Silence hung in the air.
"……."
"……."
Dantalion and Bael simply stared at each other.
What had just happened?
Several Demon Lords had to ask themselves that very question. Their minds refused to process what Dantalion had said. The supreme, pinnacle Demon Lord ranked first had been challenged head-on by the lowest-ranked Demon Lord, number seventy-one. It was impossible.
It should never have been possible.
*Swish—!*
Vassago instinctively whipped his head around.
Apart from sheer shock, an instinct honed over millennia of accumulated karma compelled Vassago to survey his surroundings. Simply falling into a panic wouldn't solve a thing. That instinct alone proved Vassago deserved his rank of third.
*So few of them are panicking.*
It was far too quiet.
Only a dozen or so Demon Lords were unsettled and flustered. Despite this being a catastrophe that should have thrown the entire hall into an uproar, the vast majority maintained their composure. Only tension hung thick in the air, suffocating.
Agitation and tension — what an enormous difference lay between the two.
As though they had been forewarned of such a situation, most of the Demon Lords were tense but not shaken. And so Vassago immediately grasped the situation.
*It's treason!*
The handful of combat-oriented Demon Lords were merely the tip of the iceberg. Demon Lords from every faction in attendance were clearly preparing for battle. This was not simply the seventy-first-ranked Demon Lord challenging the first to a duel.
*Fighting all forty of them at once… Bael might manage, but even Agares couldn't handle that!*
What should be done?
Vassago froze, utterly rigid. Just then.
"So they've surrounded us."
One of the Demon Lords who had been keeping silent spoke up. She was a woman whose entire head had gone white like an old woman's. Bandages were wrapped tightly around her eyes. She was Amon, the seventh-ranked Demon Lord—blind in both eyes, yet possessing the omniscient gaze.
"There are soldiers lying in ambush. We've been completely fooled."
Amon murmured in a dazed, vacant tone, like a woman who had lost her mind. That was her peculiar way of speaking—no matter what she said, it sounded like words from some distant, otherworldly place.
Vassago, straining not to let any agitation show on his face, asked.
"Ambush? What do you mean, Amon?"
"Faint traces of mana linger in the shadows all around us. The scent of death and pride. They must be Death Knights."
Amon added, one beat slower than normal.
"There are more than four hundred of them."
"……!"
Vassago whipped his head around.
At one side of the ballroom, Barbatos was still calmly sipping his wine as though nothing had happened. But the instant the two Demon Lords locked eyes, Barbatos's mouth curled into a crescent-moon grin.
"Barbatos, so it was you after all!"
"And overhead, a wyvern squadron is preparing to strike."
The blind Demon Lord Amon continued.
"There are five hundred and fifty-six of them. On the perimeter, a large corps of mages is deploying counter-magery. Judging by the colors, they've blocked teleportation and summoning-type spells."
"……."
"Dark magic, holy magic, elemental magic—all of it mixed together with the skill of archmages. It's as beautiful as looking at a rainbow. Yes. Incredibly beautiful."
Amon seemed moved by something, murmuring in a dazed, admiring tone.
Now that Vassago had pieced everything together, he slowly turned his head. He looked at Gamigin. The beautiful blonde female Demon Lord was smiling cheerfully as usual, as friendly as ever.
"Hmm? Vassago, what's wrong~?"
There was only one Demon Lord who deployed wyvern squadrons in units of five hundred.
"……It's nothing."
But Vassago had no choice but to back down.
There was no way she had prepared such a massive ambush on her own. It would have been impossible without the cooperation of Niflheim itself — the city. Niflheim, which had steadfastly maintained absolute neutrality no matter which Demon Lord had tried to court them… had cooperated with Dantalion.
The same question kept repeating.
Since when?
Niflheim's enormous merchant guilds were known as figures who would never submit to any Demon Lord. Ivar Lodbrok was a monster who had lived longer than most Demon Lords. Since when had Dantalion seized control of Niflheim's leadership?
Every gaze converged on a single person.
"My, my. You're all so quiet."
Dantalion scratched the back of his head with perfect composure.
"In truth, you don't seem all that surprised either. I had actually hoped to truly shock His Majesty Bael, but…… As the one who hosted this splendid banquet, I must apologize for my failure."
"No. I am sufficiently surprised — surprised that a mere insect like you possessed such audacity."
Demon Lord Bael traced a thin smile across his lips.
"First, I would hear what crimes you believe I have committed. A grand banquet ought properly to begin with appetizers, after all."
"As you command."
Dantalion placed his right hand politely against his chest. His manner was as courteous as that of a butler serving his master. Yet what flowed from his lips was nothing short of the most insolent accusation.
"If I may humbly dare to look upon the heavens and make my charge — His Majesty Bael, you have committed three great sins."
"Three great sins, you say? How interesting. Come, confess the first one."
"Yes. The first great sin is that during the last Crescent Alliance Army expedition, you contributed absolutely nothing."
Dantalion clapped his hands together.
A large, semi-transparent map materialized in midair. The continent was drawn upon it, and arrows crisscrossed in a chaotic tangle. Each arrow represented one of the Demon Lord's legions.
"During the last expedition, every legion assembled on the Bruno Plains. This was because the human armies had gathered on the plains first. It deviated from the originally planned strategy, but considering the overarching objective of eliminating their core forces, our actions were entirely justified."
Dantalion smiled faintly.
"We won a glorious victory and, for the first time in history, established a foothold on the continent. However, up until the very last moment, there was one legion that did not move a single step."
"……."
"His Majesty Bael. The Seventh Legion you commanded."
Everyone knew this, but no one had dared point it out. Holding Bael accountable was, in itself, an act of recklessness.
"Surely you haven't forgotten who proclaimed the Eighth Crescent Alliance Army expedition. It was right here, in this very place, that His Majesty Bael called for the expedition. Yet the one person who resolved to wage the war was the only one who did not move……"
Dantalion clasped his hands behind his back and strolled across the hall.
"How strange. Even His Majesty Gamigin's Fifth Legion, tasked with rear support, participated in the war. Only His Majesty Bael remained garrisoned alone, as though the war had nothing to do with him. Since His Majesty Bael seems to prefer frank assessments, allow me to speak from the heart."
Dantalion met Bael's gaze head-on.
"It was a cowardly and despicable act, devoid of even the slightest sense of responsibility."
The assembled crowd turned cold at the harsh words.
"A hundred thousand Demonkin shed their own blood in battle. His Majesty Bael, they died because of the war you proclaimed. And yet the man responsible sat peacefully in the Demon Lord's Castle, biding his time……"
Dantalion openly scoffed.
"You call yourself the mightiest warrior in the Demon Lord's army? I beg your pardon, but is that not a grave error on your part? I was simply unaware that a coward and a scoundrel could be called a warrior."
"Oh, that monkey-like naked wretch!"
As Vassago, inflamed, moved to step forward, Dantalion spoke calmly.
"Outsider, keep your silence. I stand here on behalf of the hundred thousand Demonkin who bled and perished. I have no intention of engaging with a coward who abandoned his own Vampire kin and fled to save his own skin."
"What...?"
Vassago froze. Horror spread across that noble face of his.
"What are you saying...?"
"The wisest and most just Demon Lord, ranked third in the hierarchy — that is your title, is it not?"
Dantalion let out a soft chuckle.
"There has never been a comedy quite like this. When danger approaches, you throw away your promises and flee. When a Demon Lord stronger than you appears, you meekly hand over your rank. And yet you call yourself wise? Well now. I suppose you are wise in a certain sense. It is truly something I aspire to learn from."
Dantalion wore a pleasant smile throughout, as though he were nothing more than a genial good Samaritan.
"Lord Vassago. If you do not wish word to spread about what you did to the Blue Moon clan, then kindly shut your mouth and stay quiet. If you don't care whether your reputation crumbles further, then by all means, go ahead and run your mouth."
"......"
Vassago fell silent. His fist trembled, but that was all.
"Hmm."
Dantalion nodded in satisfaction.
"My apologies, Lord Bael. That buzzing noise has been bothering me for a while now, so I stepped away briefly to chase it off. I trust you can be generous enough to forgive me?"
"Fine. You are forgiven."
Bael replied with evident amusement.
"And what is my second sin?"
"The second sin is that you turned a blind eye to the infighting within the Demon Lord's army. Three years ago, Lord Agares openly raised an army with the intent of inciting civil war. This was an act of sabotage that utterly destroyed the banner of the unified Crescent Alliance Army."
Dantalion spoke as he walked slowly across the hall.
"At that time, Lord Bael, you were the one tasked with mediating the civil strife. But you showed us all a perfect model of what it means to be complicit through inaction. You truly did nothing at all."
"……."
"So, in conclusion, the matter is simple, Lord Bael. You have no interest whatsoever in the success of the Crescent Alliance Army — and what's more, you couldn't care less whether it tears itself apart through civil war or not. For someone like you to serve as the head of the Crescent Alliance Army is beyond a joke."
Bael curled the corner of his lips upward.
"And if your words are true, what then? Are you suggesting you'll punish me yourself?"
"Punishment will certainly follow, of course. But that's merely a slap on the wrist for now. Your true crime, my lord, is something else entirely."
"Oh? My true crime, you say."
Dantalion nodded.
"Yes. Because you deliberately turned a blind eye to everything. Not for some simple reason like preserving your own forces while the other Demon Lords' armies were being drained — no, there is a far more sinister motive hiding underneath."
Dantalion smiled.
"Lord Bael. You were deliberately waiting for the other Demon Lords to rebel against you."
The Demon Lords who had been holding their breath nearby all furrowed their brows.
Waiting for them to rebel — what did that mean?
"While everyone else may remain in the dark, I alone can see the truth. You let Lord Paimon's actions slide. You stood by and did nothing about Lord Agares. And the reason — the reason behind all of it — was an extraordinarily selfish one. You kept provoking the Demon Lords, one after another."
Rise up. Explode with rage.
Overthrow this unreasonable tyranny.
"A campaign of the Crescent Alliance Army that should have required a majority vote to approve, you single-handedly declared by decree. The supreme commander who should have been the first to charge into battle — instead, he sat back and did nothing. The very person who should have served as an impartial judge delivering punishment — he remained silent… You kept poking and prodding the Demon Lords, again and again."
As if craving their resentment to erupt into flames.
"Because, Bael. You are simply too powerful."
"……."
"You must have been bored, I imagine. Born as low-rank Demonkin, yet rising all the way to the pinnacle — I can easily picture what kind of life you've lived. Every single day must have been a trial, a battle. You could never forget those relentless, blazing days of struggle. Yes, I know. You're a war fanatic."
While Bael listened impassively, Dantalion took a step closer to him.
"Someone who had once experienced the thrill of dueling and fighting for life and death could never forget it. Now that you've ascended to the position of First Rank, you must be sick of the praise—calling you the Great Demon Lord or the reincarnation of Angolmois."
Dantalion came to a stop before Bael.
"Now, let us reveal it. Your third sin, Bael, is the fact that you were the one who cut off the supply lines during the Second Expedition of the Crescent Alliance Army eighteen hundred years ago."
The Demon Lords began to murmur among themselves.
Eighteen hundred years ago, the First Legion—comprising Barbatos, Marbas, and Paimon—had advanced across the continent, sweeping aside the nations of the Human Realm. However, it was annihilated when its supply lines were severed from the rear. The culprits were discovered to be knight orders from the Human Realm.
This was the cause of the Demon Lord army, once united as one, shattering into the Plains Faction, Neutral Faction, and Mountain Faction.
Dantalion was claiming that the perpetrator was none other than Bael, the First Rank.
"Even if we had conquered the continent as planned, you were destined to sit upon the throne. Under a single Demon Lord, all would have submitted, ushering in an era of peace. You simply didn't want that."
"……."
"Didn't you want to continue the struggle forever? Didn't you want to see only the strongest Demon Lords survive, raising their blades against you as you wielded outrageous tyranny?"
Dantalion spread his arms wide.
"That is what I have prepared. Bael, if you answer 'yes' here—the very scene you've dreamed of will unfold. Barbatos will hate you. Paimon will resent you. Marbas will despise you. Do you understand?"
He spoke as if whispering.
"The most powerful Demon Lords will all be charging toward a single target: your heart."
"……."
"Now, only a single step remains. Just one single step. You may rejoice. It is I, Dantalion—the weakest and most inferior of all Demon Lords—who has prepared this stage entirely for you. Come, Bael. Please, give me your answer."
Dantalion smiled faintly.
"That you are the filthy beast who destroyed the Crescent Alliance Army to satisfy your own petty and selfish hunger for conflict—is that correct?"
And Bael,
"......Kuh."
The great Demon Lord, ranked first among all, laughed.
"Kuhahahahaha—!"