Dungeon Defense (WN)

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As planned, a public trial was held in Niflheim.

In the central plaza of the city, tens of thousands of demons gathered. In front of them, Barbatos and other Demon Lords of the Plains Faction were being put on trial. Normally, even if a verdict is reached in a trial, there would be a brief delay before punishment is carried out, but this time was different.

The sentence would be pronounced, and execution would take place immediately afterward. This was a decision made by the four electors appointed as judges: Marbas, Sitri, Gamigin, and Vassago. I acted as both a complainant and prosecutor in the proceedings.

In short, it was a rigged game.

There were no defense attorneys. The Demon Lords of the Plains Faction had to defend themselves solely by their own strength. They didn’t have the right to summon witnesses. This trial, which was more ruthless than military or religious tribunals, was handling an unprecedented number of Demon Lords at once.

“……There’s no way Her Majesty would commit assassination…….”

“Do not speak such blasphemous words. Their Highness Marbas and Vassago have already…….”

There were perhaps around fifty thousand citizens gathered. The demons did not create a ruckus or cause disturbances since they were in front of Demon Lords, but the whispers exchanged between them were enough to create a massive vibration as fifty thousand voices murmured at once.

Marbas, who was presiding over the trial, called for me. Once I approached him, Marbas whispered in my ear.

“I have entrusted this matter entirely to you, but is everything proceeding smoothly?”

“Rest assured. The friendship of the Plains Faction is as solid as a fortress.”

I replied indifferently. The Plains Faction had to fall during this trial. Both I and Marbas were gambling our political lives on it.

“You don’t have to trust me, Marbas. Trust the Plains Faction.”

“I have always trusted you.”

The reason we did not execute Barbatos in a private chamber was solely due to the goodwill she had built. The citizens of the demon world would never believe that Barbatos had committed assassination unless we unveiled her guilt in a public setting.

There would undoubtedly be suspicions that the Neutral Faction and the Mountain Faction had orchestrated everything. Even if they couldn’t openly voice those doubts in front of us, the suspicion would linger like residue, stubborn and unshakeable. We couldn’t afford to leave any potential threats for the future…….

“And above all, I trust the truth.”

Marbas gazed at me steadily with his gray eyes.

“The truth is on our side. Barbatos assassinated Paimon, and as long as Barbatos is to be dealt with, the entire Plains Faction must be eliminated as well. Do you not agree?”

“Yes, Sebastokrator. This is a matter on which we are all in agreement.”

“Hmm.”

Marbas closed his eyes.

“So, in the end, this day has come. It’s been a stretch—long if you consider it long, short if you consider it short—since the second Crescent Alliance. And yet……yes, perhaps this outcome was set from that moment onward.”

For Marbas, this moment held particular significance. He was sentencing an old comrade, who was once a fellow commander of the legion, to death. Yet his resolve remained unwavering, showing his inner fortitude…….

He knows how to show admiration and respect, but when it comes to political necessity, he can sever ties cleanly. Such is Demon Lord Marbas. It is precisely because of this cold rationality that we were able to become partners.

“Dantalian, are you confident that you will not leave behind any regrets?”

“I am confident that I will not be defeated by regret.”

“……That will have to do.”

Marbas slowly raised his eyelids. His gray eyes, darker than black, gleamed as he rose from his chair. This signified the opening of the stage for today’s grand proceedings.

“Hear me, demonkind!”

Marbas’ voice reverberated powerfully, amplified by magic.

Like the sound of an organ, his voice struck the air, pressing it down with force. All fifty thousand citizens fell silent in an instant. Orcs holding their children to watch, witches chattering angrily among friends, and even the archdukes of the demon world who had been whispering at the front—all held their breath under Marbas’ commanding presence.

“Today, in this place, a grave and solemn truth shall be revealed!”

Marbas strode across the square. No one could meet his gaze. Only the archdukes seated on either side of him as judges could maintain their usual composure.

“To murder a demon lord is a monstrous crime. And to employ the treacherous act of assassination is an unforgivable evil! Among those gathered here today, someone has committed this very atrocity!”

Gamigin smiled brightly.

Vassago glanced into the air with a gaze full of contempt for all things.

Sitri, still not fully recovered, stared ahead expressionlessly while holding her crutches close.

I raised my head and looked up at the sky. It was noon. The clear blue sky stretched endlessly, with wyverns guarding the square, their wings slowly beating against a backdrop of white clouds. It was an ideal day for someone to meet their end.

There was no need to worry. I would take Baal’s sword from Daisy, who was at my side, and execute Barbatos and the other Demon Lords of the Plains Faction. With the sword’s power, it would be possible to behead Barbatos in a single strike.

“I, Marbas, declare in this noble name that here the truth shall be revealed under the light of day, and wrongdoing shall be immediately and unmistakably punished! All of you shall remain solemnly silent before this.”

Now then.

“The trial of Demon Lord Barbatos is hereby in session!”

The public execution ceremony had begun.

Marbas took his seat and gestured.

“First, we will interrogate the accused, Zepar. Bring him forth!”

Led by Neutral Faction Demon Lords acting as guards, Brother Zepar was brought onto the podium.

Brother Zepar was draped in a thin garment, barely more than white underclothes, utterly disregarding the dignity or status of a Demon Lord. The citizens murmured in shock at his attire and at the noticeable absence of his right arm.

“Remove his restraints.”

The Neutral Faction Demon Lords took off the helmet-like device from Zepar’s head. It was a helmet designed to block sight and sound, forcibly placed on all the Demon Lords of the Plains Faction. As the helmet was lifted, Zepar’s worn and disheveled face, after three days of imprisonment, was revealed to the crowd.

“Dantalian, you may begin.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

I gazed steadily at Brother Zepar.

This place was, in essence, an arena—a coliseum.

“…….”

“…….”

Before tens of thousands of spectators and under the judgment of the four adjudicators, Brother Zepar and I stood on the platform, facing each other. Our goals were diametrically opposed: to expose Barbatos’ guilt and to prove Barbatos’ innocence.

I had already woven my web three days ago.

‘What are you trying to say to me?’‘Please, confess your innocence. That is the only way for the Plains Faction to survive.’‘You don’t understand anything.’

Whether he would fall into that trap—this was the gamble.

In today’s trial, I had staked my bets on two fronts. The first wager was against Brother Zepar and the other Plains Faction Demon Lords. The second wager was against Barbatos……. In other words, I had to overcome both obstacles to secure an absolute victory.

That’s right.

By deciding to execute Barbatos in the square instead of dealing with her in secret, the possibility of my defeat naturally arose as well.

Thus, it was a match.

Though my chances of victory were overwhelmingly high—or at least that was my assessment—there was undeniably still a chance for the Plains Faction to prevail. This wasn’t a one-sided battle pushed entirely from my end.

Come at me with all you have, Zepar.

We are both wielding unseen blades against each other. Dismiss any thought of receiving the respect due to an older brother. I will hunt you down with all my strength.

“I, Dantalian, accuse Demon Lord Barbatos of assassinating Demon Lord Paimon.”

My voice, too, carried across the square through amplification magic. Although some of the trial’s details had already been disclosed, it did not prevent the citizens from gasping in shock. And for me, her first and most prominent ally, to accuse Barbatos? The impact was sure to be doubled.

“First, I will call the witnesses. The seven archdukes of the demon world have come forward as witnesses today. I request testimony from each one of them.”

“Permission granted. Each witness shall proceed to the stand in the order they are summoned.”

The first witness was the Serpent Archduke.

An elderly vampire ascended to the witness stand, attended by his servants. Two attendants held large parasols over him, as exposing a vampire to the midday sun was hardly a pleasant experience.

“First, to the esteemed adjudicators, I solemnly declare that I will testify only to the truth. I swear upon the names of Apollo and Hades that if even a shred of falsehood is found in my testimony, may the judges punish me on behalf of all the gods, and may the citizens gathered in this square curse me with the collective will of ten thousand souls.”

The Serpent Archduke bowed respectfully to each of the four Demon Lord adjudicators, greeting them with swift yet courteous nods. Lastly, he turned to the square and bowed deeply toward the crowd.

Once the formalities concluded, I posed a question to the archduke.

“Archduke of Serpent Hell, on the twelfth month of this year, you received a private message from Demon Lord Barbatos, correct?”

“Yes, Your Highness. I did indeed receive a secret communication from Her Highness Barbatos.”

“And what was the content of that message?”

The archduke glanced over the square, deliberately delaying his response to capture attention. With just a brief hesitation, the atmosphere in the square grew taut with tension.

“……I fear I may be too presumptuous to speak of it.”

“You swore to speak only the truth here today. Silence can never substitute for truth, as it merely grants deception a momentary reprieve.”

I fixed the Serpent Archduke with a severe gaze. Yet, our exchange was prearranged; even his current look of discomfort was scripted to add to the drama of the moment.

“Of course, I would not dare harbor even a speck of intent to lie or delay in front of the most powerful sovereigns in the world. However, truth can sometimes bring harm to the one who speaks it.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I ask that my safety be assured.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the plaza erupted. Publicly demanding protection in a court setting was a direct affront to the adjudicators. Some citizens, angered and indignant, shouted accusations, calling him rude or saying he didn’t know his place.

“Silence.”

Marbas’s command cut through the noise, and the crowd quickly quieted down. With an icy gaze, he fixed his eyes on the Serpent Archduke.

“You are our witness, and this is our court. We have already assured your safety—do you require further guarantees?”

“My deepest apologies, Your Highness. However, I desire absolute assurance of my safety, regardless of the trial’s outcome.”

“You have received our promise.”

Marbas, half-rising from his seat, questioned sternly.

“What was the content of the private message Barbatos sent you on the twelfth month?”

“It was a matter concerning the late Demon Lord Paimon, Your Highness.”

“And what specifically did it say?”

“……Barbatos.”

The Serpent Archduke hesitated briefly before speaking.

“Ordered me to assassinate Paimon.”

—At that moment, an uproar erupted across the plaza.

***

TL Note: Thanks for reading the chapter. I’m genuinely sorry that I completely lost track of time. The recent project I received at work had me just fully concentrating on that for basically 3 weeks, which made me constantly forget if I released a chapter or not. It was seriously annoying because it’s a children’s education game, but there was so much info in it that was factually incorrect that I had to actually research a lot of the things being used in this game… My brain was just so preoccupied with trying to get all the facts straight… The source for some reason had a part that wrote “all rhinos are nocturnal” and “

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