches at the chess horse.

‘This time it will not go your way. ’

Drive the Longgwi Lady. Elizabeth frankly admitted that it was such a great relief. But, and she thought,

‘You have shown weakness, Demon King...! ’

The place where Dantalian was given false names and false priesthood was the Artemis of the Republic of Batavia. The Demon King had a secret relationship with Batavia.

‘Even in the last war, Batavia was with us. In other words, Batavia and you are not usually intimate. It would have been easier to move Batavia than to move Brittany again. ’

But I didn't.

Dantalian has made Brittany his partner in this diplomatic war. Why?

There was only one answer.

"Dantalian, you are misaligned with the Republic of Batavia!" ’

This explains why Dantalian is in such a hurry in the Diplomatic War. A potential threat to the Empire or the Demon King's army, it was not only the Republic of Batavia.

‘Batavia should have been the first to support you in this diplomatic war. But Batavia has remained neutral to this day. ’

Here, Elizabeth takes one more step.

The Republic of Batavia sent me an official letter not long ago. I will hold a meeting to discuss Republicanism, so please join me in Habsburg.

At first, Elizabeth considered this to be the devil's cunning scheme. I suspected that he was trying to discriminate the Republicans from the Republicans by calling them Republicans.

However, Dantalian's response led to a completely different interpretation.

‘Republican meetings do not divide humanity, but divide the Democratic army. I don't know why, but at least Dantalian thinks so. ’

That is.

‘Inside the Demon Prince, the Republicans and the anti-Republicans started a conflict. ’

Elizabeth smiles in contrition.

She stares straight ahead.

‘You have no control over the Republicans of the Democratic Army. There is at least one force against you in the Demon King's army. How are you, King of Winter? - Is this your weakness? ’

There was silence like death.

In-young, who was just black and dark, grew brighter. I can see my fingertips, my wrist is bare, my forearm comes out, and then I can see my whole body.

A shadow is drawn and an opponent sits across from you appears.

The Demon King Dantalian.

Elizabeth's sharp intuition tells us that she got the answer right. You have finally surpassed Dantalian!

‘I got it...! ’

As soon as I learned what the other party was afraid of, I no longer hesitated with Elizabeth.

Diplomatic warfare didn't matter anymore. I will deal with you appropriately, and I will concentrate all my abilities on the Republican delegation that will take place in the late winter! That's where we'll find clues to bring the Dantalians down.

That was the moment Elizabeth would rejoice.

“ ……? ”

There is still a part of the other that the shadow of the black man has not disappeared. It was a face.

The face is still covered in black, so you can't tell what the other person's face looks like or what gaze looks like on the chessboard.

‘…… wait a minute. ’

Elizabeth realized.

"If you just want to give a friendly hand to the continental royalty, you don't have to win a perfect diplomatic war. ’

I invite envoys to the Empire. Treat them flexibly. That should be enough. There was no reason for Dantalian to pursue such a perfect victory.

‘I'm not just being chased by situations...? ’

What's the rush?

You must be in a good position.

‘ ……! ’

Suddenly, Elizabeth feels a current running down her spine.

At that moment, all imaginary work collapsed. The chessboard disappears. The shadow evaporates. Elizabeth's eyes widen. The dark space was already gone, but there was a familiar view of the bureau.

Quiet office.

In the middle, Elizabeth mutters blankly.

“... are you considering yourself an acronym? ”