Dungeon Defense (WN)

Chapter 87: Age of Schemes (2)

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Paimon returned her gaze to the map.

Sitri looked unamused. She had come to see Paimon because she had gotten bored of playing with 3 centaurs all this time. Sitri may be the representation of sexual desire, but Paimon was impressive in her own way as well. She wanted to spend an obscene and beautiful time together with Paimon since it had been a long time, but to her disappointment, Paimon kept observing the map in silence.

Sitri pouted.

“Hmph. It’s obvious what’s on your mind. Do you think I’m dumb?”

“Oh dear.”

Paimon giggled.

‘It seems she’s begun to pout because I’m not playing with her. How cute.’

Then should I try hearing her out, Paimon thought as she looked back up at Sitri. Sitri’s face was brimming with confidence.

“Other people call me stupid, but I’m the Rank 12 Demon Lord despite my looks. I can think beyond what normal people can think.”

“Oh dear, oh dear. I didn’t know that our Sitri was so smart.”

“Hmmph⎯. You’re trying to do that one thing, right? Chadu Murder.”

The smile on Paimon’s lips thickened. It’s Chadoh murder, not Chadu murder, but there’s no reason for her to point that out. She fully understood what Sitri was trying to say. Once Paimon remained silent, Sitri took that as an affirmation and promptly began to talk excitedly.(TL Note: Chadoh Murder is the act of killing someone with another person’s sword. In other words, achieving a goal through sinister means.)

“We’re going to use the opportunity given to us by that annoying Barbatos brat as she uses all her power to fight against the humans so we can advance with ease, right? Am I right?”

She was acting just like a dog that was waiting for its owner to praise it. This was the image that Paimon received.

“You are half correct and half incorrect.”

“H-Huh?”

Sitri furrowed her brows. She looked like an otter that was facing a once in a lifetime threat. 

“Half correct……and half wrong? If it’s right, it’s right, and if it’s wrong, it’s wrong, right? Uugh. How can I be half right and half wrong?”

Sitri is a high-ranking Demon Lord who got to her position through her power and leadership ability. However, compared to her incredible military prestige, she’s lacking in terms of resourcefulness. Whenever she enters a battlefield, her foolishness would vanish without a trace as her instincts would conquer the battle perfectly, but in other fields outside of combat, her mental competency becomes questionable.

If Barbatos is a warrior who utilizes her resourcefulness and schemes to transcend battlefields into works of art, then Sitri is a warrior who conquers battlefields with her strength and instincts. She specializes in battles more than wars, so Paimon believes that that is why she can see things others cannot.

Paimon thinks of herself as a ruler and not a military master.

“How do you think the world will change once the Demon Lord armies conquer the continent?”

“Huh? Wouldn’t it become a world where demonkind can live happily?”

Paimon laughed. Sitri’s innocent answer felt refreshing to hear. Sitri puffed her cheeks out as it seemed like Paimon was teasing her. Paimon didn’t avoid her gaze. She gazed at Sitri in a relaxed manner with her scarlet eyes. After she carefully selected her words in her head, she opened her mouth and spoke smoothly and clearly.

“I’m sorry. It is quite rare to see someone who still has their innocence when in a high position like yours, Sitri, so I unintentionally giggled. It felt like I was meeting a maiden who had just bloomed.”

“…….”

Sitri dropped her gaze once she realized that was a genuine compliment. Her face became red. This side of her is unfair, Sitri thought. Paimon would always gaze at the other party sincerely. This sort of sincerity was almost non-existent among the Demon Lords.

While everyone is caught up in betrayal and devising schemes, Paimon is the only one who clearly draws a line between her allies and enemies. She treats allies like allies and enemies like enemies. She doesn’t hide the fact that she loves humans and all other races.

The following is how Paimon and Barbatos are different. Barbatos obviously distinguishes her allies and enemies, but she tries to rule her allies as the leader. On the other hand, Paimon treats her allies as equals. It is due to this reason that the Mountain Faction has more members than the Plains Faction.

“I-In any case! What do you mean by half right and half wrong!?”

“A world where demonkind can live happily. This is correct. This will most likely happen; however, if you look at it from another perspective, it will become a world that is that much more difficult for humans to live.”

Paimon slid her palm across the map of the continent.

“But look. There are so many humans. Even if the Demon Lord armies manage to conquer the continent, they will not be able to wipe out humankind. Humans will most likely become slaves and fall into a class where they have to serve the society of demonkind.”

“Hmm. What’s so bad about that? It’s only natural that the weak would serve the strong.”

Paimon gazed at Sitri with forlorn eyes.

“But would that truly be a world for demonkind? Sitri, I do not believe this to be the case. I do not believe that is a world for demonkind, it is a world for Demon Lords.”

“Eh?”

“Demon Lords can read the emotions of demons. Therefore, demonkind is not simply another party to Demon Lords. Individuals who are able to treat others like themselves, that is what it means to be a Demon Lord……. Thus, it would only be appropriate for Demon Lords to be the one to rule when it comes to ruling for the sake of demonkind. Everyone believes this to be the case.”

Demon Lords, demons, and even the other races treat this as an obvious fact.

Even if Demon Lords probably cannot establish an absolute dictatorship due to realistic difficulties, a dictatorship under Demon Lords is an ideal held by all demons. Whether they accept this ideal or not, they know that it is the right direction.

Paimon used to be like that as well. In truth, she believed in this ideal more than anyone else. During the 1st Crescent Alliance, there weren’t a lot of Demon Lords who participated more actively than she did. Until that time, Paimon and Barbatos were comrades who pursued the same ideal. Almost every Demon Lord did. However, after the 2nd Crescent Alliance, Paimon started to have her doubts.

Is this really the case?

Is a world ruled by Demon Lords truly the right path?

She contemplated over and over again. Demon Lords have been trying to annihilate the human nations simply because they are incapable of reading their emotions. Humans were nothing more than an obstacle in their goal to establish an absolutely perfect society. However, after going through several massive battles, Paimon witnessed that humans and demons aren’t so different.

Eventually, during the 3rd Crescent Alliance, Paimon and Barbatos clashed.

‘What are you talking about?’

‘We simply cannot read their emotions. What difference is there between humans and demons? Barbatos, they also bleed. They also know how to suffer. They know how to be happy as well. Most importantly, they are able to communicate with us.”

“So? Fuck, what about it?’

Despite Barbatos’ aggressive gaze, Paimon continued her statement firmly.

‘Think about it……. How would the world be like if us Demon Lords did not exist? If Demon Lords being able to read their emotions is the only distinguishable difference between humans and demons……then would humans and demons not be the same if Demon Lords did not exist? Barbatos, is it not us Demon Lords that is a foreign substance to the world and not the humans?’

This was the decisive statement.

After this day, Barbatos parted ways with Paimon. From Barbatos’ perspective, she couldn’t possibly accept Paimon who was questioning the very existence of Demon Lords.

The demon world is almost entirely barren. The demons that live in the demon world dream to live equally on fertile soil. Demon Lords are the ones who carry out that dream. Barbatos longed to bring that dream to fruition and believed that they had to get rid of humans in order to establish an equal society. Demon Lords are the only appropriate rulers to watch over the emotions of tens of thousands of demons…….

On the other hand, Paimon had her doubts. If humans and demons aren’t different, then would it be right to annihilate the human race in order to establish an ideal society? Wouldn’t an ideal society be a world where humans, demons, and all other races are able to live together equally? In the current conflict of the world, Demon Lords are present. It is because Demon Lords are present that demons and humans are treated as two entirely different races. A genuinely ideal world should be a society where all people are equal even without Demon Lords…….

This was the decisive moment where the Plains Faction and Mountain Faction split apart.

“An equal world under the rule of Demon Lords. This truly does sound like a good world; however, the truth is like this: Demon Lords will reign above all, and humans will serve as slaves below everyone else. This lady finds it hard to believe whether this type of world is truly ideal or not.”

“…….”

Sitri couldn’t understand Paimon’s words that well. Nonetheless, she could somehow tell that some incredible words were coming out of Paimon’s lips.

“In this Crescent Alliance, our Mountain Faction must face both the Teuton Kingdom and the Batavian Republic. This is fortunate. Sir Baal must have done this intentionally out of consideration of this lady……. He is giving me an opportunity to work together with the Batavian Republic……. It seems I will constantly be in debt to Sir Baal. Although his consideration has become needless this time.”

Paimon had a smile on her face that looked as if it were on the brink of vanishing.

Sitri frowned as she gazed at Paimon. She spoke honestly.

“Sorry. I don’t know what big sis is talking about.”

“In the end, there is only one way for humans and demons to live equally. Sitri, I am not referring to an absolute monarchy with Demon Lords at the center. I am referring to a nation where everyone has sovereignty. In other words, a Democratic Republic is the only answer.”

The Batavian Republic is the only republic in the human continent. The concept of republicanism has spread to other nations as well. Paimon intends to cooperate with the republican factions and go against the royalists.

The leading members of most human nations are royalists anyway. Royalists are also the ones who will be directly harmed the most by the Crescent Alliance. This is the same for demonkind as well. Whether it be intentional or unintentional, the Plains Faction, who plays the most active part in wars, supports the monarchy.

‘In the end,’

Paimon mentally scoffed.

‘Those who adhere to the monarchy are tearing away at each other’s flesh.’

The Demon Lord armies and the royalists will exchange blows enthusiastically. While this is happening, the Mountain Faction will cooperate with all the republican factions. It is clear that the groups who support monarchy in both the Demon Lord armies and the human armies will become incredibly weak as soon as the war is over. Paimon will use that opportunity. The Mountain Faction of the demon nation and the Republican factions of the human nation will work together and turn the state of affairs around in an instant!

Chadoh murder.

This is why Sitri’s assumption was only half correct. She isn’t making the humans fight with the Plains Faction. To be more precise, she’s making the royalists and the Plains Faction fight.

Giving the third imperial princess of the Habsburg Empire information about the Crescent Alliance was on the same line of reasoning. As long as war has begun, the Third Imperial Princess will have no other choice but to give military power to the official heir, the first prince. There’s no way that the crown prince would leave the imperial princess alone after gaining military control. The imperial princess will have no choice but to take certain measures……. Paimon could roughly guess what choice the imperial princess is going to make. No, Paimon intends to lure the imperial princess into making that very choice.

Paimon rolled up the map.

“Let us end the difficult discussion here. Sitri, shall we spend a cozy time together.”

“Huh? Ah, sure. Hehe. Leave it to me today, Sis. I’ll send you to heaven.”

Sitri lifted Paimon up energetically as if she had been waiting for this moment. She then laid Paimon on a bed that was sitting in a corner of the room. Paimon chuckled.

“Oh dear. This lady dislikes being handled roughly…….”

“That’s because you don’t know the true potential of violence. Okay. Call me Master from now on.”

“Are we roleplaying? I am fine with that. Master, please treat this lady kindly.”

“Oh? How dare this lowly maid ask for kindness!? Just be grateful that your dirty hole is going to be filled by my noble member.”

Sitri didn’t even finish stripping Paimon before she began to caress her.

Paimon pondered to herself as she enjoyed the exquisite touch. Even though she hoped that the humans and the Demon Lord armies would fight more fiercely, Dantalian, that man had carried out an odd strategy. She never thought they would be able to completely breach the Black Mountains with only 2,000 soldiers.

She has to tell the humans to be cautious of Demon Lord Dantalian. As she contemplated who she was going to tell and how she was going to pull it off, she let out a hot breath.

“W-Wait. Hkk, you are being too rough! Master, ack, be more gentle……!”

“Shut up. Hoo. You aren’t being honest when your lower lips are already this wet.”

“Uu, huaaaaa!”

……For now, I’ll have to think about it after this is over. Paimon thought to herself.

***

TL Note: Thanks for reading the chapter. There isn’t much for me to say this chapter other than that I’ll probably keep translating DD WN for a bit longer before I resume translating another novel. I’m still weighing Handholding and Million Dollar Bill.

I’ll see you guys in the next release.