Chapter 26 - Volume 3 (1/2)

Dungeon Defense: Volume 3 – Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Soundless Words

Ο

My chastity was in peril.

Severely, at that.

This was not a joke.

I could feel the witches drooling as they stared at me.

Despite the fact that nothing in particular had occurred, the witches would invite me to their self-established red-light district while uttering, ‘Master, something big has happened. Master, something small has happened…’. If I were to go in there, then those fellows would smoke opium and viscously leer at me. They were all in the nude. Truly, they were beast-like fellows. So this was why witches lived while being mistreated. My vision felt blurred because of this crude temptation.

“Have you all gone insane?”

“Aha. Is master saying that he wants to do it with all of us at once?”

“Why is it that when I pour my words into your ears, you girls hear it through your asses?”

“Ara? Would it be better for the lord’s body to do it through our rear holes?”

“Are we truly conversing in the same language?”

“Just close your eyes once and—owie.”

I hit the top of Humbaba’s head with my knuckles.

“Listen well, you girls with scanty chests. I do not consider individuals such as yourselves as potential sex partners. If you are flat, then you should behave as so and live modestly, and yet, you are trying to reach out for more. You are not in the position to be taken in by the world, but rather, you are in the circumstance where you must take in the world yourselves.”

“Ahahah? It is a bit troubling for us, when our master, who was obediently devoured by Miss Barbatos, brings up the flatness of breasts as a rebuttal, though?”

“……”

These misdirected fellows. They really do just dig into another person’s weakness recklessly.

Whenever the witches went around outside, they would always wear a thick layer of clothes. Even during the late winter, where the putrid smell of water emanated from the surroundings, and the early spring, where the foul smell of water seeped into one’s intestines, the witches were unaware of the seasons due to their heavy clothes. Humbaba had told me that due to the fact that a soulless body was something to be cursed at, they should not show it to others. Every time the witches would lower their cone hats deeply on their heads, I recalled the white gloves which Lapis would always wear. The basis of the witches’ cone hats and Lapis’ gloves were the same. Birds of a feather were playing together.

Seeing how they had walked to my side of all places, it was clear that they had not gathered here on purpose. This spot was most likely the place where they had finally arrived at after being chased and chased away by other people. Although there was an inevitability in life, and the path of a person going towards a destination was beautiful, the path of a person being sent to a place of exile, due to their lives being dependent on a certain inevitability, was not marvelous. In that place of exile, I believed that I should get rid of the social status of the lowest class and allow everyone to be commoners.

Within a single night, I drew a pattern. The symbol was three white circles on a black background. While showing this to the witches, I spoke.

“From this day forth, this shall be the symbol of Demon Lord Dantalian. Since you all are my royal guards, it is only natural for you to go around while bearing my mark on your cloaks.”

To the witches, clothes were a prison that was constantly wrapped around their bodies. As people who were ousted because they had no affiliation or home, to the witches, those clothes were their place of exile. By putting my emblem onto their cloaks, I was releasing them from their banishment. The witches understood my intention. At first, they were unable to open their mouths, until eventually, their eyes were brimming with tears.

“M-Maaaaaaster–……”

“Shut it. If you don’t want to wear it, then don’t.”

“No matter what, we will only strip in front of our master!”

While weeping, the witches clung onto me. Sheesh. Only sighs could come out. If possible, I wanted to request for them to not strip while in front of me, but what could I do in this situation? I patted the backs of the witches. ……I have to live with these fellows, I see. In the end, it is my fate to live with them. This damned fate.

“Sniffle. So, when will Master take our undergarments off?”

“……”

Wake up from your wild dreams, you pieces of gum.

Excluding the witches, the only ones allowed to bear my emblem were solely Lapis and Farnese. While having black mantles draped over each of our shoulders, we frequently crossed through the Demon Lord Allied Forces’ military camp. Having seen us from afar, the soldiers would whisper to one another.

Ο

— The King of Peasants……

— The king’s whore and slaves……

— Why would such vulgar handmaidens……

Ο

We considered the whispers of the soldiers as something more trivial than the cries of a morning rooster. While squealing ‘kya— kya—’, the witches hung on my shoulders. It seemed my shoulders were a playground to them. Even while we were walking, Farnese read a book with one hand, while furtively grabbing the edge of my clothes with the other. Ah, I shouted for these troublesome fellows to please get off of me. Lapis silently followed the us who were like that.

Suddenly, it felt as if I had come to this world and made a family.

Ο

♦

Ο

The land, which was frozen in winter, had become undone.

The frozen waste melted in patches. The sunlight hugged the thawed earth more closely. As if trying to accept the rays more vastly, the snow-covered fields opened their gaps a little bit at a time. Glimpses of the dirt floor could be seen through the gaps. The shallowly opened ground of snow appeared like the gills of a white fish. The earth breathed heavily with the gills and took in more of the sunlight, until eventually, the snow-covered fields had melted and flowed into a brook. Although freshwater fishes, bugs, and other livings beings were unable to live there since the brook water was still cold, the hurried sound of flowing water called out to other living beings. One day, a reindeer with antlers came to the brook and put its hooves in the water. After noticing me, the reindeer hastily jumped out from the stream and ran away. Spring was in the spot by the brook where the reindeer had vanished from.

While withstanding the winter, the Demon Lord Allied Forces increased their bulk.

The rumor that we had burned the Black Mountains and took the head of the Margrave of Rosenberg surged throughout the demon continent. The people of the demon race whispered among one another, that maybe, this time, we can…. This time, the land where the winter is short, we can drive out the humans and regain our homes…… The demons took up their spears. Hired soldiers gathered. Volunteer soldiers were formed. Several Demon Lords, who were once skeptical about war, raised their heavy bottoms. During the spring where beings came to life, the demons prepared for war in order to take the lives of the enemy. This year’s spring will be a brutal season.

Throughout the winter, the humans moved busily. Once it had become certain that the short-term battle would develop into a prolonged war, every kingdom ruled over by the humans put down a draft order. The youngsters, who were preparing for the first tilling of the year back in their farm villages, were gathered onto the battlefield. Occasionally, whenever the rumors about the human armies would reach us, they were all rumors about the Demon Lords, who lived near the human territory, suffering a disastrous tragedy.

Ο

— His Highness, Rank 49th Crocell, had lost his Demon Lord Castle and is seeking asylum in Niflheim……

— They say that Rank 70th, Demon Lord Seere, died in battle.

— Those rotten human assholes.

Ο

The sound of voices was rampant. While the Demon Lord Allied Forces were catching their breath, and the Human Alliance was developing its breath, the Allied Forces and the Alliance hastily delivered their voices to one another through envoys.

A certain human king had sent a report which claimed that since the demons were the first to cross over the Black Mountains and invade the other’s race, this was considered an invasion.

Since the one to have plundered and destroyed Dantalian’s Demon Lord Castle first was the Margrave of Rosenberg, and since Rosenberg is a human, you humans are the ones to have invaded. We are not the invaders, we are the victims, was the report that the Demon Lords sent back.

In the first place, you demons are the ones to have spread the Black Death throughout the world, and since Rosenberg had plundered that castle with the mere intention to cure his people of that disease, ah, if we are to distinguish the order of affairs, then are you demons, not the ones that deserve to die? The human king sent a slightly more harsh report.

For people who have no proof that we had first spread the plague, and yet, are insisting on it so fervently, I understand that you humans have dumb fucking heads on your shoulders, was the response that Barbatos had written. However, the other Demon Lords adamantly prevented her from sending that message, and instead, interpreted her words in a more mild style of writing.

Once they had begun to quibble over who had done wrong first, a countless number of unverifiable criticisms started to pour out without end. The letters did not have any actual evidence, but instead, provided support through fancy rhetorics. Throughout the winter, although the Demon Lord Allied Forces and the Human Alliance quarreled over who was the initiator, in truth, everyone was already well aware of the fact that, at this point, who was first did not matter at all. Despite the fact that everyone had already perceived this, no one showed any signs of knowing. According to the words conveyed by the envoys, the humans became the victims and the demons became the victims, making the universe full of only injured parties. Therefore, everyone most likely understood that in a world where the heaven and earth had become victims, that that world could not truly be a world which belonged to the people who were wronged. It was a self-evident truth. If one were to go out of their way to speak this self-evident truth out of their mouth, then people would touch, fumble, and rub that obviousness, coating it with the dead skin of their hands, until eventually, the self-evident truth becomes a crude truth covered in dirt, thus the lords did not utter these words. The first to speak would be the first to lose.

And no one desires to lose.

Nobody.

Ο

♦

Ο

I hired more mercenaries and increased the mass of my army to 7,000 men.

Having heard the rumor that ‘His Highness Dantalian gives good wages’, mercenary captains came looking for me on their own two feet. The captains watched my countenance when before me.

“The word that a massive war is going to occur soon, is growing thick……”

“The rumors are correct. Will you all follow me to the front as well?”

“If anything, if us humble ones were to go to the front line, then would your honor not appear sordid……?”

“This is not a war that follows a great cause, it is a battle where we strike while making use of the enemy’s destitution. How could it be more sordid than this?”

“Would defeating the humans not thus be a great cause?”

“Even if that was a great cause, would that be your cause? Even if we were to get rid of the human empire and establish a millennium, would that place be your kingdom?”

“Your words are immeasurable, your honor. Please be discerning.”

“Pay is provided every 10 days within my army. Infantrymen will receive 1 gold, and cavalrymen will receive 3 gold. As for food, it would be fine to leave half of your salary with me and solve it with that, or you can buy from the peddlers that follow behind our unit. As we do not provide arms separately, manage those yourselves. Since it operates as so, understand it as so. Do not worry about a great cause, and only consider the personal profit that you can gain. I shall be the person to be concerned with the great cause.”

The captains nodded. They had eyes that showed that they understood my words.

“Please tell us humble ones the military regulations which we must follow.”

“Do not discriminate one’s race or birthplace and only follow rank.”

The captains stood up and bowed their heads to the ground.

“We have received your honor’s orders.”

During the late winter, Farnese trained the newly enlisted hired soldiers once more. Since there was already a numerous number of soldiers who were loyal to Farnese, it was not as difficult as it was previously in order to train the new recruits. 2 soldiers who had beaten a prostitute to death, 1 soldier who had threatened a merchant, and 4 soldiers who had practiced usury, these soldiers were all caught and forced to disembowel themselves. Farnese had personally pulled out their internal organs and boiled some blood soup. Farnese spoke after spitting out a chunk of an intestine.

“Even the insides of these fools are rotten so the taste of the meat is spoiled. Truly, they were people that one should not be associated with. Behead them and feed them to the hounds.”

Even as winter passed and spring approached, to the soldiers, Farnese would always remain in their minds as winter, so whenever they saw the general’s face, their shoulders trembled. Although the ground that was frozen throughout the winter had thawed, the discipline within the military remained as cold as a blade.

The soldiers did not get excited by the spring sun, and instead, trained vigorously. While giving shouts, the soldiers adjusted their ranks and held out their spears. The soldiers’ sweat fell down onto the ground where the snow had melted.

Once the fourth month had arrived, the Demon Lord Allied Forces moved south, the Human Alliance marched north, and as if they had arranged to do so beforehand, both armies set up their encampment on the opposite ends of a plain that was located in the center of the human and demon territories.

Ο

Ο

Ο

Ο

Ο

▯The King of Peasants, Rank 71st, Dantalian

Empire Calendar: Year 1506, Month 4, Day 2

Polles, Bruno Plains

Ο

The Demon Lord Allied Forces and the Human Alliance sent and received ultimatums. It was decided that by sending an emissary from both armies, the two were to discuss whether the two armies will truly go to war, or if we will go into peace talks. Of course, the chance of a truce happening was nearly non-existent.

The number of lives that were lost had already reached the thousands. Like how thunder would resonate when lightning struck, at this point, going to war was a natural flow of occurrence. Even all of the Demon Lords—excluding Paimon—were preparing for this war. There was a single problem.

Who would be picked as the envoy.

“Why not just pick Dantalian?”

Barbatos stood forward here.

“He has the most amount of contributions in this war, doesn’t he? His talking ability isn’t bad either, and since he has the lowest rank, he’d be perfect to use as an errand boy. We’re sending an envoy nominally, aren’t we? So there’s no need for us to lose face by sending a high ranking person, right? Use him as a gofer.”

Truthfully, that was a keen insight.

In the exact center of the two armies, a single white tent was set up. That was the location where the envoys would meet and share a discussion. Since a lot of brooks flowed through the plains, the sound of heated stray dogs could be heard mating near the water. There was no pedigree among stray dogs so a black male dog was tangled together with a white female dog. I stopped on my way to the tent to observe the mating of dogs for a while.

“Those fellows seem to be better than me at that……”

I muttered to myself. According to a long-standing decorum, emissaries with the task of declaring war were not allowed to have escorts or attendants with them.

Once I turned around and gazed at the place far behind me, I could see thousands of flags flapping in the wind. That place appeared like an island composed of demons. Looking at the opposite side, thousands of flags were waving there as well, and ten thousands of humans were gathered in a line, making them appear as grand as an island. Since it felt as if I had exclusive possession of the ocean between the two islands, it felt excessively generous.

There was barely anything inside the tent. Two wooden chairs that were painted white, and a single table which was, of course, also painted white. Only those three objects were placed here by themselves. I sat in one of the chairs and silently waited for the humans’ emissary.

Like the spring breeze, the envoy of the humans entered the tent.

“……”

“……”

Our eyes met. I moved my head and nodded first. The girl also returned a light nod. The silver haired girl sat on the chair at the opposite side of the table. In a single glance, I knew that she was Elizabeth Atanaxia Evatriae von Habsburg, the Imperial Princess.

The Imperial Princess carried in a parcel. The thing which she brought out from the package was something that I was not expecting at all. It was a Go board. In this world, it was a game board that was sometimes referred to as the Black and White Flags. After taking out a Go board and a container filled with stone pieces, the Imperial Princess set them down on top of the table.

“……”

I gazed blankly at the Imperial Princess.

The Imperial Princess grabbed a handful of the white stones and then nodded her head towards me. She wanted to determine who was going to go first and who was going to go after.

—Would you look at this?

I laughed inside of my head. The intention behind this humorous gesture was evident. The Imperial Princess was trying to test my intelligence right now. If I display an ability that is lower than her expectation, then the Imperial Princess will most likely disregard my existence and not consider someone like myself as an individual to negotiate with. Even if I were to browbeat by shouting ‘What foolish action is this?’, I would gain the same result.

How enjoyable.

How very enjoyable.

I picked up a single black stone and placed it on top of the Go board. It represented an odd number. The Imperial Princess showed the number of stones that were in her hand. 3. Indeed, it was an odd number. Since I had guessed correctly on whether the number of stones she had in her hand was even or odd, I gained the initiative. The fact that the black stones had the first move while the white stones moved after, was the same in this world as well. However, there was no komi here. Whoever takes the black stones and gains the initiative will have an absolute advantage.

(TL note: Komi in the game of Go are points that are added to the score of the player with the white stones as compensation for playing second. Wiki)

And thus.

I was a person who had rarely ever lost after grabbing hold of the black stones.

Ο

— Tack.

Ο

I put down my first move.

The black stone that I put down made a light sound.

Seeing as the surface of this Go board was smooth, it was evident that this was a board that the Imperial Princess enjoyed to use. It was most likely made using quite the luxurious wood. The sound was satisfying.

“……”

The Imperial Princess silently gazed down at the Go board.

My first placement was at the top left corner of the board.

By putting one’s first move at the top left corner of the board, that was similar to the act of brazenly giving the middle finger to the opponent. In the game of Go, where there is an emphasis placed on etiquette, this was a move that was severely difficult to tolerate. It would be fine to call this my declaration of war. While moving the stones around in her hand, the Imperial Princess made her move.

Ο

— Tuck.

Ο

This time, it was my turn to become quiet.

The location where the Imperial Princess had set down her stone was at the exact center of the Go board, in other words, a cheonwon.

(TL note: The name of this move is called ‘cheonwon’)

If I were to decipher the meaning, then it would be fine to say that in response to my middle finger, the Imperial Princess had given me two middle fingers.

“……”

My head became cold. Although it may have been a different matter if a black stone were to be placed down as a cheonwon. A cheonwon with a white stone? Even if a pro were to play against a 7-year-old child, they would never put down a move as ignorant as this. Even from my own father, I have never been as disrespected as this.

Alright.

This will become a dog fight.

The first move was on the top left, and the second move was a cheonwon. Was this bliss not wonderful? Something like courtesy and contemplation on the Go board should be shoved in the grub of a female hog.

Ο

— Tack.

Ο

This time, I purposely put down my stone quietly on the third turn. My head becoming colder as my anger rose, was my primary habit. The Imperial Princess must have been the same as well, as the stone she put down on the fourth turn was quiet and the location which she placed it down at was logical. The childish confrontation was over. In an instant, we were immersed in the battlefield on the board.

Ο

— Tack.

— Tuck.

Ο

The war started at the top right of the board and slowly spread to the center. I mainly went on the offense, while the Imperial Princess primarily stayed on the defense. While I attacked in order to pierce through the center, the Imperial Princess built a stronghold in the middle and defended in order to secure the territory around her. I, who was trying to start a fight, did not back down, and the Imperial Princess, who was receiving that battle, did not step down. A slugfest occurred naturally.

While I pressed on the fight at the top left of the board, at odd times, I would attack in waves from different directions. Each time I did so, the Imperial Princess calmly faced my assault. Occasionally, when I relied on modern Go techniques to make my moves, the Imperial Princess tilted her head.

“……”

Eventually, after every 10 to 20 turns, her hand would stop and go to her chin. Every time this happened, the Imperial Princess would stare down at the board for a frighteningly long amount of time. Since there was no regulation on time, the Imperial Princess could think for as long as she wanted.

Finally, after 30 to 50 minutes had flown by, the Imperial Princess would counter my move. Although I was unsure whether that was the past style of Go or not, I was at least certain that that move was not a modern Go tactic. Despite that, as it was in accordance with reason, it contained an abstruse principle.

The Imperial Princess revived the stone that I had killed, enclosed the stone that I was fixated on, and utilized the stone that I had thrown away. I stole the stone which the Imperial Princess tried to protect, invaded the territory which the Imperial Princess had surrounded as her foothold, and pillaged the rear which the Imperial Princess had made. We did not yield even the slightest bit. Nothing was conceded and no compromise was made.

Occasionally, when the Imperial Princess set down her white stone, she would voicelessly ask me about her move.

Ο

— If it is this much, then is this not enough to withdraw?

Ο

At those times, I would put down a black stone next to another with no emotion on my face. Every time the opposition would make a subtle request to create a distance, I immediately rushed in. Even if I were to receive a loss for such actions.

Though this may have also been a matter of winning or losing, it was, at the same time, a type of conversation. I desired to respond to her.

Ο

— Push off(Revise).

Ο

Indeed, the Imperial Princess responded with a face void of emotions as well. She repeated the same suggestion twice and I did not encourage it. The next turn, and the next turn, as the battle continued, the Imperial Princess and I sounded out each other’s meaning.

Ο

— Well, your side will be the one at a disadvantage then……

— That is what you think. I want this spot.

— Normal people are unable to gain every location that they desire. Give it up.

— That is usually how an incompetent person consoles someone.

— I regret to tell you, but I am not an incompetent person.

— And I as well, am not a normal person. I apologize.

Ο

The second half.

My hand stopped in mid-air with a stone in my grasp.

“……”

Until now, I had gained subtle pleasures by utilizing the results of modern Go. However, the Imperial Princess had created new countermeasures on the spot and countered my moves. At some point, I had started to slowly lose the paths which I could go. A battle that was never before seen in a Go manual was unfolding on the board before me.

Without a doubt, I had taken profit during the early-mid portion of the battle. I had fought and won. Despite that, once we had arrived at the middle point of the match, the Imperial Princess had dragged the game down to a fog. That depth was not her experience, but instead, it was purely her head, her creativity, and over all else, it was her intuition that dragged the match down to the quagmire at the bottom. The Imperial Princess, who did not know who Go Seigen was, had no clue who Bamboo Grove was, and was unknowledgeable of Lee Chang-Ho, was able to drop me into a pit.

(TL note: These are the names of famous Go players. Go Seigen and Lee Chang-ho. Sanae, also known as Bamboo Grove, does not have a wiki page, but he had won the 2005 national Go championship in S. Korea.)

After the middle point of the match, I often fell into thought. My breathing became more unmanageable as the mire rose. In order to handle that unwieldy breathing, I held my breath for a long time and exhaled deeply. I had to invest more than double, triple the amount of time than the Imperial Princess had needed in order to make my next move.

Ο

— What’s the matter?

Ο

Without even a second of hesitation, the Imperial Princess put down her next move the instant I put down my stone. She was pressuring me with vigor. She provoked and ridiculed me.

Ο

— It seems your spirit has abruptly died down. Where have all your attacks, that you had so self-assertively carried out early on, disappear to? Have you run out of stratagems? Have you reached the bottom of your clever schemes? How disappointing. You are a genius with only a brilliant wit. There are a countless number of geniuses like that throughout history.

— ・・・・・・.

Ο

I did not respond to the provocations.

I stooped and stooped again.

Even if the Imperial Princess made her move within a second, even if she deliberately interfered with my territory, I did not concern myself with any of that and only considered the image of the board. There was no restriction on time anyway. It was my creed to make use of a condition that could be used.

Ο

— How insipid.

— ・・・・・・.

— Try giving a more amusing response. Is this game not becoming enjoyable for the both of us after such a long time? Come, oh Demon Lord. Your spirit and my spirit, let us determine which side among the two is stronger. Would that, too, not also be considered the fun of Go?

— ・・・・・・.

— Look here.

Ο

I curled up. I merely curled up.

It was fine to curse at me and tell me that I was boring. Laugh at me all you want.

There are no boatmen who would go against raging waves. A boatman would align the shaking of the waves with the trembling of the bow and avoid the immediate threat. The reason was simple. Boatmen crossed the ocean in order to arrive at land, they were not going out to sea in order to fight against the ocean. In the end, a person with a destination, a person who was given a direction in life, would not be flipped over when confronted by provocations. They merely flowed.

Eventually.

Ο

— ・・・・・・.

— ・・・・・・.

Ο

Words had disappeared from both the Imperial Princess and myself.

Incitement, ridicule, and even confrontation no longer went back and forth between us. I endured the time while stooped down, and the Imperial Princess withstood the time while curled up. We had both arrived at a distressful time. There was no ingenuity or intuition there. There was no experience or logic. Since only the surplus of time, which we had to endure till the very end, remained, we were both pulled there. That was not the time that flowed, but the time that grabbed hold and pulled.

Why we had to keep placing down stones.

There was only a single reason.

Merely to win.

Once the fight on the board, that was once a competition for victory and also a type of conversation, had reached its final moment, only the match to determine the winner remained. We had lost the meaning behind all the silent conversations we had shared up till now. No, we were unable to even remember it properly now. Only the Go board placed in front of us existed in our sight.

That was the end.

It was an end game with no glory or disturbance.

It was a concluding move that moved according to the end sequence that was determined.

Ο

— Tack.

— Tuck.

— Tack.

Ο

“……”

The Imperial Princess stopped her hand.

The 252nd turn.