Dungeon Defense (WN)

“If only you had sincerely apologized. ”

Marvas succeeds. I felt exhausted in my voice.

“It's almost impossible, but nevertheless, Barbatos. If only you had fallen to your knees in front of Pymon's chair and apologized. Nothing would have happened to our neutral party. Without your taunt in the first place, the plain and the mountains wouldn't have collided. ”

“ ……. ”

“Haven't you noticed? No, I couldn't even try to realize... …. ”

Marvas sighs.

“We have called in the Grand Dukes personally to verify their authenticity. The Grand Dukes have testified that you were deeply involved in the assassination, and it didn't take much time to find out that it wasn't a lie. Understood, Barbato. ”

Marvas grunts.

“Before the summons today, Citri had already known everything. ”

“ ……. ”

“But Citri only asked for an apology instead of accusing you. I've given you one last chance. You shed tears and pressed your heart to put a knife in your chest, allowing you and the Plains one chance. ”

Marvas spoke lovingly, but the language was not being conveyed. Barbato was only looking at me. I was pleading with a shaky look in my eyes.

It's not too late now. Anything is good. Anything is good.

Please, just deny that you betrayed me.

That's what Barbato was saying.

I said without avoiding Barbato's gaze.

“Lord Marvas. Thank you for taking the role of Chairman for a moment. I'm going to resign, but I'm going to do it again. I want you to return the right to preside over tonight. ”

“…… I admit. You have the right to hold a meeting. Permission to speak and right to ban. The right to vote on an agenda. The right to postpone and destroy meetings. All rights reserved. ”

“Thank you.”

And then this. Everything depends on what I say.

Barbato was a wise woman. She's already fully aware of how things are going. Nevertheless, he gave me an opportunity to explain. I was running out of opportunities to deny the current situation.

The things that we have been building up have been piled up in this moment.

‘Rude bastard. If you're going to visit a lady's house, you need to communicate with her before you get here. ’

‘You're as young as a dried sardine. When I was your age, Bob, three days and nights of playtime never stopped. ’

Friendship.

‘Okay, I'll cooperate. War? I wish. Sacrifice? I would've given up on that if it was in my nature. Anything for a single moment of honorable war. I am the Demon King.’

‘Well, our bag of tricks, the Weasel Demon King, the half-Dantalian. How many other bad tricks have you done this time? Will you raise your hand so confidently? ’

Trustworthy.

‘Comrades, as you can see, I had him pegged. I coughed him up beforehand, so if you want to take him away, I'll beat him up nice and gentle. You and I are gonna go one-on-one, and you're gonna turn your back on that confident bastard. ’

‘... I really am the best, right? ’

‘Please stay with me. Don't leave me alone anymore... ’

Bound.

Even time was unbearable, and the weight was pressing between us. Everything was in this moment. I took that weight with my whole body and opened my lips. And as I moved the tip of my tongue, as if a single string of strings were torn out by an evil hand - something that was connecting the two of us was cut off without a sound.

“Barbatos, the noble Duke of Luxembourg, the Grand Chamberlain of the Empire, and the crimes of plotting and executing the assassination of the Demon King Pymon. I crown you on the throne of Bohemia. ”

“ ……. ”

“This has already been unanimously agreed by four pre-emptive persons. There is no defense. The entire Demon King of the Faction is imprisoned, not only because the sinner is the leader of the Faction. Accordingly, any status they have will also be declared not to be recognized as part of this time today. ”

One lump.

A single tear falls from Barbato's eyes.

“I believed, but I was.... ”

“ ……. ”

“I'm the best..." you said... ”

I slowly raise my right hand to Barbatos' neck. My hands are as close as I can get to tightening white throats right now, but Barbato doesn't even flinch. Not just because Marvas' sword threatens her.

─ Crash!

I snatched the jewelry from her neck in a heartbeat.

A necklace worn by Barbatos. It was a necklace stitched with my fingers. The string of necklaces you handed to Barbatos under your eternal love, light and broken. Two fingers fall to the ground as the thread that supports them disappears.

I gave the order.

“All hands, cut off the horns of the prisoners. ”

The Neutral Demon Kings immediately entered into action.

To the Demon King, horns were a source of life and magic, along with the heart. So, the smaller the horn, the more he was treated as a worthless Demon King. The reason I used to be called the Half-Bait King was because I had one horn that wasn't the devil himself for some reason.

“Ugh… you guys…! ”

“You still think you're safe, Dantalian! Curse you! I swear on my blood, I will curse you forever! ”

The Phantom Demon Kings struggled.

The Demon King prides himself on his horns. Losing it was worse than death. Just before, they were punished with the most terrible punishment by me, who they thought was a trusted colleague.

The Phantom Demon Kings resisted to the end, but were already wounded. They rest their heads on hard, cold stone floors. The Neutral Demon Kings overwhelmed them and easily cut off their horns. The sound of a thumping, giant horn falling from everywhere is heard in a row.

“Why... Dantalian, why did you betray me...?" ”

Brother Zephar falls to the ground and is oppressed, barely shaking his head and staring this way. His face was blurred with shock and humiliation.

“I loved the Plains more than anyone! ”

My whole body was chopped off and I lost my right arm, but Zephyr's guard shook in horror.

“Your Excellency, I thought you loved King Barbatos! Answer me, Dantalian! Answer me...! ”

“No, Commander Zephar. Not at all.”

I put my hand on Barbato's shoulder. And I looked at him and said coldly.

“I never loved the Plains. I never loved Barbados. You're a romantic, unlike you. Love. Don't you think you're getting too old for that? ”

A smile came out of my mouth. It was an unintended laugh. But it was adequate. My ability to act with blood and sweat has already reached the level of instinctively choosing the right path, regardless of my intentions.

“I honestly thought it was annoying. All you have to do is open your mouth to Barbato, Barbato, Barbato.... Are you incapable of reflecting and acting on your own? I still don't understand the way of thinking. ”

“Well... ”

“All I can think about is how to start a war. At the same time as the future of Barbatos, I was so sick of you. ”

I stroked Barbato's cheek with my right hand. Tears flowed past me, leaving a faint mark on the palm of my hand.

“Look, it's Barbatos you've been worshipping. The warrior's fame is nothing short of prestige, but the method he used to kill the enemy Pymon was a cowardly assassination... I couldn't even keep my beliefs. ”

Suddenly, something wet my hand back. I did not turn my head, but I knew it was Barbatos' tears.

― ― It was okay.

Whatever it took, I could get it to the end.

“And yet you still carry honor? I'm amazed to see a murderer masquerading as an aesthetic for his crimes. ”

“Get your filthy hands off me! The President couldn't have done such an assassination! ”

“Oh, you think it's a trap. ”

I shook my head.

“That's too bad. You'll find many things comforting to believe that this is a plot. ”

“How long will you mock us...! ”

“I see. Consider it a bluff. I have dishonored Barbatos with lies, and I assure you that the Neutral Party has agreed to share lies, including His Holiness Marvas here. ”

Brother Zephar's expression stopped.

Yes, it was natural not to trust me as a traitor. But you know that too, Jeopardy. Marvas was never a great man to cause such falsehood....

Noble Demon King Marvas, ruler of the absolute court, the fairest and noblest of all Demons. In the last two thousand years, he has never been on the side of a false slander. The fact that Marvas supported my accusation itself gave me overwhelming credibility…….

Zephar bites and shouts.

“Ridiculous...... It can't be! ”

The air is gushing. The poison of suspicion is spreading. A belief that Barbatos would never have done such an assassination. But at the same time, the trust Marvas has demonstrated and demonstrated over many years. Two of them collided head-on.

“I didn't think so. Commander Zephar. I trusted Barbatos to the end, too. Even as Pymon was dying of blood in my arms, I did not suspect Barbato……. ”

“ ……. ”

“After I learned the truth, I said to Barbato, Apologize to Citri. If you can't officially apologize, at least apologize through a bypass. ”

It was a obvious lie.

But if it's impossible to prove a lie, it's already politically true.

“Bypass method…… no way……. ”

“Yes, today was the call for a bypass apology. Commander Zephar said he would apologize, but that didn't mean anything. It was something that Barbato had to apologize for. ”

I was struck again by the shock on his face. In his mind, the events of the past few days and conversations are being reorganized completely differently.

“You got us into this without a clue, Captain. It was embarrassing.”

“ ……. ”

“Of course, just because the commander stepped out didn't mean Barbatos lost his chance to apologize. But as you can see, Barbato didn't want to give you an apple here today, he wanted to exterminate the mountain tribe. ”

I smiled dry. My laughter sounded dreadful as I rode on the dome. Lightning struck long ago. Now it's only a matter of time before the thunder kicks in.

“It's not a sin to be forgiven. It's an unforgivable sin.... and all of you, including Barbatos, will be beheaded in the square under the watchful eye of the citizens of Mahjong. ”

The faces of the Phantom Demon Kings were distorted without cause.