Dungeon Defense (WN)

A brief, tension-filled silence hung in the air like a fuse ready to explode.

The crowd was left dumbfounded by Zepar’s outrageous words. Moments later, a massive roar erupted from the plaza, louder than ever before. I quickly glanced toward the spot where Sitri sat. She maintained her usual, stoic expression.

“The only thing I regret is that I could not witness the whore with red hair die. It must have been a masterpiece, no doubt. To think I missed seeing that filthy woman’s face contort hideously……. Such a shame, such a real shame!”

Except for her hand.

Sitri’s left arm was trembling.

I turned my head and glared at Zepar.

“Can you swear that what you just said is the absolute truth without a shred of lie?”

“There is no need to swear as it is the truth. I was the one who led the assassination. It was I who met with Belial and caused the internal strife within the Mountain Faction. That fool could not even hide his destination properly, so he was exposed immediately.”

Zepar scoffed and looked at Sitri. His eyes were filled with mockery.

“The Mountain Faction was nothing but a bunch of amateurs to begin with……. Even if I had not intervened, they would have collapsed eventually. In fact, I should be thanked. At least I gave that woman the role of a noble sacrifice. She was nothing more than a woman who would have been slaughtered by lowlifes in some back alley―.”

At that moment, Sitri let out a beastly scream and charged at Zepar.

Sitri had received careful treatment and her arm had healed, but her leg was not yet fully recovered. Because of this, she pressed against the ground like a beast and tackled Zepar. Sitri raised her fist and relentlessly beat Zepar’s face.

“Don’t insult my sister! Don’t insult big sis!”

With his limbs bound, Zepar was powerless against the violence. Blood spattered. Neutral Faction Demon Lords hurried over and grabbed Sitri. Even as they restrained her, Sitri cried out in anguish.

“Why―why is everyone―! Why is no one standing up for my sister―!”

Sitri struggled weakly like a beast caught by a hunter. She did not have an artifact imbued with amplification magic. The citizens in the square would not have been able to hear what she was saying. Yet, with movements more desperate than any speech, Sitri cried out in anguish.

“I saved you all! You Plains Faction bastards were on the brink of annihilation because of Agares, and I, our Mountain Faction, rescued you! I shouldn’t have helped you! We should have left you to die to Agares!”

That was around the time Agares and Gamigin rebelled against the Plains Faction.

When the independent Demon Lords opposed the reorganization of the Demon Lord Army under its new name as an empire and mustered their armies, the Plains Faction almost faced complete annihilation. It wasn’t known then, but Rank 1 Baal had also implicitly supported the rebellion.

Or perhaps, Baal was the one behind the rebellion. The Plains Faction was trapped in a desperate situation, facing defeat both militarily at the hands of Agares and politically under Gamigin.

At that time, the Demon Lord who saved the Plains Faction was none other than Sitri. Despite being enemies, Sitri had helped the Plains Faction for one simple reason: to keep her promise. This light and straightforward reason was all it took for her to step in. Thanks to her, the Plains Faction was saved, and a brief peace was established between the Plains and Mountain Factions…….

“You ungrateful bastards!”

Sitri bared her teeth and shouted.

“None of you have even the slightest sense of honor or understanding of keeping promises, you pig-headed fools! Die! All of you……!”

“The interrogation of Zepar is now concluded.”

I intervened to bring the situation under control. The Neutral Faction Demon Lords placed the helmet back on Zepar and dragged him off the platform. Just before his face was hidden by the helmet, Zepar cast his gaze at me. I could read nothing from his indifferent eyes.

But Sitri’s suffering did not end there.

One by one, the Demon Lords of the Plains Faction who were dragged out after Zepar followed suit.

“That’s right. I assassinated Paimon!”“I ordered them to stab that vulgar body until it was torn apart!”“Barbatos knew nothing of this!”

All of them.

All five declared Barbatos’ innocence and their own guilt. It was as if they had made a pact to viciously slander Paimon. They did this to shift even a sliver of blame to themselves.

Three days ago, I went around the prisons sowing doubt into the Plains Faction Demon Lords. The suspicion that Barbatos might have truly carried out the assassination. I made it clear that if the trial proceeded as it was, Barbatos would most likely bear the guilt and be sentenced to death.

I knew that the Plains Faction Demon Lords would act in this way.

They would rather sacrifice themselves than watch Barbatos die. There were no exceptions. From Zepar to Beleth, all of them loudly declared their guilt.

Their loyalty to Barbatos was pure.

To prove their sincerity, the Plains Faction Demon Lords called Paimon a whore, a filthy woman, someone who deserved to die. To them, Barbatos was far more precious than Paimon ever could be.

“…….”

In the end, Sitri bowed her head and quietly shed tears.

No one defended the honor of the dead. No one honored the fact that the deceased had dedicated over two thousand years solely for the sake of the demon race. Only Sitri, alone, shed tears for Paimon.

How many hearts are intertwined in this, I wonder.

The Plains Faction Demon Lords confessed to a crime they hadn’t even committed, solely to protect Barbatos. Sitri was sacrificing everything just to avenge Paimon. Even though the true criminal behind Paimon’s death and the plot to kill Barbatos was standing right here, no one suspected me.

It was impressive.

I called out for the final Demon Lord to be interrogated.

“Comrades, I now wish to summon the last guilty party here. Please bring forth Barbatos.”

“Approved.”

The Neutral Faction Demon Lords dragged Barbatos out.

Barbatos was wearing rags that were almost like cloth scraps. The yellowish scraps were dirty, tattered, and barely covered her body. Her wrists and ankles were tightly bound by iron chains. It was a pitiful sight.

With every step Barbatos took, the chains creaked and tightened around her limbs. Her skin had already been torn, and blood was dripping out. Barbatos, with blood trickling down, took one step after another, climbing toward the platform. She kept her head bowed.

─ Thud.

Something hit Barbatos’ white hair. It was a rotten piece of fruit.

That marked the beginning of the chaos. Demons standing close to the platform began throwing all sorts of filthy objects at Barbatos. In no time, the area around her became a complete mess. Barbatos was drenched in sticky, red liquid.

“Cowardly assassin!”

The citizens shouted. The testimony of the Demon Lords had already sealed Barbatos’ fate as guilty. Despite the Plains Faction Demon Lords’ desperate attempts to prove her innocence, it was all in vain.

If it had been only one or two individuals, it might have been different, but every single Demon Lord of the Plains Faction had claimed their own guilt. Now, there were six perpetrators confessing to committing the same crime. Even the most ignorant person could tell that the Plains Faction Demon Lords were lying.

Excessiveness had become their downfall.

The Demon Lords of the Plains Faction tried to shield Barbatos, but their efforts were overly blatant. Their testimony laid bare the fact that these loyal subordinates were fabricating lies to cover up their lord’s alleged wrongdoings.

And this was the trap I had set.

Had only Zepar alone claimed guilt, there might have been a chance to turn this around.

Had all the Demon Lords of the Plains Faction confessed innocence without resistance, firmly asserting that they never committed the assassination, there might have still been a path to survival.

However, not a single one of them pleaded innocence.

The Demon Lords of the Plains Faction would have been better off leaving Barbatos to her fate. Ignoring her, denouncing her as a potential perpetrator of the assassination, and focusing on finding their own means of survival would have been wiser. Had they done so, there might have been a small chance that all would be released due to lack of evidence.

I trusted the loyalty of the Demon Lords of the Plains Faction and, therefore, exploited that loyalty.

The result was the barrage of filth now raining down on Barbatos.

“…….”

Rotten fruit and raw eggs stained Barbatos from head to toe. Her already filthy scraps of cloth became soiled beyond recognition, to the point where it was embarrassing to even call them clothes. Objects struck her head, her thin arms, and her pale calves.

Barbatos was being humiliated by the very demons she had once sought to protect. Like a warrior who had fallen from a saint to a witch. Even so, she silently continued to walk forward.

Finally, Barbatos ascended the platform.

I spoke.

“Barbatos. The archdukes have acknowledged your guilt. Your guilt is nearly certain.”

“…….”

“However, the Demon Lords of the Plains Faction claim that this crime was not carried out under your orders. They insist that the planning and execution of the assassination were entirely their doing. Barbatos, they claim you have no connection to the crime.”

And this was the final trap.

Barbatos, you have two choices.

One is to expose my guilt. To claim that this assassination was entirely the result of our plan, and that the responsibility for killing Paimon lies with the two of us. I have no intention of denying such a claim.

I am prepared to die here with you.

Because, Barbatos, you have the right to kill me. For me, a mutual demise alongside you is not such a bad outcome either. Let us fall together, bearing the weight of the sin of killing Paimon, that beautiful woman…….

The other choice is for you to bear all the guilt alone and die.

If things continue as they are, the Plains Faction Demon Lords will be convicted. They will be executed for crimes they did not commit. Barbatos, only if you claim your own guilt will there be a chance for their innocence to be acknowledged.

Make your choice.

Will you die with me, or will you save the Demon Lords of the Plains faction?

Barbatos remained silent for a moment before slowly opening her mouth.

“Hah? What kind of nonsense is that? My kids assassinated Paimon?”

Barbatos lifted her head.

Her face was smeared with all kinds of filth, making it look utterly wretched. Yet, her golden eyes, unwavering and unyielding, shone brightly as they stared directly ahead.

“I have no idea where that’s coming from. No matter how stupid Paimon might be, she’s not foolish enough to fall to dull-witted kids like mine. You’d have to put in quite a bit of effort to kill her.”

Barbatos, betrayed by the demons and even by me, her lover.

“They didn’t commit the assassination. It was me—formerly ranked 8th, the leader of the Plains Faction, and the one who hated Paimon the most in this world, the one who most fervently desired her death—I, Barbatos, killed Paimon.”

Barbatos was smiling widely.

Proud and beautiful, just as she had always been.

***

TL Note: Thanks for reading the chapter. As I mentioned in the last update, this chapter got delayed a lot cause of the sudden appendicitis. To make matters worse, my dad went to the ER again like a day after I got discharged from the hospital. This is definitely not a good start of the year. 

I don’t have much else to say since I’m still sorting myself out, but yeah, I’ll see you guys in the next chapter.

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