Debuff Master

Chapter 402

“Gathering of kings?”

“Gathering of all rulers, to be more precise.”

“Oh?”

“Your Majesty can think of it as a gathering where the rulers of each nation gather to discuss peace and harmony with each other.”

“I'm going there?”

“More accurately, Your Majesty has to go there.”

“Why?”

“Because it is mandatory...”

“Even the king of a small provincial kingdom like me?”

“There are no exceptions.”

“...”

“Also, this conference is hosted by the Marchioni Empire, and Emperor Stuttgart is the chairman. If you refuse to attend this, then...” Michele said before he smirked and swiped his neck with his thumb. “Emperor Stuttgart is going to love that a king of a provincial kingdom had dared to skip the conference he was hosting.”

“...”

“He could even bring his armies here to teach you a lesson.”

“I-I... probably should go, right?”

“Yes,” Michele replied with a nod and added, “You will have to be on your best behavior at the conference. If you get into an argument with the other rulers, then—Ah, I do not wish to even imagine what could happen.”

“Huh? What are you doing?” Siegfried asked.

He had asked because Michele had suddenly taken out a piece of parchment and started writing something down.

“I am writing my letter of resignation, Your Majesty,” Michele replied nonchalantly.

“R-Resignation?! Why?! Are you going to save your first love, too?!”

“I am only sixteen, Your Majesty. Do you really think that would be the case?”

“Huh? Oh, you’re right... Then what’s that for? Weren’t you praising me just a while ago?”

“The armies of stronger kingdoms will come knocking on our doors if Your Majesty causes trouble at the conference, so isn’t it only normal for me to look out for myself?”

“What did you say, punk?!”

“I need some sort of insurance in the event—“

“Hey! Do you really think I’m someone who will cause trouble in such a place?! Ha?!”

“Are you not?”

“Am I crazy?! Why would I cause problems there?!”

“I just feel nervous because of your stellar track record, Your Majesty.”

“Why, you little!”

“Please control yourself over there, Your Majesty. The World Peace Conference is not a place you can fool around in. Even the smallest movement of your body can—“

“All right! I got it! I’m going to come back without causing any problems!” Siegfried screamed to cut him off. Then, he grumbled, “Geez... You’re only sixteen, but you nag more than a mother-in-law!”

“Has Your Majesty ever considered being the reason for me becoming like this? Have I ever nagged just for the sake of nagging? Would you like us to go through all of the problems you have caused so far?”

“Euk...! M-My blood pressure...!”

Siegfried grabbed the back of his neck and pretended to have a stroke after his criminal records were brought up.

“I think my blood pressure shot up... Sorry... I’ll have to go now...”

“I know Your Majesty is just trying to run away.”

“N-No, I’m not...”

“Please pass this to Dame Oscar if Your Majesty is going to run away. Well, I can give it to her directly, but I think it will be better for Your Majesty to do so,” Michele said as he extended a chest wrapped in the flag of the Proatine Kingdom.

“What’s this?”

“Dame Oscar’s new military uniform.”

“Huh?”

“She needs a new uniform now that she will be newly reinstated, right? I thought it would be more symbolic if Your Majesty personally bestowed this to her.”

“You’re right. Okay, I’ll bring it to her.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Michele replied with a bow.

Siegfried left Michele’s office to deliver Oscar’s new uniform.

‘Just you wait, you sixteen years old brat! I’m going to give you a taste of how scary adults can be!’

Of course, he was plotting some petty vengeance deep inside as he walked away.

***

One hour later...

“Is this Dame Oscar’s house?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Siegfried was guided to Oscar’s house by Carell.

“Isn’t this a bit too much...? Is this really Dame Oscar’s house?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Isn’t it too modest?”

The reason he was taken aback was that Oscar’s house was extremely shabby. It was located on the outskirts of Preussen, quite far from the castle, and it took Siegfried forty minutes to get there, even though he was on horseback.

The distance would not be a problem for a normal citizen of the kingdom, but Oscar was no ordinary citizen. She was the Supreme Commander of the Proatine Forces, and her house was simply too far for a person of her status to stay.

Not only that, the house was a shabby two-story property, which did not look like a place a kingdom’s supreme commander would stay. In fact, the house looked no different from the houses that the average citizens inhabited in the kingdom.

“Why is she staying at a place like this? I’m sure I’m paying her a lot? Or is she just frugal...?”

“No, Your Majesty.”

“Hmm?”

“Dame Oscar donates a significant portion of her income to the orphanage.”

“R-Really?”

“As far as I am aware, she spends just enough to sustain herself as a knight, and she donates the rest to the orphanages in the kingdom.”

“Wow... I didn’t know her character was this upright... Is that why she’s so famous with everyone?” Siegfried muttered after recalling that she was quite the celebrity among both knights and the people.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

He knocked on the weathered wooden door.

Creak...!

The wooden door opened, and someone came out.

“Excuse me... I am looking for Dam Oscar... Huh?”

“Y-Your Majesty?”

Surprisingly, the one who had opened the door was Oscar herself, and she was so flustered that she forgot to greet him properly.

It was no different for Siegfried.

‘W-Why is she opening the door and not a servant? No, more importantly... Why is her outfit...?’

He was surprised after seeing her outfit.

Oscar always dressed modestly every time he saw her, but she was currently wearing bright sky-blue jean shorts, and her hair was tied up in a ponytail. She did not look anything like a supreme commander but a beautiful woman in her twenties.

“Y-Your Majesty!”

“I apologize for the sudden visit, Dame Oscar—“

“PLEASE WAIT!” Oscar screamed as she shut the door.

Bam!

“...”

“...”

Both Siegfried and Carell were left standing dumbfounded outside Oscar’s house for ten minutes before the wooden door was opened once again.

Oscar appeared wearing her usual formal attire with her hair all tidied up and greeted, “I, Oscar, greets His Majesty the King.”

“Please come in, Your Majesty.”

“I-It’s alright,” Siegfried awkwardly shook his head and replied.”

“I didn’t come to have a tour of your house.”

“Then what brings Your Majesty all the way here?”

“Here,” Siegfried said as he extended the chest wrapped with the flag of the Proatine Kingdom and added, “Your new uniform.”

“Y-Your Majesty!”

“Wear that uniform and report for duty after your probation ends, okay?”

“Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!” Oscar exclaimed as she knelt on one knee and received the chest with both hands above her head. It was the way a knight would show respect to their liege whenever they received something from them.

“I would have received Your Majesty properly if I was informed of your arrival! I apologize for not being prepared, Your Majesty!”

“No, I just came to give you your new uniform, that’s it,” Siegfried replied with a smile.

“But...”

“Also, you look good in your casual attire,” Siegfried added.

“...!”

“You don’t have to live so rigidly. Nobody is going to say anything to you if you let loose a bit.”

Oscar felt so embarrassed at those words that she wanted to hide in a hole somewhere. She wanted to show only her good side to her liege, so showing her casual side as well made her feel very embarrassed.

“Anyway, I’ll be going now. Sorry for disturbing your rest,” Siegfried said as he walked away.

Oscar hurriedly raised her head and exclaimed, “Are you leaving already, Your Majesty?!”

Siegfried turned around and waved his hand at her. “I can’t bother you when you’re reflecting on your mistakes, right? I’ll see you next week, Dame Oscar!”

***

On the way back to the castle.

‘I want you to be happy, Oscar...’ Siegfried sincerely wanted her to be happy.

She had witnessed with her own eyes the death of the Proatine Knight she looked up to and made her dream of becoming a knight. She was abandoned by her first love, and he had even betrayed her just a few days ago. On top of that, she had to decapitate his first love with her own two hands.

Oscar’s life was no different from a tragedy from a third person’s point of view.

‘I’ll make sure your life will only be full of happiness from now on,’ Siegfried resolved to give her happiness as he marched back to the castle.

But...

“Carell.”

“Yes?”

“Who’s house is that? That place is HUGE!” Siegfried exclaimed as he walked past a mansion that was at least one-fourth the size of the royal castle.

“Ah, that house?”

“Yeah, who lives there? Is that person wealthy?”

“That house belongs to Scribe Gringore if I am not mistaken, Your Majesty.”

“What?! Gringore?!”

“Well, as Your Majesty would be aware, Scribe Gringore is the most famous celebrity on the continent.”

“Hmm...”

“So it is only obvious he is rich.”

“I... I see... But where is he these days? I haven’t caught a glimpse of him recently.”

“He is out on a world tour.”

“Oh? So he went to earn foreign currency?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Hmm...”

“Is something troubling you, Your Majesty?”

“I’m trying to come up with a way to seize all of Gringore’s assets.”

“...”

“W-What? Why are you looking at me like that? I’m joking! Haha! I’m just joking!”

“Haha! I knew Your Majesty was joking!”

“I’m not that ruthless, you know? Hahaha!”

Siegfried might have tried to laugh it off, but Carell was not buying it.

‘H-His Majesty is dead-set on seizing Scribe Gringore’s assets!’ he knew that Siegfried was already drawing up plans on how to seize the poor scribe’s assets.

***

A week later...

[Alert: You have leveled up!]

[Alert: You have reached Level 244!]

Siegfried spent the week grinding in the Great Rift before returning to the Proatine Kingdom.

‘Damn... It’s really taking forever just to level up... Sigh... I would’ve been Level 247 by now if that bastard Cheon Woo-Jin didn’t pull a fast one on me...!’ he cursed Cheon Woo-Jin, who was currently avoiding him both in the game and in reality while preparing to attend the World Peace Conference.

“I will be accompanying Your Majesty on this trip.”

Oscar would accompany Siegfried to the conference. The World Peace Conference could only be attended by the ruler and one aide, and the aide chosen to accompany Siegfried was none other than Oscar.

“I’ll be in your care, Oscar.”

“I will assist Your Majesty to the best of my abilities!”

Oscar was standing in front of Siegfried in her new military uniform.

Michele stopped Siegfried just before he left.

“Your Majesty, please do not cause any trouble this time. The stakes are high this time, and it is not going to end as a big problem. If you cause any problems, then—“

“Alright! I said I got it!”

“Then, I will place my trust in Your Majesty.”

“What trust? I know you don’t trust me one bit!”

“I am relieved that Your Majesty is aware of it.”

“Argh!”

“Please have a safe trip.”

It was only after he was sneered at by Michele that he finally entered the warp gate leading to the place where the World Peace Conference was hosted.

“Your Majesty, please do not—“

Siegfried completely ignored Michele’s earnest plea and activated the Warp Gate.

Flash!

Siegfried and Oscar appeared inside a large structure in the Marchioni Empire’s capital, which was the venue of the World Peace Conference.

“Huh? Is this where the conference will be held?” Siegfried wondered as he looked around.

“Hey! Siegfried!” someone shouted.

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