Dungeon Defense (WN)

Everyone had become dumbfounded. Barbatos continued to drop more bombshells.

“Ah, this doesn’t mean that I’m actually Dantalian’s wife. To be more exact, Dantalian is my lover. Dantalian’s ownership belongs to me. But I’m merciful. I don’t mind generously forgiving my lover even if he cheats on me.’

Barbatos slowly crossed her legs.

“However, it’d be troubling if he goes around playing with whoever he pleases. Dantalian, you’re the lover of none other than me, Barbatos. The lover of a ruler. Do you understand what this means?”

“……If it becomes known that I’m a debauchee, then it would also harm your image.”

A ruler’s lover playing around with whoever they wanted was insulting in itself.

The lover wouldn’t be the only one to have their image ruined. Why did you make a person like that your lover? Do you actually have a good eye for people? Like this, the ruler would also have their image tarnished.

However, I spoke up to ask a question.

“You may have not slept with men, but you’ve always played around however you wanted until now. Do you have an image to be tarnished all of a sudden?”

“Idiot. The important thing is the fact that you’re my one and only male lover.”

Barbatos let out a sigh.

“I know that there may be no sweet feelings between us, but it’s meaningful in the eyes of other people. This is the first time in 2,000 years that I’m going out with a man.”

I understood now.

In the demon world, a man’s adultery wasn’t even considered a scandal. The demon world is unrivaled when it comes to being sexually free. Although there wasn’t a lot, a minority of people who would boast about having sex with the vilest creatures did exist.

However, not being able to properly manage your ‘wife’ or ‘husband’ was a different matter. It wouldn’t matter to the person who commits adultery, but the partner who allows them to do so would get ridiculed.

“It’s troublesome being a high-ranking Demon Lord.”

Barbatos looked rather tired.

“Try having some nonsensical rumors about you circulate behind your back. It’ll probably spread throughout the entire demon world in an instant. For example, if a rumor were to spread that Dantalian was actually an incredibly vulgar debauchee and that Barbatos fell for him, then…….”

“Agares and Gamigin would probably be the first to celebrate. Damn it.”

This would put Barbatos at a bit of a disadvantage in her fight for justification. In the political world, there was nothing more effective than attacking your opponent’s image.

I see. I’ve climbed up to a position where I now have to be concerned about my relationship with females……. I’ve become an individual who could harm others if I acted however I pleased and according to my desires. This was so troublesome.

I blamed her bluntly.

“Then why’d you make our relationship public like that?”

Once I did, Barbatos seemed to get incredibly annoyed as she furrowed her brows.

“Rumors were destined to spread anyway. If you don’t have a pig’s ass attacked to your neck, then think about it, you idiot. Do you think rumors wouldn’t spread when you visit my quarters and don’t come out all night? It’d be better to just come out publicly and hammer the nail down beforehand. In any case, don’t wave your penis around thoughtlessly anymore.”

“Haah.”

I let out a sigh. This is why politics are annoying.

It came to me right as I was getting depressed about having to live while completely bound to Barbatos. I came up with a great idea. I placed my hand on my forehead as I thought for a moment. I reviewed the idea to make sure it made sense or not.

“……Uh, Barbatos. Can we talk with just the two of us for a moment?”

“Hm?”

Barbatos looked at my eyes before nodding.contemporary romance

“You seem to have come up with an idea.”

“Indeed. Although it’s a bit strange.”

“Everything in your skull is strange, so there’s no point in bringing it up now. The rest of you can leave.”

Barbatos waved her hand. Lapis, Laura, and Jeremi didn’t utter a single word of complaint as they were dismissed. Daisy was also dismissed after Jeremi freed her from her bindings.

“All right. Tell me your idea.”

“I have to be careful with who I sleep with because I slept with you. You’re right about that, but how about applying that the other way around?”

She gave me a quizzical gaze.

“The other way around?”

I gave her a meaningful smile.

“I’ll flat out become an extraordinary womanizer.”

“……Hah?”

What nonsense is this guy saying? That was what Barbatos’ face was saying.

I continued without backing down.

“Barbatos, turn your way of thinking around. The issue comes from Demon Lord Dantalian being only Barbatos’ lover. It won’t be an issue anymore if I also sleep with almost every female Demon Lord!”

“……Haaah?”

Barbatos’ expression was now saying, ‘What bullshit is this guy spewing?’.

How dense. Does she still not understand!?

“Picture this. What would happen if I become lovers with Paimon, Gamigin, Sitri, and you? Barbatos, it wouldn’t mean that you aren’t able to manage me. It would make me into an impressive fellow.”

That’s right. If a man has a secret relationship with a queen, then he would naturally have to be careful. However, what if that man has a relationship with not only one queen, but the queens of other nations as well?

He would become a genuinely impressive man.

Any woman would get ridiculed if they sleep with a debauchee. However, what if that debauchee was a Casanova? It wasn’t the woman’s fault. The Casanova was simply that impressive.

“……Wait. Sorry. My head is a mess right now.”

Barbatos muttered as she pressed her hand against her forehead.

“I’m starting to doubt whether you and I are talking in the same language. Dantalian, so what you’re trying to say is……you’re going to sleep not only with Paimon but Sitri and Gamigin as well?”

“Yup.”

I clapped.

“I’m glad that you understand quickly.”

“━Go die, you son of a bitch.”

Barbatos kicked me with all her strength.

I predicted that Barbatos would attack me, so I barely managed to dodge her. Barbatos’ face was incredibly red as she shot words at me rapidly.

“Are you an idiot? Are you stupid? Insane? Crazy? You’re completely mental!”

“No, relax and think about it calmly. This is actually a lot more rational…….”

“You took my virginity, you shitty bastard!”

Barbatos got up.

“I may be about free love, but you know? You were my first man! Do you think I would’ve had sex with you without any thoughts or feelings? Dear God. I know your mind is in the gutter, but how could you say something as ridiculous as that? How could you say that you’d also sleep with that bitch Paimon in front of m━.”

“I also prefer you the most!”

I raised my hands and shouted.

“You empty-headed idiot, why are you only able to think about one thing!? Let’s say that I slept with Paimon and Gamigin! Despite this, what do you think would happen if rumors spread that Dantalian cherishes Demon Lord Barbatos the most!? God damn it, then that would make you, Barbatos, the greatest out of every female Demon Lord!”

“…….”

Barbatos paused.

“……I would be placed above Paimon and Gamigin?”

“Yeah! Your pride can fucking shoot right through the roof! Don’t you think people will ask me which Demon Lord I cherish the most out of all the ones I’ve slept with? At that time, fuck, I can fucking tell them that I’ve tasted all of the beautiful Demon Lords in the world but none of them compares to Barbatos!”

I swung my fist in the air.

“It’d be over with that! You would quite literally become my favorite at that point! Do you understand? Paimon, Sitri, and Gamigin will become nothing more than lovers whom I enjoy one-night stands with, but, Barbatos, you will be worshipped as the heroine who has even the greatest debauchee on the palm of your hands!”

“…….”

Barbatos’ expression contorted.

“……Shut up. Damn it, you’re making bullshit not sound like bullshit because you’re the one talking…….”

“Of course it doesn’t sound like bullshit since it isn’t bullshit!”

“I told you to shut your trap, you fucker.”

Her tone was rough, but I had a feeling. She was currently getting convinced by me. I could tell. She just wasn’t convinced from an emotional point of view.

I had to push her more in a time like this.

This was a significant issue. I’m going to live for thousands of more years as a Demon Lord and like hell I was going to let Barbatos hold me down already! I’m not the one who should be the lover between us, it’s her.

“Hey, Barbatos. I’m doing this all for your sake.”

“You talk so well even though your trap is twisted……. How could sleeping with other women be for my sake!?”

“This is your golden opportunity to crush Paimon as a ‘woman’.”

Quietly, I whispered into Barbatos’ ear.

If someone were to see me from the side, then they would’ve probably called me the Devil. Well, that didn’t matter to me. I’ve always wanted to become the Devil.

“Don’t you want to win against Paimon? Not simply as a Demon Lord, but as a woman, don’t you want to crush her under your feet? Don’t you want to drop Paimon’s pride and dignity to the bottom of a pit and let out a big laugh?”

“Uu……uugh…….”

Barbatos groaned. She was gripping her head with her hands in torment. I continued to whisper like a general who was about to conquer an impenetrable fortress with one more push.

“It’s honestly disgruntled you, hasn’t it? I heard that Paimon would always call you a brat. She’d call you the washboard Demon Lord who does laundry on her chest. Does it not hurt your pride? Is it fine for you to leave Paimon be like this? The people of the demon world probably compare you two all the time.”

“Uuuugh…….”

“Let’s show the world.”

I gently stroked Barbatos’ head.

“Having big breasts isn’t great. It’s because you’re small, no, the smaller the girl, the more charm you have. The ignorant masses are ignoring this truth. Barbatos, this might be your last opportunity to make Paimon taste utter defeat……. Don’t you think so as well? When do you think you’ll sleep with another man besides me?”

“But……I don’t want to share the same man with Paimon.”

Her voice had become weak. This basically meant that she had been defeated.

I let out a yell of delight in my mind. Barbatos has a type of complex. She was the only one with a small frame when the Demon Lord army was filled with curved beauties. I had made use of this complex of hers.

“This is taking one step back to take two steps forward, no, a hundred steps forward. A war to defeat Paimon. You have to be able to endure some losses. Isn’t that only natural?”

“You, idiot……what certainty do you have……that Paimon would sleep with you, let alone Sitri and Gamigin.”

Barbatos made a sulky face as she looked up at me. The way she was gritting her teeth looked quite cute.

“Sorry. I didn’t tell you because I thought you’d get upset.”

I gave Barbatos a serious gaze.

“Actually, Paimon has made passes at me twice already.”

“What……?”

“Sitri already likes me, and Gamigin, well, I noticed it before, but I think I can convince her with a little persuading.”

Barbatos became dumbstruck.

“D-Don’t lie! Why would Paimon like someone like you!?”

“It’s the truth. Do you know what she told me? She told me you two used to date in the past.”

“…….”

Barbatos shut her mouth.

“You two told each other that if either of you ended up liking a guy, then you’d both be very curious to see that man for yourselves. Paimon told me that she never expected to have the same man in her mind as you.”

“U-Uugh……!?”

Checkmate, Barbatos.

I spoke with a furtive smile.

“Barbatos, give me a little push. I will raise you up as the greatest female Demon Lord. Who do you think I am? I’m Dantalian. The man who breached the Black Mountains and burned all of Habsburg down. You believe me, don’t you?”

***

TL Note: Thanks for reading the chapter. Dantalian is really working his tongue this chapter. I didn’t even know if I should root for him here since you sort of feel bad for Barbatos. Welp, like I said before, this segment is really starting off strong.

I’ll see you guys in the next chapter.

done.co