As the dance ended, applause erupted from all corners of the ballroom.
Who had applauded from where—it laid bare the current power structure of the Demon Lord Army.
The faction that clapped most fervently was the Plains Faction. Their applause came half from a mix of respect and affection for Barbatos, and half from praise for their faction's greatest strategist, the one they had produced.
However, Beleth and Zepar, who had lost the role of Barbatos's partner, wore sour expressions.
"Ugh! If it weren't for my younger brother, I would have been escorting His Excellency the Legion Commander!"
"Does His Excellency prefer schemers over warriors...!"
The two Demon Lords had competed for the partner spot for centuries, but today they shed tears of blood together. Pathetically, at that.
Next was the Neutral Faction.
Including the fifth-ranked Demon Lord Marbas, this minority of reasonable souls regarded Dantalion inwardly as a comrade with a deep understanding. In their eyes, Dantalion was a rose that had miraculously bloomed amidst the Plains Faction, which held nothing but ignorant war maniacs, and was their sole conscience.
"At Walpurgis Night, he forgave Paimon..."
"In the Crescent Alliance Army, he treated the Mountain Faction with generosity. He is a man one can reason with."
To the Neutral Faction, who valued above all political tact and balance, Dantalion was a politician who "never crossed the line while looking after his own interests." That was an ideal politician.
Someone like Paimon, who would shout about the common good instead of their own interests, was dangerous. Even when offered benefits, they would rarely compromise for the sake of some cause or ideology. The type who recklessly crossed lines and went on a rampage was also dangerous.
Dantalion, on the other hand, pursued his own interests and was always ready to compromise.
In short, he was reasonable.
A reasonable Demon Lord amidst an army full of lunatics was precious. The Neutral Faction hoped Dantalion would remain in the Plains Faction, putting a leash on the war maniacs.
Last, of course, was the Mountain Faction.
They gazed at the ballroom with displeased expressions. They did not like the atmosphere of erupting applause; that was clear on their faces.
The Demon Lords of the Mountain Faction whispered among themselves, using derogatory terms for Barbatos and Dantalion.
"A lunatic and a cripple. What an absolutely ridiculous combination, if you think about it."
"One drives blood from the light while the other drinks it from the shadows. The Plains Faction really scored themselves a pair of remarkable leaders."
Sitri alone was fidgeting restlessly, glancing back and forth between Dantalion and the colleagues around her.
*Dantalion is the one who saved Lady Paimon when she nearly died, isn't she?*
Honestly, she couldn't make sense of the situation at all.
The Mountain Faction had launched the preemptive strike. It wasn't the Plains Faction. They should have been held accountable and blown to smithereens without anyone batting an eye.
*Shouldn't they actually be grateful? Ugh.*
If Dantalion hadn't shown mercy, the Mountain Faction would have been finished. That was what Sitri believed. She simply couldn't understand why her colleagues despised and loathed the very person they owed their thanks to……
The applause finally died down.
Dantalion gave a courteous bow, then walked off somewhere. She was heading straight toward the spot where the Neutral Faction had gathered. Just as several Demon Lords were tilting their heads in confusion — wondering why Dantalion of the Plains Faction would make her way to the Neutral Faction —
"Would you honor me with your first dance?"
Dantalion asked a Neutral Faction Demon Lord to dance. The Demon Lords inhaled sharply. They could not help but be stunned. The Demon Lord Dantalion had approached was none other than — the leader of the Neutral Faction, the fifth-ranked Demon Lord, Marbas.
Naturally, Demon Lord Marbas was male. Dantalion had asked a man to dance!
"What on earth is she doing?"
"Is she out of her mind?"
"She's lost it……."
Demon Lords from every corner recoiled in shock. No matter how tolerant the Demon Realm might be of such things, a man-and-man pairing could not be permitted at an official venue like the Demon Lords' ball. No — even if it were permitted, it was hardly a taboo that someone ranked a mere seventy-first like Dantalion had the right to break!
Marbas fixed Dantalion with an inscrutable gaze.
"Hmm."
An unspoken exchange of glances passed between the two Demon Lords.
Marbas stroked his beard a couple of times and smiled faintly.
"Of course. To be chosen as the second most beautiful flower after Barbatos — what an honor."
"Haha. If Barbatos weren't my dear friend, you would have been the first flower."
"An even greater honor, then."
Marbas placed his hand atop Dantalion's palm. The female Demon Lords watched the two of them walk off together, buzzing with excitement.
"Oh my goodness! Look at that — it's the first time I've ever seen Lord Marbas dance!"
"I hate to say it, but could it be that even Lord Marbas is one of Dantalion's lovers!?"
"Squee! How wonderful!"
For as long as anyone could remember, there had been nothing that set women's hearts aflutter quite like rumors of a man's romance with another man. When that man happened to be a dandy and wildly popular Demon Lord like Marbas, it was simply irresistible. The female Demon Lords went wild, arguing breathlessly over which of the two — Marbas or Dantalion — played the leading role.
The most excited of them all was Barbatos without question. She was doubled over, clutching her belly and cackling. Beleth too was pointing at the two Demon Lords and laughing uproariously.
"Wooo! Well done! Keep going, keep going!"
"The guy really can't lead, can he!"
The once dignified ballroom had lost all semblance of its former decorum. The female Demon Lords cheered without distinction between Mountain Faction and Plains Faction. Most people watched this little spectacle with amusement, though a few wore sour expressions.
Gamigin was decidedly unhappy.
This was a disaster. The rumors she had so carefully cultivated were now utterly useless. The gossip that Dantalion might be in some kind of relationship with Marbas was far more — overwhelmingly more — interesting than any rumor about a connection between Gamigin and Dantalion.
For a while, high society would be buzzing about the two male Demon Lords, and the rumor she had so painstakingly fabricated would wither on the vine before it even had a chance to spread……
The first night had ended with just the ball, and negotiations were supposed to begin on the second day — but already, all of high society was abuzz with talk of Marbas and Dantalion.
"The Neutral Faction is backing Dantalion."
"That's the Neutral Faction signaling its intention to side with the Plains Faction in this negotiation."
And on top of that, unfounded rumors were spreading as well — that Marbas wasn't Dantalion's lover at all, but had merely made a friendly overture toward the Plains Faction.
It was an excessively magnanimous guess, but people surprisingly liked it. They said it made sense. It was far more natural than the idea that Marbas, who had lived his entire life without a lover and been utterly incorruptible, had suddenly started dating Dantalion....
Well, that was exactly what I had intended.
Old Man Marbas owed me several favors. I pressured him to repay them this time around. Neither of us had reached any prior agreement, but we naturally fell into sync. It seemed he had instantly grasped what I was thinking. He was no ordinary old man — his political instincts were extraordinary.
In that favorable atmosphere, the real negotiations began.
Bael sat in the mediator's seat but said almost nothing. Just as Barbatos had said, Bael had absolutely no intention of doing anything beyond setting the table. Gamigin represented their side, I represented ours, and the two of us went back and forth exchanging arguments.
Honestly, that was enough. Just having Bael sitting nearby made the air feel heavy. He had an overwhelming presence that made it impossible to speak carelessly. Was this what they called gravitas?
"Habsburg wasn't conquered by the Plains Faction alone."
Gamigin spoke.
"It was achieved because many legions moved together. If you lot unilaterally declare yourselves regents of Habsburg and swallow the whole thing, that'll be a problem~."
"The question is which side contributed more to the war."
I calmly rebutted.
"The Plains Faction was the one who faced Habsburg's main forces. We were also the ones who identified and crushed Paimon's scheme. Habsburg's territory rightfully belongs to the Plains Faction. Of course, I'm not saying the other legions should receive no compensation whatsoever."
"Ohh~?"
"We will provide a substantial share of the wealth extracted from Habsburg's territory. I promise you — it will be a satisfying price."
Gamigin tilted his head.
"You're joking, right? You think we're holding out because we're short on gold and jewels right now? Having your own territory on the continent — that's the only thing that matters. Let me be blunt. It's the Plains Faction that's gotten greedy, wanting to be the sole heroes of the Demon Realm."
"Then what are your demands?"
"Five for the Plains Faction. Two and a half each for Agares and me. How's that? I think that's a fair division."
I shook my head.
"The Plains Faction takes eight. Gamigin and Agares each receive one. That's the agreement I propose.
"Hmm..."
Gamigin let out a long nasal hum. The other Demon Lords murmured in the observation gallery.
Gamigin kept that irritating grin plastered on his face as he whispered.
"So the Plains Faction wants war?"
"Let me cut to the chase. Who suffered the most losses in this war? Lady Agares and Lord Gamigin may have led the legions, but everyone here knows you avoided direct confrontation with the human forces."
I deliberately projected my voice so everyone could hear.
"Who captured the fortress city of Krems? We, the Plains Faction, did. Who pursued the remnants of the Habsburg army after taking Windbona? We, the Plains Faction, did. Lord Gamigin, you had the Habsburg stragglers right in front of you and simply retreated without a fight."
"It was a strategic withdrawal."
Gamigin answered shamelessly without letting his smile falter.
"Barbatos was the one who jumped into a pursuit and got his army destroyed. I'm not stupid enough to waste troops on pointless battles like that."
"Pointless battles, he says..."
I let out a bitter smile.
"We defeat humanity and carve out a world for the Demonkin on the continent. That sacred cause naturally demands sacrifice. These are not meaningless sacrifices. They are absolutely necessary ones. Thanks to those very sacrifices, we managed to secure at least the northern portion of Habsburg. And now the very person who refused to sacrifice has the nerve to covet the territory earned by those who did... Truly admirable. I'm impressed."
"......"
It was an open provocation. The murmuring among the onlookers grew louder. Had I gone too far?
Of course I had. I needed to go too far. I was not standing here as just one Demon Lord. I stood here as the representative of the entire Plains Faction. The entire Plains Faction.
I could not afford to take a submissive stance before a single Demon Lord named Gamigin.
"What you are all confused about is treating this negotiation as a factional power struggle. That is not what this is. This is a dispute between our Plains Faction, which seeks to uphold principle, and all of you, who pursue nothing but personal gain."
"Don't you think that's going a bit too far~?"
"Not at all."
I spoke firmly.
"Look at the Neutral Faction. The Neutral Faction also retreated before the pursuit battle. But the Neutral Faction stayed in Habsburg without coveting territory, and instead advanced toward Polithunia. That is what a principled stance looks like."
I made my contempt plain for all to see.
"In contrast, the attitudes shown by Lord Gamigin and Lord Agares are, frankly, the height of disappointment. The territories you are responsible for were originally not Habsburg, but elsewhere. Why didn't you head there? Isn't it because you didn't want to fight, didn't want to sacrifice yourselves? To think that those who neither fight nor sacrifice can still claim territory... It is difficult for me to understand since when being a Demon Lord became such a comfortable job."
In the end, the negotiations collapsed that day.
Neither Gamigin nor I budged a single inch from the proposals we had each put forward. We would keep running on parallel lines, and eventually it would be decided by a majority vote among the Demon Lords. If that was how it would play out, then the one at an advantage was not Gamigin but me.
I intended to drag the negotiations out into a long game. Ultimately, I considered it fitting if the Plains Faction took 7 shares, with Gamigin and Agares each getting around 1.5.
However, when Barbatos burst into my lodging the next day, his face flushed red, I realized something had gone terribly wrong.
"That wretched woman Agares attacked while we were away from our homes."
"What?"
Barbatos shouted furiously.
"She looted our empty house, that bitch!"