Finally, the other side had played their trump card. The Viper Grand Duke instinctively sensed that this was the crossroads where the contest would be decided.
'The card they've played is a threat.'
The Grand Duke mused. Threats looked terribly menacing on the surface... but at their core, they were nothing more than negotiation. They wanted to gain something. They wanted to force a concession.
'In other words — they have no real intention of conquering the Demon Realm.'
If they truly intended to conquer the Demon Realm, they would never have resorted to threats in the first place. Two things needed to be determined here. Did the other side possess the strength to subjugate the Demon Realm? That had to be established first. If they didn't, it was a bluff — an empty show of force.
'And if, by some chance, they did have that strength?'
The probability was slim. But it had to be considered. In that case, things would be slightly more troublesome.
The other side had the power to conquer the Demon Realm but chose not to. Why? Because there was a greater profit to be had. What was that profit? What could possibly be more beneficial than conquering the Demon Realm? That had to be uncovered...
First, let me test whether this was an empty bluff.
The Viper Grand Duke let a troubled smile cross his face.
"Ha ha. Your Highness Dantalion, you tease me too much. I am rather timid for my station, so when you say things like that, it quite startles me."
"Why on earth would I tease the Grand Duke when I have nothing better to do?"
"Then... could it be that Your Highness is being serious?"
Dantalion's smile faded from his face.
He gave a grave nod.
"Grand Duke. There is one thing you should know. I never speak lies."
"I humbly apologize, but my meager mind cannot comprehend."
The young upstart was quite the silver-tongued one, the Viper Grand Duke thought. The fellow was skillfully manipulating the surrounding atmosphere. If fresh-faced young demonkin nobles had been present, they would have been deceived in an instant.
But the one sitting here now was one of only twenty-six Grand Dukes in the Demon Realm — a survivor of the hellish arena of limitless competition who had seized the pinnacle. He had never given his heart to anyone, nor had it ever been taken from him.
The Viper Grand Duke's competitive instincts flared as a politician. Demon Lords were, after all, mostly those who had risen by luck. Those fellows had never fought a monster in their lives. Did you lot know how terrifying an orc's fist was? How horrifying the fangs of the Einlang tribe were? Could they withstand him — the one who had carved his way through all of that?
— Let us have a duel without swords, weakest one!
The Viper Grand Duke clasped his hands together and spoke.
"Even if the Crescent Alliance Army's momentum has been strong lately, the war is still in its early stages. They've only occupied the northern regions of the Habsburg Empire. They haven't even taken half the continent, let alone a quarter. To talk about conquering the Demon Realm under such circumstances... I humbly beg your pardon, but I simply cannot see how that's realistic."
The Viper Grand Duke was certain.
Humans and demonkin were mortal enemies. Just because some territory had been occupied did not mean humans would bow to demonkin, or demonkin to humans. Tremendous rebellions would follow. Stabilizing conquered territory was overwhelmingly more difficult than conquering it in the first place.
The Crescent Alliance Army hadn't even secured its territory yet. A slight advantage in the war was no cause for complacency, let alone talk of conquering the Demon Realm. It was absurd.
Dantalion studied the Viper Grand Duke's expression, then let a smirk escape.
"Why must the Demon Lord's army conquer the entire continent?"
"...Excuse me?"
The Grand Duke furrowed his brow.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Oh my. It seems the Grand Duke has a rather large misunderstanding."
Dantalion laughed, as if amused.
"The Demon Lord's army is not a single entity. Surely the Grand Duke knows this well?"
"If you're referring to the Plains Faction and the Mountain Faction, then yes, I am certainly aware. However, I fail to see how that bears any relevance to our current discussion..."
"I'm not talking about factions. Grand Duke, it's simpler than that. Among the Demon Lords, there are upper Demon Lords and lower Demon Lords. Is that not so?"
There was something in Dantalion's gaze — a sense that he was testing the waters. How deep does your understanding go? That feeling radiated from him powerfully.
The Viper Grand Duke felt a sense of foreboding but nodded.
"We have concluded that the reason the Crescent Alliance Army has failed over the past two thousand years lies precisely with those lower Demon Lords. And that, Grand Duke, doesn't entirely concern you Grand Dukes of Hell either, does it?"
The Grand Duke's entire body stiffened for an instant. Surely not — this man?
Centuries of honed instincts began screaming warnings. How much had the man before him uncovered? Was it a guess? Was he fishing for information? If it wasn't... no, this wouldn't do. Wasn't the initiative shifting to the other side? The Viper Grand Duke focused on keeping his composure from breaking.
He countered with a question.
"I confess I haven't been able to follow Your Highness Dantalion's remarks for a while now. You're saying the reason the Crescent Alliance Army failed lies with the Demon Lords?"
"Oh. Very well. You did invite me to such a lavish ball today. For the sake of those adorable young ladies alone, I'll forgive a little rudeness."
Dantalion's voice overflowed with enjoyment.
"It's commonly said that conquering the continent is the fervent desire of all demonkin... but well, there are factions within the demon race as well that don't wish to see the continent fall. Can you guess who, Grand Duke? No — you needn't bother answering. I more or less understand your position."
"..."
"They are the lower Demon Lords and the Grand Dukes of Hell."
The Viper Grand Duke felt sweat gathering between his fingers.
"If the continent is conquered, humanity's rulers will vanish, and the Demon Lords alone will reign as sovereigns. But seventy-two rulers are far too many. The Demon Lords who have cooperated thus far will then begin fighting among themselves, wielding their respective powers. In the midst of that, the survival of powerful upper Demon Lords is inevitable."
Do you understand? Dantalion continued.
"The lower Demon Lords do not wish for the continent to be conquered. Paradoxically, it is only as long as the Human Realm remains intact that those Demon Lords can preserve their lives and positions. And well — I am the weakest Demon Lord of all. There's no one whose words are more trustworthy than mine. Though I'm sure you already know this."
"..."
The Viper Grand Duke's expression hardened. The other party was now denying the very purpose of a Demon Lord's existence. By attacking himself, he left the other side with nothing to counter with. ...What was happening? For him — the Grand Duke — to lose the initiative like this? The Viper Grand Duke grew anxious.
"You are far too humble. I know better than anyone that the Demon Lords, regardless of their ranks, have devoted themselves to the Crescent Alliance Army."
"Devoted themselves? Devoted?"
Dantalion chuckled lightly.
"Yes. They have been devoted... in a different sense."
Then Dantalion paused. The silence squeezed the Viper Grand Duke's nerves like a vice.
The Grand Duke realized that the other party's eloquence was far beyond "the level of tricking greenhorns." Even though he had seized an opportunity, Dantalion did not blindly attack. He understood that sometimes not attacking was more effective.
If Dantalion had just denied the Grand Duke's words, the Grand Duke would have enumerated the lower Demon Lords who had fought and died throughout the history of the Crescent Alliance Army.
That would have severely undermined Dantalion's argument. At the very least, the Grand Duke could have seized the momentum. But by vaguely acknowledging it and moving on—
"Indeed. If we look only at the Second Crescent Alliance Army's example..."
"Are you planning to bore me with a tedious history lesson? Spare me. I want to speak with you about the present Crescent Alliance Army."
Just like that, the direction of the discussion could no longer be twisted.
Sweat seeped into the Viper Grand Duke's palms.
"It isn't just the lower Demon Lords. The Grand Dukes who govern the Demon Realm — you too would find it troublesome if the continent were unified under the Demon Lords' banner. Until now, the Demon Lords have remained in the Human Realm under the pretext of conquering the continent. But what happens when humanity perishes?"
"..."
"The Demon Lords' gaze will naturally turn to the Demon Realm. And your rule will come to an end as well. Am I correct?"
"If Your Highness believes so..."
The Grand Duke trailed off, lips pressed shut.
It was a trap. If he agreed, it would create an opening for a Demon Lord to interfere with his own territory. If he disagreed, it would constitute treason against a Demon Lord. A dilemma. That word flashed through the Viper Grand Duke's mind.
"Neither the lower Demon Lords nor the power brokers of the Demon Realm wish for the continent to be conquered. Now it makes sense that two thousand years have been wasted on futile efforts. Utterly pathetic."
Dantalion shrugged.
"But here's the thing. Upper Demon Lords aren't stupid — when the same scenario repeats itself for two thousand years, they inevitably catch on. That there are those working behind the scenes to ensure the Crescent Alliance Army's failure."
"..."
"Well, I won't say exactly who those parties are. I am not only truthful but generous as well. My throat is getting dry."
Dantalion produced a waterskin from inside his coat and took a drink. He had brought his own waterskin to the ball. It spoke of a life lived constantly suspecting poison.
Moreover, he had chosen this precise moment to display his own waterskin. What did it mean? It was a silent declaration: I suspect you might try to poison me. And by extension, a soundless condemnation: you are the ones who orchestrated the Crescent Alliance Army's failure.
The Viper Grand Duke felt his throat go dry past his mouth, past the back of his tongue. This was supposed to be a lecher? There were limits to nonsense. This man was a warrior — a warrior who kept a sword at his bedside even when sleeping.
"And so we have decided. Conquering the continent can wait. First, we clean house."
Dantalion spoke those words, then broke into an irrepressible laugh.
"Is it not absurdly amusing? We — who could never even agree on a common enemy to fight — have now joined hands to stand against the Demon Lords and demonkin. Truly, the Goddess of History has a sense of humor as well."
"A moment ago, you said 'we.' Exactly whom are you referring to?"
The Viper Grand Duke could bear it no longer and asked the question. He knew he shouldn't, but he simply could not hold it back.
Dantalion locked eyes with the Grand Duke head-on. A chill ran down the Grand Duke's spine.
"Bael, Barbatos, Paimon, Marbas, Gamigin. I suppose those would be the principal collaborators."
The Grand Duke drew a sharp breath.
Impossible! The number-one ranked, the leader of the Plains Faction, the leader of the Mountain Faction, the leader of the Neutral Faction, and an unaffiliated upper Demon Lord — all of them had joined forces!
That meant the true power brokers of each faction were involved as well. In practical terms, the majority of upper Demon Lords had formed a coalition!
"What — you can't believe it?"
Dantalion smiled bitterly.
"I suppose that's understandable. After all, we've been fighting each other to the death all this time. But think about it. When we learned that the reason we'd been killing each other was actually a third party with entirely different motives — imagine how furious we were."
The Viper Grand Duke denied it with every fiber of his being. Lies. There was no evidence. It was nothing more than a threat.
"You think there's no proof?"
"...!"
Dantalion grinned.
"Half a year ago, you must have heard about how Paimon nearly lost all her mana trying to save me. The leader of the Mountain Faction sacrificing herself to save merely a lower Demon Lord of the Plains Faction. Did that not seem strange to you?"
"That was..."
"Why do you think the factions — who each acted independently until now — all converged on the Habsburg Empire? To keep the Mountain Faction in check? Yet in the end, there was no punishment for the Mountain Faction at all. Do you still not understand why Barbatos — who hates the Mountain Faction more than anyone — yielded?"
Dantalion sneered.
"You're soft. You Grand Dukes of Hell — endlessly soft. You still don't even know why Bael, the number-one ranked Grand Demon Lord, has yet to fully commit the Crescent Alliance Army to battle."
The Viper Grand Duke could no longer conceal his agitation. What was he saying? Grand Demon Lord Bael was supposed to be handling the Frank Empire front. He wouldn't make a move until the Habsburg Empire — the route to that front — had been dealt with.
But come to think of it... right now, the Frank Empire's forces were also participating across the Habsburg theater. It wouldn't be unusual for Bael to act. What hidden intention lay behind this? An intention that even the Grand Dukes of Hell had failed to notice?
As the Viper Grand Duke's confusion mounted, Dantalion's words crashed down like thunder.
"To conserve their forces. Forces specifically intended to subjugate the Demon Realm — the very Demon Realm that you Grand Dukes of Hell rule over."
Subjugating the Demon Realm.
To conquer the continent, one first had to put one's own house in order. That was what Bael was preparing. And not just Bael — once the Habsburg theater was settled, not only the Plains Faction but the Mountain Faction, the Neutral Faction, and even the unaffiliated Demon Lords would participate—.
'It wasn't an empty bluff...!'
The upper Demon Lords were genuinely preparing to subjugate the Demon Realm.
— Don't underestimate us.
Only then did the Viper Grand Duke realize what the other Grand Dukes had warned him about. They had never let their guard down. They had made every preparation, just as he had. And yet he had been toyed with. No — hunted.
It wasn't a matter of letting one's guard down or not. Predator and prey... the other side had already completed every preparation to sink their teeth into him. Don't underestimate us. Don't for a moment think we're on the same level. That was what the Grand Dukes' warnings had meant!
The Viper Grand Duke felt his vision go white.