Dungeon Defense (WN)
Chapter 442: DAISY (6)

“Father is a pervert, is he not? A pervert who takes any woman regardless of appearance.”

“It is true that Sir Dantalian’s libido is somewhat excessive.”

“Then why am I being treated as an exception?”

Prime Minister Lapis Lazuli rested her chin on her hand and fell into thought.

“Miss Daisy, you may be adopted, but you are still his daughter. For a father to take his daughter is a taboo.”

“Do you believe Father is the kind of person who would care about such taboos, Prime Minister?”

“Absolutely not.”

An immediate answer.

The two of us, at the very least, shared an unspoken agreement about Father’s perversion.

“Perhaps it’s because you’re still young, Miss Daisy.”

“Demon Lord Barbatos’s apparent age is younger than mine, though.”

“That is true…….”

Prime Minister Lapis Lazuli wore a dark expression. It seemed she was trying her best to somehow protect Father’s honor, but in the end, she appeared to accept the fact that denying Father’s libido was about as impossible as denying the existence of the sun.

The Prime Minister let out a small sigh.

“Most likely, Sir Dantalian does not want to take responsibility for you, Miss Daisy.”

“Responsibility?”

“Once Sir Dantalian sleeps with a woman, he always tries to take responsibility in some form. You can see it from his relationship with Lady Barbatos. They pretend to be casually dating, but in truth, they’re binding each other down.”

I nodded. To be honest, watching the two of them felt like seeing children playing house, and it made me uncomfortable.

“But Miss Daisy, you are already aware that Sir Dantalian is already carrying the weight of hundreds of thousands of lives on his back, are you not?”

“I am aware.”

“Sir Dantalian’s shoulders are already burdened enough. A relationship where two people are responsible for each other would only serve to make that burden even heavier. What he truly needs is the exact opposite of that.”

Prime Minister Lapis Lazuli fixed her blue eyes on me.

“A relationship where neither party bears responsibility, where both stand freely and equally. It is as simple as that. Only in front of someone with whom he shares such a relationship can Sir Dantalian truly breathe with ease.”

“…….”

I blankly listened to the Prime Minister’s words.

It felt as though lightning had struck me.

Why hadn’t I realized such a simple truth until now? Father was a villain who had slaughtered hundreds of thousands. And he was also someone who was acutely aware of himself as a villain.

To someone like that—a villain—saying “I love you” would be nothing more than a painful torment. He would only blame himself, thinking he was unworthy of love. That loving someone like him would only be a burden. The love of the world would be nothing but a fatal poison to Father.

What Father truly needed was someone who would squarely acknowledge him by saying, “You are evil.”

Someone who would boldly declare, “You deserve to be hated, so I will hate you in your stead.”That was the kind of person Father needed!

While I quietly tremble in the wake of my realization, Prime Minister Lapis Lazuli murmured.

“I envy you, Miss Daisy.”

“You envy me……?”

“I have resolved to become Sir Dantalian’s partner. Not only am I a half-breed, but I was also a lowly merchant, making me completely unworthy of standing beside Sir Dantalian. Even now, I desperately strive each day just to remain by his side.”

The Prime Minister would rise at dawn like someone possessed by work and tend to her duties late into the night. All documents from the Demon Lord Castle and the domain were handled by her. I secretly admired the Prime Minister’s competency.

But I was wrong. The Prime Minister did not think of herself as competent. She believed she was just a worthless woman from a merchant’s background. That was why she had no choice but to cling to her duties with such desperation…….

“That is how I’ve barely managed to remain by Sir Dantalian’s side. He granted me the position of Prime Minister, though it was far more than I deserved. But you are different.”

“…….”

“You were acknowledged as his equal without much effort. Miss Daisy, the place I had to earn through relentless struggle—you claimed it without a second thought.”

The Prime Minister’s eyes gleamed with a dark sheen.

It wasn’t jealousy. It was reproach. A quiet, unwavering accusation—what right did you have to occupy such an undeserved position?

“Do not become someone Sir Dantalian would be ashamed of.”

“…….”

“This is my warning. If Sir Dantalian sees you as someone exceptional, then show him you are worthy of that exception. And if that is impossible, then leave his side.”

Prime Minister Lapis Lazuli rose from her seat and left the office.

I bowed deeply to see her off. I owed her an irrepayable debt. If she hadn’t given me that advice, I would have misunderstood Father like a foolish, bare idiot. Even after she left the office and a long time passed, I continued to bow…….

From that day on, the purpose of my life was set.

I hate Father.

What Father needed wasn’t blind love. Blindness would only strangle him. What he truly desperately needed was a witness, someone who could look at him for who he truly was.

Only then could I avoid dishonoring Father’s life.

“You are truly a trash-like individual, Father.”

“That is exactly the kind of scheme Father would come up with. Its stench is so foul, I can’t bear to look at you.”

“Why are you crying? Do you suddenly feel sorry for the citizens of Parisiorum that Father just slaughtered? How laughable. If you think such guilt can wash away Father’s sins, you’re gravely mistaken.”

I laugh mockingly.

I sneer.

I faithfully fulfill the role of the witness that Father needs.

Each time, Father would explode in anger, whipping or torturing me. Once the rage in his heart was released, his mind would calm for a few days. This, too, was the role I had assigned to myself.

“Jack…… Mother…… Ah, I…… I……”

Every night, Father would be relentlessly tormented by nightmares.

Whenever that happened, I would lay Father’s head on my lap and sing softly. I was vastly superior to ordinary people in every way—singing included. When I gently whispered a lullaby, Father, even while groaning, would soon slip into a deep sleep.

“It’s all right. You will be punished someday—without fail.”

“…….”

“If no one else can do it, I will. There’s no need to worry. For now, just close your eyes.”

I gently brushed Father’s forehead as he drifted into sleep.

Father explained that “a Demon Lord doesn’t particularly need sleep,” as his reason for not enjoying slumber, but the truth was different. He only slept once every four days because he hated the nightmares.

That’s right.

I would gladly leave things like love to Laura de Farnese.

Let Barbatos, or Paimon, or Sitri love Father as much as they like. Let them lose themselves in their affections, completely unaware that in the end, they will only tighten the noose around his neck. Let them be ruined together, blissfully.

But hatred—

The role of hating Father—

That, I will take on myself.

Even though Father slaughtered two hundred thousand people, you all say, “It doesn’t matter,” and go on loving him. You have no idea just how deeply that very “doesn’t matter” wounds him. Foolish women. Only I truly understand Father.

Oblivion is escape.

Comfort is an excuse.

Ecstasy is a sin.

These endlessly moral equations form the core of Father’s being. You don’t know. You cannot understand. Unless one shares the same bloodline—one that mirrors Father’s psyche—no one can wholly accept him.

The problem was that Father was a master of acting.

If I played my role poorly, he would see through it in an instant. That meant, before I could deceive Father, I had to completely deceive myself first. Every morning at dawn, I would get out of bed and look into the mirror to whisper to myself.

I hate Father.

Father is irredeemable trash.

I will never forgive such trash.

―The result was a success.

“That’s why you’re hopeless, you idiot!”

“Stupid girl. All you’ve ever studied are books, so the so-called solutions you come up with are laughably foolish.”

“Hypocrite. Aren’t you ashamed to face your own brother!”

I had a talent for acting. And on top of that, I had before me the greatest actor in all of history to serve as my model. Watching Father and learning from his performances, I quickly reached a level where I could even deceive myself.

The more Father spewed his rage at me, the more severe the torture became, the more certain I was that I was playing my ‘role’ successfully.

In truth, it wasn’t all that difficult.

Father acted in front of every single person he met. In contrast, I only had to act for two: Father and myself. No—act? That’s not quite right. I truly do hate Father. It isn’t an act. —I must never realize that this is an act.

“Daisy. Watch carefully how this one meets his end. It’s a death that people like us will never be allowed. Make sure you remember it well.”

Yes, Father.

I am an actress who takes the stage for the sake of one person in this world—only you.

I act for you alone, and I sing for you alone.

This world has offered you nothing but cruelty. I know that. And yet, you did not reject the gift—you bore it upon yourself as your own burden of sin.

The world gave you nothing.

So I offer you my soul, Father.

Though it may bring you no comfort, I will at least hold on to the truth that there is someone—just one person—who understands you.

That is the reason I was born.

My life.

My everything.

Dantalian.

My father.

Dantalian.

I truly, wholeheartedly despise you.

Ο* * *Ο

―I was probably the first to notice the initial crack.

“Confess honestly. Was it you who did this?”

It happened when Father collapsed at the governor’s mansion in Batavia. Laura de Farnese, the Minister of Military Affairs, suddenly cornered me in a secluded part of the estate. Her face was twisted like a demon’s. I tilted my head in confusion, having no idea what she was talking about.

“What do you mean, Military Affairs Minister?”

“I’m talking about His Lordship. Did you not lace his medication with poison?! Otherwise, why has he not regained consciousness even after several days?!”

What nonsense was this fool of a woman babbling about?

I was fundamentally incapable of harming Father. This was especially troublesome because it was a subjective limitation. If I even slightly felt, “Ah, this might bring an unfavorable outcome to Father,” I became completely unable to go through with the action.

At most, I could toss a pillow at him. Only actions I judged to be “probably not harmful to Father” were permitted.

To begin with, could I ever bring harm to Father?

“I believe you’re misunderstanding something. I am Father’s maid. And even before that, I am a slave bound to him. Why—how—would I ever try to bring harm to Father?”

“…….”

The green eyes of Military Affairs Minister Laura de Farnese glared coldly into my face.

“You’re serious about that, I trust?”

“If you cannot trust me, then trust Father. Father’s schemes have always been flawless. Do you really believe someone like me—a mere maid—could ever catch him off guard?”

I sincerely hoped that if she had a brain inside that head of hers, she might try using it.

Aside from being moderately good-looking and having some talent in military strategy, the Military Affairs Minister was utterly useless. Entrust a person like her with an important position, and it’s certain the entire kingdom would fall into ruin. I had no idea what Father was thinking.

“I must excuse myself now, as I have to clean Father’s bed.”

I brushed aside the Military Affairs Minister’s arm.

That alone was enough to break her encirclement. I gave a small nod of my head, then slipped past her and walked away. I could feel her eyes glaring into my back until the very end, but I ignored it.

That moment marked the prelude to everything’s collapse.

***

TL Note: Thanks for reading the chapter. Please save me. I’ve had to work for 3 consecutive weekends. I usually try to get these chapters done during my weekends, but man, it’s been hard to squeeze them in. We did get a new English TR hire last week, so I can only pray she actually sticks around. We’ve had like 5 people start working with us in the past 2 years, and none of them lasted longer than a week or two. FINGERS CROSSED SHE STAYS. Seriously, our schedules just get overflowed the moment one person decides to go on a vacation for 2 weeks. We need this extra person so we stop spilling over…

Pray for me.