Chapter 6 - Volume 1 (1/2)
Dungeon Defense: Volume 1 – Chapter 3 (Part 3)
Chapter 3 – Faceless Disease (Part 3)
▯Weakest Demon Lord, Rank 71st, Dantalian
Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 6, Day 20
Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle
“…… Does your highness plan to stay in bed all day today as well?”
“If you think that I’m not doing anything just because I’m lying in bed, then you are heavily mistaken. Despite the way I am, the fate of the universe is being spread out in my head.”
Two months had already passed.
Ever since I had borrowed the gold, I had spent the past 2 months plainly doing things at my leisure. It had already become a daily routine for Lapis Lazuli to come find me and start sighing.
“The piled interest is already no less than 2,000 Libra.”
“Ah, this book is quite enjoyable.”
I was flipping through a book while lying down. The title of the book was <Chronicles of the Great Demon Lords and the Custom Laws That Were Derived From Them>.
The reason why I was reading this kind of literature was simple.
The information I had of this world was heavily leaned towards one side.
<Dungeon Attack> was a game where you played in the shoes of the human hero. Thanks to that, I may have been knowledgeable about the humans and their society, but I was ridiculously ignorant regarding the demon world.
At most, there was a vampire heroine that falls for the protagonist and thus surrenders to him. But that was it. That heroine never went into details about the demon world.
Well. It just meant that I had to study it on my own.
“Hoh. In this world, for a Demon Lord to attack another Demon Lord, they must have at least sent a declaration of war two times, huh. What a pointless place to stick to formality. Although, it is an impressive mean to prevent war. Hm, hm.”
“If your highness continues to not take any measures like this, your highness will end up bankrupting within 3 months. Please be aware, your highness.”
“I want to eat some ice cream—”
“……”
She had probably realize that this side was completely ignoring her.
Lapis Lazuli pressed her forehead with her index finger and thumb. Although her face was still emotionless, I could judge by her mood that she was receiving a lot of stress.
I gave her a bold-faced smile.
“Do not worry. Since all the preparation is already complete.”
“…… My apologies, your highness. Excluding the order that your highness had given this one two months ago, has your highness done anything else?”
“That was all the preparation needed.”
About 50 days ago.
I had made Lapis Lazuli purchase a certain herb in mass. Right now, it was a plant that most people would only look at to be merely a useless piece of greenery. However, I knew the future.
The current date was year 1505 on the Empire calendar.
This summer, an infectious disease will occur and spread across the entire continent.
In the future this disease will be known as the Black Death and spread throughout the continent as the symbol of fear. Nearly 40% of the entire population on the continent will be wiped out, making it so that calling it a nightmare wouldn’t be even remotely close to describing the event. In Dungeon Attack, the game started around the time that the Black Death had already past…… to be exact, the game story started in the year 1515 on the Empire calendar.
A tragedy yet to have arrived. It was something I shouldn’t be concerned with, right? The interesting part was what came next.
This plague, surprisingly, had a cure.
The name was plainly ‘Black Herb’. Since it cured the Black Death, it was thus called Black Herb. The people of this world had a dreadful naming sense. They’d probably give an illegitimate child a better name.
‘Angel’s Herb’, ‘Goddess’ Mercy’, ‘Apollon’s Liver’, these kind of glittering nicknames followed after. However, this was also talk of the future. The summer of 1505 on the Empire calendar, before the plague had arrived, this Black Herb was simply a weed. In many regions, this was a plant that didn’t even have the honor of having a name.
That was it.
A weed.
It was a piece of greenery with absolutely no monetary value—
I, using all 10,000 gold coins, invested into this plant.
Truthfully, it was easy.
First, I made a contract with the smaller merchant firms around the continent. Next, through the smaller firms, I was able to form a contract with the pharmacists spread throughout the land. And finally, the pharmacists hired herb gatherers from cities and villages. Instantly, a three-way contract was signed. The broker and transportation fee for the small firms, 2,000 gold coins. The pharmacy fee and herb gatherers’ personnel expenses, 6,000 gold coins. In addition, in order to be able to keep the herbs as fresh as possible, I had obtained a semi-permanent storage of the highest quality.
I was still not used to this world’s customs, but it was fine. I planned big wherever I was. All the detailed(lazy) affairs were handled by Lapis Lazuli as a proxy.
The person to go around making contracts with the small firms and pharmacists was not myself, but Lapis Lazuli. Some could say we were a good match. We were quite the amazing combination.
People who didn’t know the inside story would probably burst out in laughter if they saw this.
He had borrowed 10,000 Libra and we were curious as to see what he would do with it, but would you look at that. He bought a bunch of plants that weren’t even used to eat, and was storing them as if they were some sort of treasure.
Lapis Lazuli had tipped me off on what the executives at the firm were saying, ‘That’s the biggest joke I’ve heard all year’, they said and laughed their heads off, is what she told me.
Demon Lord Dantalian’s antics were even the talk of the town.
‘The foolish act of the lowest and crazy Demon Lord.’
‘10,000 gold coins worth of bullshit.’
‘Throwing his life away just for some attention!’
etc etc
I was incredibly pleased.
To be able to put laughter into other people’s lives with such trifling matters. Was this not the true fruits of life? Besides, we all lived an endlessly hard and dry life. If I was able to put a smile on these people’s faces then I could not be more happy.
Was I serious?
That’s why I’ll be making it more interesting.
Not the best joke you’ve heard all year, but the best joke you will ever hear in your entire life. ‘The plant that we thought was just a weed was actually as rare as a jewel!’, that was the kind of ending that awaited. If you had common sense, then you could only laugh till your insides shook.
“I truly am curious as to what face you will show me in a month.”
“Pardon?”
“Since you display no emotions all year round. It’ll be alright for you to look forward to it. I will most certainly make you laugh.”
“…… This one does not understand what your highness is talking about.”
“Wait patiently and you will know everything.”
While rolling around on my bed, I giggled.
Was it because I had teased her a bit too much. A notice popped up.
[Merchant Lapis Lazuli’s affection went down by 1.]
Oh dear. With this, Lapis Lazuli’s affection had become 0. It had been dropping since 2 months ago, and now it had finally reached the bottom. A stranger would probably treat me better than her now.
“Apologies, but this one shall make her leave here. There are a lot of paperwork from the firm that has been pushed back.
Lapis Lazuli coldly turned her back towards me.
“Ah, Lala.”
“What is it?”
“Take this with you.”
I tossed her a piece of parchment.
Lapis Lazuli received the note with both hands.
“…… your highness. This is?”
I gave her a playful wink.
“It is fine to not return to my castle for the time being. Instead, go to that location and look at the situations there. Since you will discover something interesting.”
After Lapis Lazuli gave me a gaze full of a suspicion, she soon departed.
That piece of paper was the last trap. Lapis Lazuli will most likely realize the existence of the trap much later. I look forward to that day.
▯Keuncuska Merchant, Mixed Blood, Lapis Lazuli
Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 6, Day 27
Syracuse Relaxation Hot Springs
“Haa……”
Sighs kept coming out. I wonder how many times that made it now.
The great Keuncuska executive candidate, Lapis Lazuli, was currently at a hot springs. It was a place where the citizens enjoyed to take baths. Men and women were proudly walking in front of me in the nude.
Although I’m saying this, I too was unclothed. Men would stroll through the halls and look this way with an obscene gaze. Their eyes were incredibly unpleasant…… I wanted to crush the eyes of each and every one of these men.
Hot springs were not only a place for relaxation, but it was a type of love area as well. In other words, you could say people were dating in the nude.
A man and a woman would go into a spring and naturally start to philander. It was a kind of culture. Even now, I could hear the sound of moaning over on the side…… I was desperately keeping my head turned away.
“Haa.”
Another sigh.
There was a reason, that was so simple that is was shocking, to why I was here in Syracuse, the southmost area in the continent. In the note that his highness Dantalian had passed onto me had contained strange words.
Sardinia Kingdom, Syracuse, Citizen Bathhouse, Clinic
Starting point
Joint pain, high temperature, skin turning black
At glance, if one had no context then it’d appear like some code.
His highness Dantalian had been mentioning a disease for the past two months now. At the time, I had misunderstood that it was just his highness purposely saying nonsense. However, after seeing him write this note and pass it on to me, it seemed he was actually serious about it…… This was a joke, right? Anyone was fine, so please tell me this was a joke.
Was that so. Was there no one.
“Haa.”
I had sighed for the third time already.
Diseases themselves were not rare. Regardless, to predict when and where a disease would appear? In addition to that, to also already know what the cure to that disease was? That was impossible. That was why it was natural that the executives were treating his highness as a madman.
Honestly, it may had have been a little amount, but I had hopes.
His highness, who was once helpless but had overcome a life or death situation, to be reborn as a true Demon Lord…… That kind of folktale-like story, it may have been a small amount, but I had hopes for it.
But rank 71st.
Was he just an idiot that was beyond remedy.
Demon Lord Dantalian really did absolutely nothing after having bought all those plants. He only rolled around on his newly bought bed like a child. It was honestly pathetic.
“Ooh. Lady, you’re quite the pretty one.”
A pedestrian who was also using the bath tried to talk to me.
I was currently using magic to disguise myself as a human. It may had been magic but it was nothing impressive. I had only changed my hair color to red. Succubus were a demonic race, but their outer appearance was pretty much identical to that of a human. I was able to simply conceal my identity.
“How ’bout it, in a single pool for 3 silver…… euut!?”
“……”
I looked into the man’s eyes for a moment.
He had probably mistaken me for some prostitute working in this bath, so I had returned him a cold gaze. As soon as we made eye contact he had taken a step back.
It seems that there was a peculiar murderous intent hidden in my eyes. There were not a lot of people who were able to stare me straight in the face. As the person directly involved, I didn’t understand that well.
“S-Sorry. I mistook you for someone else. Have a nice day!”
The man hastily ran back out to the halls.
His fleshy waist shook violently as he ran. It was pathetic. How could he have expected to buy me with 3 silver coins with a body like that. At the very least 10 gold. If he did not offer that much then an exchange itself couldn’t possibly be established. No matter how I looked, men who couldn’t judge their appearance objectively were all shabby.
I turned my steps towards the clinic of the hot springs. There were many patients here who got admitted believing in the effects of the hot springs. If perhaps, in a one in a million chance, his highness Dantalian’s prediction about the disease was correct, then this was the starting point.
“Ah. What can we do for you, ma’am?”
The doctors welcomed me. They thought I was the daughter of some noble family. That a pure maiden, ignorant of worldly affairs, was coming to do volunteer work. Yes, I had used charm and suggestion magic to purposely delude them.
“How are the patients?”
“Well, it’s pretty much the same. Day in, day out they groan and moan about it hurting. Truthfully speaking, the majority of the patients here are completely fine.”
“I’d like to meet the most recent patient.”
“There’s a bloke who was brought in just yesterday. But I don’t really recommend for you to visit him, miss.”
“Is there a reason?”
“Yeah. This guy’s fake illness is rather serious. My armpit hurts, my groin feels like it’s ripping, and so on. Talk about fussing over nothing. You’ll detest it, miss.”
“……”
Joint pain
“……no. That is alright. If it’s a patient, then I’d like to trust his words for now. I’d like to meet that person first.”
“Haa. How good-natured of you. I may be a petty doctor, but it’s been a long time since I’ve met someone as sincere as you, miss.”
While being delighted, the doctor lead me to the sick ward. As soon as we had opened the door, a patient who was further inside started to holler.
“Aaah, I’m dying! This merchant for the great land of Syracuse is going to die because of a quack! Towns people! Someone beat that quack up for me!” (TL note: Quack = Fake doctor)
“Gah. He’s like a pig in heat.”
The doctor sighed.
I understood why he had warned me about visiting this patient. The doctor, after taking a quick glance at me first, approached the patient.
“So what’s the problem this time, that’s making you have an epileptic fit?”
“Problem? What’s my problem? All right, I’ll explain it to you one more time, so this time make sure to carve it into your ear. First, the bed is so hard that my spine is about to become flat. Second, I’m not sure if the servants here are bringing me bread or stones, but my teeth are about to break apart. Third, the long-term doc friend I had keeps sighing whenever he sees my face and that’s starting to make my life miserable.”
“You, moron. My life is becoming miserable because of you.”
“Yeah? Good. We have finally reached the point where we make each other miserable. But that’s the same with the misses as well. My wife and I have been at each others throat for a while now, and at this point we’re only thinking of ways to screw with each other. Oi, pal. If you aren’t planning to become my second wife, then shit! Hurry up and act like a doctor and fix me up!”
“Damn it. This guy isn’t even helpful in life.”
It seemed that these two had been friends since they were kids.
It meant that they were close enough to be able to freely swear at each other’s faces.
It was a strange scene for someone like myself. Friendship. Could that actually exist?
Commonly, people would praise that friendships last forever. It was suspicious. No matter what sentence, whenever the adverb ‘forever’ was included, then I’d start off by being doubtful. I personally thought this was a good habit.
There were only backstabbers or potential backstabbers that existed in the world. That was my opinion. Friendship simply referred to a person who hadn’t betrayed you yet.
“Sorry, miss.”
The doctor abruptly apologized.
“This guy always had a crude mouth. Just think of it as his limit of education and ignore it if you can.”
“I am okay. Please proceed with the checkup.”
“Okay then.”
The doctor placed his hand on the patient’s forehead.
“Places here and there are indeed hot. But no matter how I see it, it’s just a summer cold. I’ll prescribe you with some medicine, so if it does get bad then take the medicine. Other than that you should be fine, so don’t worry.”
“……”
High temperature
For an instant, disbelief had crossed my mind.
…… There was no way. I was over thinking it. Joints aching and having a fever, these were symptoms you could find anywhere. You couldn’t consider something like these to be a sign of a disease.
“Eh, how do you expect me to believe the words of a quack?”
“If you keep calling me a quack, I’m going to prescribe you poison instead. If you keep saying something like that so loudly then you’ll be hurting my dignity. You bastard. Are you planning to ruin your childhood friend’s business like this?”
“It really hurts like hell! Here, look.”
The patient suddenly pulled his top off.
The doctor panicked and turned to look at me, but I was the same as ever and stood calmly. I didn’t care about the naked body of a man at all. More than that, there was something else that had caught my gaze.
The patient’s right chest.
There was a black spot the size of a thumb.
“…………”
My entire body went stiff.
Like a person who was petrified.
“Ara, what’s this?”
“There’s no reason to have this bruise if it was a normal cold.”
“That, well. I guess you’re right……”
The two didn’t notice my sudden change in mood.
The doctor and patient were busy discussing with each other.
“That’s weird. Did you perhaps catch an endemic from someone else?”
“That’s something you, the doctor, should know. Not the merchant, you quack. If you don’t want to get a job change to an undertaker, then cure me already. If I end up being a corpse by tomorrow then you don’t have to worry about your reputation, because your life as a doctor will be over.”
“Bah, spitting out annoying words, this dumbass.”
Skin turning black
“…… I just recalled something that I have to do. I shall take my leave.”
“Ah? Oh, sure. Stay safe.”
With fast steps, I made my way out of the ward.
I did not have the leisure to give a proper farewell at the moment.
The situation.
I couldn’t understand the situation.
Turmoil wrapped around my head and shook it violently. What was going on. Surely, you weren’t telling me that a disease was actually starting to run rampant? And for it to also be according to Demon Lord Dantalian’s prediction?
That was impossible. That was absolutely impossible. The ability to foretell the future only manifested in the smallest amount of the already small amount of saintesses. Even then, the last recognized case of a prophecy coming true was 210 years ago. There was no chance for his highness Dantalian to have such an ability, or it was supposed to be that way. But why?
…… I had to be calm. It was too soon to get ahead of myself. At most, it was only one patient. There was still the chance that it was just a coincidence that a patient with the symptoms that matched the nonsense that his highness Dantalian had spouted was here. For starters, I had to visit the other doctors in Syracuse.
At least 2, no, at least 4 patients had to have the same symptoms before it could be judged as a disease. I must not panic. Prophecies were fantasies that appeared in story books. There was no way they could happen so easily in real life.
‘But, if his highness Dantalian was right……”
A simple speculation.
I had only thought of it for a moment but the back of my neck was already cold.
His highness Dantalian, claiming they were the cure to the disease, had bought bulks of a certain weed. Naturally, the price of the leaf was incredibly low. Most of the gold was spent on personnel. Due to the exorbitant price, however, the amount of the plant that his highness Dantalian had bought……
Was no less than 30,000.
If those truly were the cure, then no matter how low the price was, they’d sell for at least 2 gold each. Thus, 60,000 gold coins. That transcended the amount that his highness had initially borrowed.
No, that was still the situation where the money earned was set to the least. If the contagion were to spread across the entire continent then it could cost 5 gold…… it would reach a preposterous state. An unprecedented amount of chaos would occur.
No one in the firm would predict this. A blunder among blunders. They will probably find the one responsible to blame, and ten to one, I will end up being that escape goat.
The goal of becoming an executive in Keuncuska.
The promise to leave me in charge of the entire region of Dolstat, as well.
Naturally, all of these will pop like bubbles.
“……”
I carefully bit my lips.
Born in a back alley, I had lived my life scavenging sewers and trash. I had just barely been able to grab hold of an opportunity to escape that hell. I could not let all that go down the drain.
Certainly, I had hoped that his higness Dantalian would awaken as an actual Demon Lord. However, his awakening was only meant for my success and growth. Thus, I had never considered this situation.
My feet moved faster on their own.
On that day alone, I had visited every doctor in the city of Syracuse. And I had no choice but to give an objective conclusion.
Severe fevers.
Pain spreading from the joints.
A symptom where the skin would turn black in areas.
“……”
In my hands was the piece of parchment that his highness had handed me. Standing in the center of the city square, I kept staring down at the note for a long time.
16 clinics in the city of Syracuse.
29 patients with similar symptoms.
The next day the patients increased to 56 people.
25 patients complained of a sharp pain and then died.
10 days later, the patients in the hot springs that I had visited before had all died. Half a month later, the entire city was filled with the pained cries of the citizens.
His highness Dantalian’s prediction was correct.
It was an epidemic.
An epidemic was going rampant.
▯Keuncuska Executive, Miser Goblin, Torukel
Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 7, Day 16
Keuncuska Firm, Amstel Branch
“Sir Torukel, an emergent report has arrived.”
“Keruruk. You discourteous fellow! Did I not tell you that no matter what happens, to not bother me when her highness Paimon was visiting!”
A fancy reception room.
I had gotten upset because of a secretary that had suddenly started pounding on the door.
Her highness Paimon was sitting across from me, that idiot. She was one of the most precious guests to the Keuncuska Firm. When this person was visiting, be it work or contact, I had forbade everything. This was a problem of common courtesy!
“Oh dear. This lady is fine, Torukel.”
Fortunately, her highness had displayed understanding first.
“It must be quite the urgent matter if he had to come in contact with you immediately.”
“I sincerely apologize. That secretary normally isn’t like this……”
“I said that I was fine. This lady will be enjoying the fragrance of the tea, so you may take your time.”
Her highness Paimon smiled gently.
I wonder how benevolent this person was. She would always treat me, a lowly merchant, with gentleness. While being moved, I bowed several times.
Of course, once I had left the reception room, my expression had twisted.
“You fool. What is it, keruk?”
“I-I’m sorry.”
The secretary lowered his head while being nervous.
Even if you did that, the thought of forgiving you doesn’t come up. How dare he interrupt a meeting with her highness. Having come this far, it wouldn’t even be satisfying to cut his head off. He better be prepared.
“An urgent message had arrived from the firm headquarters. A mage wrote down the information onto a note and has delivered it.”
“No matter how urgent the message is, the person in that room is her highness Paimon. If the message turns out to be a matter of no importance, then I personally will cut your head off.”
“S-Sir Torukel……!”
“Hm.”
I quickly snatched the note away from the secretary and scanned it. Just like our firm to put importance on efficiency, only brief words were written down. Additionally, it was written in a code that only the executives understood, so I was the sole person here that was able to read it.
An epidemic outbreak.
Centering the harbors, the plague has spread throughout the entire region of the Sardinia Kingdom.
It is certain that it will spread to the countries in the vicinity soon.
Fatality rate: 80%
“What……?”
Once I had decoded this far, my brows creased.
For it to say that the fatality rate was 80%. Doesn’t that mean that if 10 people were to catch the disease, then 8 people would die. This wasn’t a normal contagious disease.
It also stated that it was ‘certain’ that the disease will spread to the countries in the vicinity. This was also serious. It was a rule for merchants to not exaggerate information. In these type of situations, it was normal to write that it was ‘expected’ to spread.
Surely, Ivar Lodbrok couldn’t have possibly made a mistake on this part……
Certain? Did it mean that the epidemic was spreading at that much of an incredible rate? This was not good. An ominous premonition was looming over me……
The following sentences made my pupils stop.
The cure to the disease is in the Demon Lord Dantalian’s possession.
Currently estimated value, 1,200,000~3,000,000 gold coins.
All executives are to return to the headquarters immediately.
(TL note: I’m not very sure about the value. It might be referring to the amount that Dantalian will make in total. Cause 1,200,000 gold per plant sounds insane)
“…………”
This didn’t make sense.
“I-I am sorry. Sir Torukel. I truly am sorry. I too, wanted to wait till her highness Paimon had left before handing this to you.”
This couldn’t be happening.
“To tell you the truth, this was a note delivered about an hour ago. But it was branded with the first class classified seal. I thought it’d be troublesome for Sir Torukel if it were to be delayed any further……”
It was impossible.
“S-Sir Torukel? Are you listening to me? Sir Torukel……?”
▯Keuncuska Firm Owner, Pure-blood Vampire, Ivar Lodbrok
Empire Calendar: Year 1505, Month 7, Day 16
Keuncuska Firm Headquarters, Highest floor
We were tricked.
Honestly, I was completely deceived.
“Hmm.”
In a dark room I was drinking wine by myself.
My glass continued to empty. It meant that I was that deep in thought.Somehow, it felt like I was going to be drinking till late at night, tonight……
Who was it. Which person was the one to have made Ivar Lodbrok into a fool.
Demon Lord Dantalian was a small-fry. He lacked the ability to plot such a grandiose plan. Then who was it.
There was only one answer. The half-breed succubus, that girl was the one who had schemed everything……
“Lapis Lazuli.”
While rolling the fragrance of the wine around my mouth, I spoke the girl’s name. Was it just my imagination. The alcohol tasted a bit sweeter.
The desire to succeed was beautiful. To not be satisfied with one’s current position and continue to aim higher. That was the attitude that everyone should naturally take. That was my thought.
Except.
If you show your fangs towards me then the story became different.
I will now teach Lapis Lazuli a lesson.
It was unfortunate that I had to stomp on a junior who had such a promising future ahead of them. I was speaking the truth. If you asked what I meant by that, then it was because Lapis Lazuli was going to become a living but not living doll.
I hold out my glass.
“Another cup.”
“……”
A servant girl poured more wine without a word.
At a time, this girl too was a promising executive candidate. She was just like Lapis Lazuli. Having a low status, her desire for power was mesmerizing. The beauty of her eyes were peerless. However, the decisive part was that she was a fool. She had revolted against none other than myself.
The bright eyes that would always shine with intelligence, was now a hazy and achromatic color.
Having lost her will and conscience, she had dropped down to being a slave doll that obeyed my every command……
“What a shame. Why is it that all the useful talents can’t resist the temptation to go against me?”
A sigh came out on its own.
I had turned my head towards the side, and there my face was reflected by the window. Surprisingly, I was grinning. Uncontainable joy was floating around the corners of my mouth. It appeared as if I was having a fair amount of fun.
It was true.