Chapter 21 - Volume 3 (1/2)
Dungeon Defense: Volume 3 – Chapter 2 (Part 2)
Chapter 2 – Winter (Part2)
▯The Northern Guardian, Margrave of Rosenberg, Georg von Rosenberg
Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 2, Day 12
Polles
Ο
— A rumor has been going around that the end is approaching.
— They say the Demon Lords are going to arrive while steering the Black Death to us.
— That’s a false rumor, a false rumor……
Ο
The Saintess of the Empire coughed out blood and fell unconscious.
The saintess claimed that she had witnessed the end of the world in her dream. The soldiers gathered in twos and whispered among one another that the saintess had been possessed by an evil spirit. The fear on the soldiers’ faces was apparent.
Ο
— Black smoke shall engulf the mountains. It shall swallow the empire and, at last, consume the entire continent. The gray clouds shall have no limits or bounds, and thus, the winter shall continue with no limits or bounds. Freeze in this continuous winter. Everything shall freeze. The black smoke shall not clear. The black shall……
Ο
Speaking up to that point, the saintess then vomited blood. The blood was sticky because of the content that was mixed together with her blood. The reason I was able to detail this incident so confidently was because I was there in person to hear the prophecy during the previous night.
As I was the commander in charge of the northern region, I participated in the conference for the highest leading members of the government. We had received information that the Demon Lord Allied Forces were going to invade soon. We had to prepare against the invasion. I was not the sole person to partake in the strategy meeting, but the authority figures, His Highness the Crown Prince and Her Highness the Imperial Princess, and adding to that, The Saintess, were present as well. In that location, the Saintess was possessed by a spirit.
Ο
— The black shall, the black shall, the black shall……
Ο
The saintess coughed blood. She vomited repetitively. Her eyes rolled up to the back of her head and revealed the whites of her eyes. There were many clumps from her intestines mixed into her blood. The saintess convulsed. We urgently called for the clerics and healed her.
The Imperial Princess made an entreaty.
Ο
— This incident is confidential. Only we must know of this. Do not divulge this information outside. If the soldiers were to hear the saintess’ prophecy, then they will be heavily shaken, thus meaning, we cannot allow our morale to drop in our current situation where the Demon Lords plan to invade. No matter what cost, watch your words.
Ο
I agreed.
The Crown Prince, while consumed by fear, nodded his head as well.
With that, the case was supposed to be buried, but—for some reason, not a day had passed before the prophecy ended up being leaked. At the entire front, at that.
From the veteran officers to the new recruits, they all knew of the news that the saintess had vomited pitch black blood last night. Even the peddlers at the bottom of the military camp knew the contents of the prophecy. People whispered that it was an ominous omen.
Throughout the night, I wandered through the crowds and reprimanded the captains. There was nothing more terrifying than a wild rumor. Nothing more horrifying than the sound of words. Since soldiers lose and injure their lives effortlessly, they felt fear and dread just as easily. That is the core of a soldier. Since I have lived for more than 60 years now, I have seen many occasions of an army falling apart due to a groundless rumor. There was nothing which assured that it would not happen this time as well.
I wished to decline being defeated before even engaging with the Demon Lord Allied Forces. Measures must most likely be discussed immediately. Above all else, I cannot fall until I have avenged myself for the humiliation I suffered last autumn……
“Your Highness the Imperial Princess, I am here on this morning to pay my respects.”
“Enter.”
The Imperial Princess spent her time enclosed by a white tent. She disliked going under a roof to sleep. The Imperial Princess declared that if the troops were being struck by snow and rain, and if one was unable to prevent the fall of that snow and rain, then it should not be avoided. The soldiers held that Imperial Princess in high esteem, and worried for the Imperial Princess’ health foremost when it rained or snowed.
……Of course, the Imperial Princess’ action was most likely a political scheme, but the majority of nobles were unable to properly carry out even this simple ploy. Separate to the Imperial Princess’ personality, I respected her ability.
Pushing the white cloth to the side, I became surprised by the sight of the Imperial Princess.
And the scene that was utterly unexpected.
Inside the tent, a long table was placed.
This was fine.
That was a normal scene.
But if there was a corpse of an alligator spread out on top of the table, and additionally, if the Imperial Princess was personally holding a knife and butchering that alligator, then the scenery went a thousand miles from being normal.
“For the margrave to come pay his respects. What a rare occasion.”
The Imperial Princess silently stripped the skin off the gator.
She did not glance towards my direction even once.
“Did you not dislike me?”
“Nothing of the sort, your highness. This general has always respected your highness.”
“That isn’t a lie. Not a lie. However, you also do not revere me. Is that not so?”
“……”
“You respect me. However, occasionally the word ‘respect’ is nothing more than a slightly safer and milder way to pronounce the word ‘scorn’. Words are trivial.”
Thack
The Imperial Princess shaved a piece of fragrant wood and scattered it into a brass incense burner. The brass, heated by a charcoal fire, slowly lit the chunks of wood aflame. The aromatic wood burned. As smoke formed, the fragrance spread. The aroma covered the smell of the alligator’s blood. While hiding the scent of blood, the fragrant smoke rose up densely. The fragrance seeped all the way down to my gut.
Thuck
The Imperial Princess skinned the alligator within the smoke.
The Imperial Princess peeled the skin by severing the outer layer of muscle and stabbing into the inner layer of muscle. The boundary of the outer and inner layer was clearly visible to the princess. I unintentionally marveled at the skillful hand movement that was able to establish a border in the flesh and carved that boundary out naturally like a professional butcher. I could not imagine when and where the lady, who was born into the highest lineage in the world, had learned how to skin an alligator. The Imperial Princess, who resembled the secluded place in which she was born and raised in, was difficult to handle.
“Do you not think that the majority of the conversations we have shared can be condensed into more simple terms? I like you. I hate you. A person’s mind may start from there, but they are unable to arrive at this location in the end. Although people may refer to this as the path or course of life, I honestly call it a waste of time. Sir Rosenberg. Let us not waste each other’s time. Why did you come find me despite your animosity towards me? Tell me the reason why I have to listen to the words of a man, who does not revere me, while it is still noon.”
Was it a threat? Or was she serious?
I was unable to figure out the emotions of the other party. There were no expressions on her face. It appeared as if she was purely focused on the task of skinning the alligator. Even though the Imperial Princess was outside, it felt as if she was still residing within the palace. It even felt like she was the palace. If the amount of nobility she had purged did not reach over the dozens—then I may have had already been deceived by her outer appearance by this point.
“Your highness. You cannot gain the admiration of nobility automatically.”
“Oh dear. I do not desire for your admiration.”
The Imperial Princess shed her feelings and laughed.
It was a sound of laughter with no temperature.
“I was merely asking what meaning your respect has. The word respect contains 5 different meanings and 10 variations of tone. That is why I do not trust words. What I demand from you is not words, but actions. Distinct-Evident-Articulate-actions. Of course, you would not listen even if I were to order you to like this. You are a stubborn old man, after all.”
“……”
“Speak.”
“……Information that Demon Lord Barbatos, Demon Lord Marbas, and Demon Lord Paimon, as the key individuals, are calling together an army has arrived. Although the total military strength is uncertain, it is clear that they have more than 50,000 but less than 70,000.”
“It seems it is not as fearsome as I had imagined. They do not have Baal nor do they have Agares. Barbatos is ignorant, Marbas is indecisive, and Paimon is…… well, Paimon.”
“Your highness is currently underestimating the enemy forces.”
“That is not so.”
At that moment, the Imperial Princess looked at me for the first time.
My mind felt needlessly restless because her purple eyes felt like they could pierce through a person’s psyche.
“No. Oh dear, by the Gods. That is not so at all! Why would I possibly underestimate the enemy forces? Never in my life have I ever devaluated someone.”
“Is that the case?”
“Of course. As proof of that, you are still alive.”
“……”
“You are a man of talent that is essential to our empire. The House of Rosenberg has been loyal to the imperial family for the past 500 years. And they have protected us from the invasions of the Demon Lords coming from the Black Mountains for 1,000 years. You are a competent individual, Georg. I respect you. If perhaps, I did not respect you, then—something like a province warlord in command of troops could not possibly still exist, is that not so?”
“……”
“This is what it means to show one’s purpose through actions. It is distinct, evident, and articulate. Georg, I at times ponder how outstanding it would be if people lived without ever using words.”
Rip
The muscle was torn.
The Imperial Princess plunged her knife into the neck region of the gator. The neck was more tender than any other area on an alligator’s body. Once the Imperial Princess moved her blade, the leather on the neck was skinned off just like that.
“It is fortunate that that situation is not now. Be at ease and continue. My ears are prepared to listen courteously.”
“If the Demon Lords are going to invade, then they must choose one of three paths. The first path is the passage in the mountains……”
“A passage that leads to the Kingdom of Teuton. That has no relation to us.”
“……The second path is through the plains.”
“The path to the Polish-Lithuanian Kingdom. That certainly does not matter to our empire as well. For goodness’ sake, we’ll have to pray for the Gods to influence the Demon Lord armies to go towards the mountains or plains. We’ll be able to catch our breaths while they are going to war, after all.”
(TL note: Politunia has been changed to Polish-Lithuanian)
“Your highness.”
I furrowed my brows.
I could not stand that sort of response.
“I apologize, but if this general is correct, they are the same humans as us.”
“And there are no other animals that can kill humans as efficiently as other humans. Sir Rosenberg, please stop trying to act refined on your own!”
The Imperial Princess gave a timid laugh.
“Exactly how many villagers have burned to death on the mountains this winter? 100? 200?”
I closed my mouth.
“Or was it 300? I’ve heard that the number effortlessly surpasses 1,000, and if my memory serves me right, those villagers were also the same humans as we are. What did our great Sir Rosenberg do while thousands of villagers were massacred as humans? You observed. You only watched.”
“……”
“Do you not consider the word ‘observed’ to be the same term as ‘fire watching’, but expressed in a more elegant manner? Oh, Northern Guardian, One of the Four Margraves, the Controller of both the Black and White Fortresses—Sir von Rosenberg.”
I stared at the eye of the gator. Since my head was lowered, I could not meet the eyes of the Imperial Princess. Instead, I intended to at least glare at the beast.
The Imperial Princess let words flow out.
“It seems I have mocked you severely. I apologize. I am apologizing for the fact that I do not feel particularly sorry. Continue to keep that in mind.”
“……I shall bear that in mind.”
“Good.”
Riiiip
The Imperial Princess gripped the back skin of the gator and tore it off. The leather came off instantly. The skin smoothly peeled off following the line which she had lacerated earlier. Once the leather was gone, a light pink inner-flesh was revealed. The color of alligator meat was modest and light.
“Do not concern yourself with the passage in the mountains or the path in the plains. All we have to do is defend the path leading to the empire. Do you require the assistance of the imperial family?”
“The North does not require help from anyone.”
I responded as clearly as possible.
“But I shall express my gratitude to your highness’ offer to help.”
“Oh dear, it seems he’s become upset because of my teasing…… It is only your loss if a beautifully aged man like yourself were to lose your temper towards this shameful girl. Just obediently accept the reinforcements.”
“I apologize, but your highness, I truly do not require reinforcements. This one shall defend the mountains, so your highness should solidify the home front alongside His Highness the Crown Prince. That way, if we are forced to, we will be able to make contact with either Teuton or Polish-Lithuania and spread out a strategy.”
“With my brother? You sure know how to make me laugh.”
“……”
“Do you see that fellow as someone who knows how to manage military affairs? He is a man who is unable to properly conduct his own mouth and bottom. Did you not see it as well? I warned everyone to remain silent about the saintess’ prophecy to such a degree, and yet, the rumor spread within a single night.”
“Your grace is immeasurable, your highness”
The Imperial Princess closed her mouth. I was unable to grasp why she had shut her mouth. Shortly after, the Imperial Princess spoke again.
“My brother’s mouth is more loose than a whore’s bottom hole. Even the privates do not respect my brother. Are you telling me to gather an army with that sort of man?”
“……For this general, the Crown Prince is an equal commander. His Majesty the Emperor ordered this general to manage the north, and did not treat the Crown Prince any differently there.”
“Forsooth, it seems you are loyal to my father, the king. I understand. I respect your loyalty. ……But by the way, Margrave, do you not think that the term filial piety shines the brightest when dutiful towards a parent with no worth, and the word loyalty shines brighter when faithful to a lord with no value? Your loyalty to the emperor is quite marvelous. It is impressive.”
The Imperial Princess stabbed the knife into the table.
With a washcloth, the Imperial Princess cleaned her blood soaked hands. Once she had done so, she lightly patted my shoulder. The Imperial Princess’ face was far, but her voice almost felt as if it was being whispered directly into my ear.
“You are a loyalist, Sir Rosenberg.”
“……”
“But you cannot buy my respect with fidelity. If you wish for me to respect you, then over all else, you must obtain victory. Although I may be accepting the military orders since you are the supreme commander of this upcoming war, if by the low chance, you were to commit a mistake…… Well, I’ll most likely be very disappointed, will I not?”
“This general shall not bestow disappointment.”
“I shall trust you.”
And the Imperial Princess spoke the words.
“Habsburg grants their faith a single time.”
“The North shall not forget.”
The two of us exchanged the maxim passed down in our families from the House of Habsburg and the House of Rosenberg respectively. The very act of exchanging the proverbs which were passed down for nearly 1,000 years was sacred. The vow of the Imperial Princess, who appeared like the one person who would not place her trust in others the most, felt that much more substantial. The moment I break that single faith, she will purge me without a doubt……
The Imperial Princess stabbed the alligator skin onto a rod and raised it up in the center of the military camp.
Alligators are known as the descendants of dragons. Dragons are the symbol of Demon Lords. While staring up at the gator skin, the soldiers whispered among one another that that monster was caught by Her Highness the Imperial Princess personally.
After examining that the signs of the soldiers still being afraid had disappeared, I thought about the armies of the Demon Lords that were approaching from over the mountains. Whether they will be a strong army or a rabble, and what fate they were going to bring with them, it was difficult to make an assumption. Like the Imperial Princess whose face was hidden by the smoke, the armies of the Demon Lords were similarly hidden by the mountains, and yet, I was unable to judge whether I should be afraid of the thing which could not be seen despite being by my side, or if I should fear the thing that could not be seen because of the distance. Surrounded by the fear from behind and dread in front, my body languished.
I beheaded the two military personnel responsible for circulating the wild rumor among the troops and hung their heads.
Ο
Ο
Ο
Ο
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▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian
Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 2, Day 12
Yotvingian Plains, Demon Lord Allied Forces Garrison
Ο
— Where are those vulgar people crawling from?
— Ah, don’t you know? Isn’t that His Honor Dantalian? That pink haired bitch is a peasant, and the blonde bitch beside her is a human.
— Sheesh. Does that guy have some idiosyncrasy of only bedding peasants?
— They say that people from a low birth are tight down there, you know?
— Human? Are you saying that’s a human? That?
Ο
The Demon Lord Allied Forces were a rabble. Since the term rabble is incredibly old-fashioned, there was a need to be a bit more honest.
I believed that there is life in words. For example, words similar to ‘universe’ were too antique for me to use. I preferred the world over the universe. If you were a refined individual with common sense, then by distinguishing a dead language and a contemporary language, you must at times revitalize a half-dead language, and at other times, beat a half-dead language to death.
With no room for debate, I was a splendidly refined individual. Therefore, I elegantly expressed the word rabble in a bit more fresh language.
The Demon Lord Allied Forces were a bunch of damned pieces of shit.
As soon as we entered through the camp gate with our banners held out in front of us, for some reason, soldiers who were pitiable like bums approached us and spoke nonsense.
Ο
— Your Honor Dantalian! To bring a human bitch in front of us humble fellows who are gathered here to suppress the humans, we are able to understand your honor’s immeasurable motive. If your honor has had enough fun with that harlot, then please allow us lowly ones to have a taste as well!
— That human harlot’s presence is dignified, so her being the imperator is evident. If she’s so robust during the day, then just imagining how boyish she’d be during the night is putting me at a loss.
Ο
Looking at the soldiers blocking our path, I let out a sigh.
Seeing that they were coming at me without any fear, it was clear that they were the subordinates of a Demon Lord of a much higher rank than myself. To the demons, the humans were the enemy of our kind, and their social status was considered as peasants. To them, for a Demon Lord like myself to make a human like Farnese into my acting general was definitely a mistake. I rebuked them moderately.
“It seems you fools have lost your minds. Move aside before your balls are removed and shoved into your mouths. Or in reverse, do you want your throats to be slit and your dicks shoved in there?”
The soldiers laughed loudly.
Ο
— For your honor to say that you will personally jack us off. We are so gracious that we do not know where to place our bodies.
Ο
The crowd split in half, and thus our path was finally open.
Commanding Lapis and Farnese to move to my side, the three of us moved forward with the heads of our horses aligned next to one another. Lapis quietly spoke in a tone that only I could hear.
“You did well to endure, your highness.”
“What do I have to endure? You are the ones to have received the ridicule, so you two did well holding back.”
“What could your highness be talking about? This one is later on going to take the lives of those soldiers in secret, so your highness did well in enduring right this moment. The insult this one has received will, of course, be repaid by this one.”
“……”
Those soldiers were piteous. I still vividly remembered the method where a certain maid was poisoned to death for having insulted Lapis. These fellows should be happy if their corpses were at least left intact.
Farnese muttered.
“This young lady cannot understand. Why does every officer who looks at this young lady wrongly assume that this young lady had slept with your lordship? Thinking logically, there is no chance that a man like your lordship could possibly be allowed in this young lady’s bed.”
“Take the situation more seriously, you idiot.”
I’m not sure whether it’s because this child had always shut herself in a library to read history books all day, but she didn’t have the sensibility to accept reality.
Leading my vassals, who I could not say had a strong distinct characteristic since they actually had nothing but distinct characteristics, we went into the deepest part of the encampment. The demon soldiers poured jeers on us by shouting ‘Boo— boo—’. They called me ‘The King of Peasants’, Lapis as ‘The King’s Whore’, and Farnese was referred to as ‘The King’s Slave’. It felt like we had all of a sudden become a popular idol group.
How poignant.
For them as well, every day was shit, thus their lives should have been spent enduring this kind of days, and yet instead, they scorned peasants and slaves. They most likely suffered because of the nobles and were pressured to look down, and the only thing below them were peasants and slaves. It became a state of affairs where the things they received from the nobles were passed straight down to the people below them. What could possibly console them? Was there anything more to say to the reasonability of these low people, who could not gather together, but fought among each other instead? The ones pressuring them to not look upwards were the nobles and royalty such as myself, so the right to punish them for belittling the things below them was something which I did not possess.
“It seems there are a lot of people to kill.”
……Except for Lapis.
Since Lapis was a girl born at the absolute bottom, to her, she had more than enough rights to send the heads of those above her flying. She was a girl who even I could not stop. No one could stop her. I prayed for the repose of those poignant souls in advance. Please have an easy passage into eternity.
It was at the moment we were docilely passing by one of the military camps. The soldiers started to throw clumps of snow at our ranks. My men became bewildered and stopped their advance. The 11 members of the Berbere Sisters, who could be referred to as my royal bodyguards, instantly covered the area around me.
The snow collided against the witches. Being hit by snow on their foreheads, cheeks, and torsos, the witches became soiled. The witches silently endured the barrage until they became a complete mess. They did not utter a single word while being hit. Just like the time they were abused by Demon Lord Andromalius in the past.
From the other side, the demon troops made invidious remarks.
Ο
— For your honor’s mistress to be an outcast, general to be a human, and royal bodyguards to be witches, your honor’s good faith impales the sky. Indeed, it’s befitting of the King of Peasants.
— You must be very fortunate to be so popular with women, your honor! Please teach the people how to bed lowly harlots and spread the information throughout the world.
Ο
Snow continued to fly towards us. They were not aiming at me but were throwing the snow in order to hit the witches. Despite that, the witches, in concern for the worst situation, did not leave my side for even the slightest moment. The witches merely guarded me with a stoic expression on their face.
“……Lapis.”
“Yes, your highness?”
“Where are those bullock bones from?”
“It appears a three-legged goat is drawn on their flag. That belongs to the rank 12th Demon Lord, Sitri. The soldiers led by Sitri are renowned for their rough volubility and coarse speaking habits.”
“Indeed.”
I let out a sigh.
“Then if I were to slit the throats of those soldiers, that’ll be the same as making the Mountain Faction into our enemy.”
Sitri was a loyal subject to Paimon. Even if they had provoked us first, a big incident would occur if I were to kill them thoughtlessly.
No, they may be starting this ruckus in order to cause a big incident on purpose. If the current situation were to get any worse, then there will certainly be a faction who will use my decision of putting a human as my general as the problem, and place it as the public opinion. That the privates were probably dissatisfied just because I had made an individual with no prestige into my general.
If that were to happen then I would be at a disadvantage. They would be taunting me and dragging me into a situation where it was favorable for them. What should I do? How should I deal with this mess……?
I wonder if it had detected that I had fallen into deep thought. With a jaunty sound effect, a selection window appeared before me.
Ο
[1. Punish the insults.]
[2. Endure the insults.]
Ο
I carefully gazed at the words floating in mid-air.
Even if the soldiers were wretchedly throwing clumps of snow towards a Demon Lord, such as myself, I did not feel any particular anger because of it. Insults were disgraceful when done by someone of a similar standing. So what if some soldiers tossed snow at me?
The problem was face. The issue was always one’s honor. The witches were being hit by the filth in my stead, but if I were to do nothing and pass the situation by like this, then my honor as a monarch would be damaged. Farnese, who must have also been concerned of this, whispered to me an advice.
“Lord. Should we not kill those men immediately? Even if we do not kill them, if we bind them and shove their faces into the ground then they’ll shut up on their own.”
“This one disapproves.”
Lapis whispered to me in a low voice on my other side.
“Seeing that mere privates are openly insulting your highness, there is no doubt that Demon Lord Sitri is supporting them from behind. There is no benefit your highness can gain by colliding against Sitri. Refrain from doing something rash.”
“How could enduring be a king’s only method? Miss Lapis. You never close your eyes towards the ridicule you receive, and yet, how could you request for his lordship to turn a blind eye towards the humiliation he receives?”
“Since this one is a humble vassal, it is fine for this one to behave basely. A humble individual’s generosity is the act of forgetting oneself and behaving with impudence. Disgracefulness is a shallowness befitting this one’s place. However, his highness is different. Please be tolerant.”
I spoke.
“Stop.”
“This is not something that can be solved by stopping, lord. This young lady is an illegitimate child of a lowly servant girl, so it is appropriate for this young lady to receive insults. However, how is this young lady supposed to endure the situation where her lord is unjustly being ridiculed? Please order this young lady to take their necks.”
“Your highness. Miss Farnese is still young. Do not listen to her. Even if the people were to praise your highness, your majesty will not rise, and even if people were to jeer at your highness, your dignity will not be damaged. Please understand.”
“Sheesh. I told you two to stop, and yet you two continue to bicker.”
I raised my right hand.
The moment I did so, the witches all raised their staves at once. My troops also broke apart from their marching ranks and lifted their spears. It took no longer than a couple of seconds for my troops, which consisted of 4,000 soldiers, to display their vigor.
The encampment became quiet. An aggressive silence, which felt as if a fight could erupt at any second, flowed. Even the soldiers who were tossing snow at us had pulled out their swords with their muddied hands. They continued to babble on narrow-mindedly.
Ο
— Does your honor plan to cut us lowly subjects down? That’s fine. Since your honor had stabbed the throat of His Highness Andromalius in order to save the life of a succubus whore, then killing tens or hundreds of us lowly people for those witches should be possible, right?
— Please step over our corpses with your honor’s grace.
Ο
I dismounted from my horse. I wiped off the mud smeared on the witches’ faces with my clothes. The mud was smudged on them rather excessively so it did not get wiped off easily. Moistening the lower end of my clothes with the snow, I wiped clean the skin of the witches.
Ο
—……
Ο
The sight of a member of the noblest stratum in the demon world cleaning the face of a peasant, hundreds of thousands of soldiers watched while holding their breath. Within the heavy atmosphere, only the witches chatted and giggled quietly.
“Ahah, really our master……”