Debuff Master

Chapter 788

“Ugh... What’s going on here?”

Siegfried groaned in frustration and clutched his face with one hand. He found this situation to be quite absurd and headache-inducing. The baffling behavior of Metatron and the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky made his head throb in pain.

To summarize...

Metatron, despite causing such a ruckus, had admitted that he was unaware of the young man's identity.

To make things even more confusing, even the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky had no idea of his own identity.

The situation was pure chaos—illogical and unreasonable chaos.

Siegfried let out a sigh and asked, “Okay, let me get this straight. You are telling me that you do not know who you are?”

“Yes,” the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky replied with a polite nod.

“Do you at least know your name?” Siegfried asked, raising a brow.

“Hmm...” the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky furrowed his brows, straining to search for a long-lost memory. Then, he shook his head and replied, “I'm afraid I do not.”

“I see...”

“I have no idea who I am or where I came from. I must apologize, for it feels shameful not to even introduce myself to the one who saved me,” the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky admitted, and his voice was laced with genuine regret.

Still, he gave a courteous bow to show his gratitude, but the confusion on his face was unmistakable.

“Truly... I have no recollection of anything. Nothing at all,” he added with a voice tinged with distress while grabbing his hair.

Siegfried watched him carefully, suspicion flickering in his eyes. Then, he turned to Chaos and said, “Deputy Steward.”

“Y-Yes, Your Majesty!” Chaos, who was busy trying to calm Metatron down, snapped to attention.

“Go bring Dame Oscar.”

“But, sire, Metatron is still—”

“Now.”

“Y-Yes, sire!”

Chaos darted off without hesitation.

‘Fool me once, shame on me. But fool me twice? Not a chance,’ Siegfried growled inwardly.

He was not about to be deceived again. He had learned his lesson the hard way after being duped by Acheron, the so-called Immortal Alchemist, who turned out to be the leader of the Church of Osric.

The price he paid for trusting someone so easily that time was grave, so he was not going to start trusting people that easily anymore.

After a while, Oscar arrived.

“Have you called for me, sire?”

“Yes, I need you to verify something for me,” Siegfried replied. Then, he pointed at the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky and added, “I want you to verify if he is telling the truth or not.”

Oscar bowed and replied, “As you command, sire.”

She walked toward the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky and drew her sword, the Sword of Truth: Fragarach. She then placed its blade near the young man’s throat.

“W-What is the meaning of this?” the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky asked, sounding alarmed. His wide eyes darted between Siegfried and the sword.

“Oh, no need to be so alarmed. This is just standard procedure,” Siegfried replied with a dismissive wave.

“Pardon...? Standard procedure?”

“Just play along, and you will see.”

Oscar, unfazed, met Siegfried’s gaze and gave a subtle nod. Then, she turned to the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky and started her interrogation.

“Who are you?” she asked.

A soft hum filled the air as Fragarach began to glow, bathing the room in a light that felt ethereal and pristine.

The Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky gulped nervously and replied, “I... I do not know.”

“Do you know your name?”

“No.”

“Do you remember anything about yourself?”

“Nothing.”

Oscar was relentless in her interrogation as if she was dead set on finding any hint of deception from the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky.

No matter how many times she asked, his answer remained the same.

“I do not know.”

“I do not remember.”

“I have no recollection of anything...”

Every response from the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky was accompanied by the pure glow of Fragarach, which meant that he was indeed telling the truth.

It seemed that the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky had truly lost all of his memories.

***

After the interrogation, Siegfried immediately apologized upon confirming the truth.

“The sudden questions must have startled you. I hope for your understanding, as we have suffered some serious security issues lately,” Siegfried said to the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky.

“I understand,” the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky replied with surprising composure. He didn't have even a hint of resentment in his expression despite having a sword pressed to his throat just moments ago. Then, he even added with a smile, “It is only natural to be wary and cautious of strangers, is it not?”

“Thank you for understanding. So, for now...” Siegfried paused, pondering for a moment. Then, he continued, “How about staying here for the time being? You do not seem to have anywhere else to go, especially since you lost your memory.”

“Are you sure? You have already saved my life, so I do not wish to impose on you any further...”

“It is fine.”

Siegfried appeared to be kind, but the truth was that he simply had no intentions of letting this key NPC of the new main scenario, the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky, slip through his fingers.

It didn't matter whether the young man would turn out to be a blessing or a threat, as he intended to keep him close—so close that he could keep him under watch around the clock.

“Feel free to stay here, and do not worry about the cost of treatment or anything else.”

“You are far too kind... I am truly grateful. Please, if there is anything I could do, be it cleaning, washing the dishes, or doing laundry, anything—just say the word.”

“There is no need for that. You are a guest of our kingdom, so please make yourself at home. Also, rest for now, as the sooner you recover, the sooner your memories might return.”

“Thank you, truly, thank you.”

“Escort him to his room,” Siegfried instructed the nearby attendants.

At that moment, Metatron shrieked in horror, “Your Majesty! This is unacceptable! That man is a dem—ack!”

Siegfried yanked Metatron’s ear, causing him to unleash a howl in agony.

“Gah! Your Majesty! Please!”

“Follow me.”

“But I did not do anything—!”

“Just. Follow. Me.”

Siegfried dragged Metatron by the ear and led him to an empty room downstairs. Once there, he let go and folded his arms over his chest.

“Hey, what’s with you? I thought you said you didn’t know who he was?” Siegfried grumbled.

“I-I do not, sire!” Metatron stammered, looking visibly shaken. Then, he looked down to the floor and said meekly, “It’s just... instinct...”

“Instinct?”

“I cannot control it. The fear... it was overwhelming... Aaah!”

Metatron shuddered violently and shrieked as if merely recalling the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky was enough to send chills down his spine.

“Calm down, will you? He said he has no memories, didn’t he?”

“But he’s too dangerous! That man is terrifying beyond belief! He’s more dreadful than even the Demon Lord of Terror, Kalista!”

“Hmm...

Siegfried frowned in response.

There were twelve demon lords and one demon king in the demon world. Kalista, the Demon Lord of Terror, was said to embody fear itself, reigning supreme over the deepest dreads of all living beings.

Yes, Metatron, a prince of the demon world, claimed that the young man surpassed even that Kalista?

“Hey, that makes no sense at all,” Siegfried said with a grimace.

“Even I agree so, sire! B-But... I cannot explain it! This feeling is beyond words!” Metatron retorted.

“This is getting complicated...” Siegfried muttered, rubbing his temples. Then, he said, “Alright, keep an eye on him then.”

“W-What?! Surely you are not planning to let that monstrous demon roam freely in the palace?!” Metatron leaped up and shrieked in protest.

“I have my reasons.”

“B-But—”

“Just keep a close eye on him,” Siegfried said firmly. Then, he slung his arm around Metatron’s shoulders and asked, “And tell me, where’s the safest place in this whole wide world?”

“That is obviously where the Elder resides—Ah!”

“Exactly,” Siegfried said with a smirk. Then, he leaned in and whispered, “Let’s say, hypothetically, that guy is as dangerous as you claim he is. Do you think he’d still dare to act up with Master around?”

“Well... no?”

“See? It’s quite simple, right? So, all of you have to do is stay back and keep an eye on him. If you really can’t, then have the servants take turns and report to you.”

“Hmm...”

“So, can you do it or not?”

“I... I think I can—” Metatron stammered.

Siegfried immediately cut him off, not bothering to wait for an answer, “Oh? You can? I knew you would say that.”

The conclusion was inevitable, as Siegfried had already made his decision, so Metatron merely needed to do whatever he was told.

“I’ll be counting on you,” Siegfried said with an evil grin. Then, he patted Metatron’s shoulder before stepping out of the room.

Just like that, the task of monitoring the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky fell squarely on Metatron’s shoulders.

***

Siegfried decided to put aside the issue of the Golden-Haired Young Man Who Fell From the Sky for now and focus on the internal affairs of the kingdom.

The atmosphere within the Proatine Kingdom was jubilant and electrifying, as having emerged victorious from the war against the mighty Zavala Kingdom without losing a single battle was indeed a cause for celebration.

The streets were alive with celebrations, big and small, and the crowd was ecstatic at the news of victory for days.

Unfortunately, despite the festive mood, the aftermath of such a big war had left the kingdom’s administration and finances in disarray. To address these issues, Siegfried summoned both Michele and Schmidt.

“Your Majesty, I, Michele, pledge my undying loyalty to you until my very last breath,” Michele said. He knelt on one knee as soon as he arrived and bowed deeply toward Siegfried.

“Huh? What’s wrong with you? What’s with the sudden formalities?” Siegfried asked, looking baffled.

“I heard the news. Your Majesty has finally vanquished the leader of that vile cult,” Michele replied.

“Oh, that... I promised you, didn’t I? I said I’d avenge your enemies for you,” Siegfried replied nonchalantly.

Michele’s allegiance to Siegfried stemmed from the grudge he had been holding against the Church of Osric. He had lost his family when he was abducted by the cult, and he barely survived, thanks to Siegfried.

Back then, Siegfried had vowed to avenge Michele’s loss, and Michele placed his faith in that promise, which led him to serve the Proatine Kingdom.

And that day had finally arrived...

Siegfried had defeated Immortal Alchemist Acheron, who was also the Leader of the Church of Osric. This made him not only Michele’s savior but the one who had avenged his family as well.

“I know your family cannot be brought back, but I hope this brings you some peace and closure.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Michele replied, lowering his head even further. Then, he added with brimming gratitude, “It is a great relief and joy to know that my vengeance has finally been fulfilled.

“Good.”

“I am eternally grateful to you, sire.”

“There’s no need for that. A promise is a promise, so let’s put that behind us and get down to business.”

“Your wish will be my command, sire. Please, tell me what I should do,” Michele said, looking at Siegfried with unwavering respect.”

“First off, what should we do now that the war is over?”

“Your Majesty’s role is to encourage and comfort the soldiers who fought in the recent war. I will handle all other administrative matters.”

“Really? That sounds good,” Siegfried replied with a nod. Then, he turned to Schmidt and asked, “How’s our treasury looking?”

“If I may speak bluntly, it is not looking good, sire," Schmidt, now the kingdom’s financial manager, replied in a grave voice. “We used a lot of resources during the war. On top of that, the special allowances, compensations for the families, and medical expenses used for the soldiers are staggering.”

“Hmm...”

“If we use the assets and territory we seized from the Zavala Kingdom, perhaps our treasury could return to a surplus. But that will take about six months.”

“So you’re saying that we don’t have enough cash right now, right?”

“Precisely, sire. And with winter approaching, the kingdom’s finances will be further strained.” @@novelbin@@

“I’ll take care of that problem.”

“Pardon...?”

“Come with me for a moment,” Siegfried said, leading Schmidt to the palace runway.

This was the landing strip built solely for Siegfried’s personal airship, the Huracan.

“Hold on,” Siegfried said as he opened his spatial inventory.

Wooong...!

Siegfried opened his Inventory which let out a low hum that grew louder and louder. The Inventory, usually compact in size, expanded far larger than usual. Moments later, a colossal red dragon’s corpse fell onto the runway.

Thud!

“There. Problem solved, right?” Siegfried asked, turning to Schmidt.

“...”

Schmidt was speechless. He stood frozen on his spot, unable to respond.

Where did Siegfried even obtain a dragon of this size? How did he even manage to kill it? And why did he pull it out the moment it was mentioned that the kingdom was undergoing financial troubles?

“Is it not enough?”

“N-No, sire. This will be more than enough.”

“Good.”

Siegfried left Schmidt with the dragon and headed back to his office.

‘Alright, that takes care of one problem,’ he thought, satisfied.

Meanwhile, a different idea crossed Schmidt’s mind as he stared at Siegfried's back.

‘D-Does he go hunt dragons every time the kingdom’s coffers are empty...?’

He knew just how absurd this thought was, but he couldn't help but secretly wonder if Siegfried was actually a professional dragon hunter.

After instructing Schmidt to dismember the dragon and allocate the funds appropriately, Siegfried went back to Michele.

“So, what’s next after this?” Siegfried asked.

“We should first award medals and merits to the soldiers who distinguished themselves in the war. However, the list of honorees is still far from complete.”

“Then what else should I do while waiting for the list to be complete?”

“I suggest visiting the military hospital to comfort the wounded soldiers.”

“Oh? That sounds good.”

It was then.

Ding!

A message popped up in front of Siegfried’s eyes.

[Alert: You have received a new Quest – Path of Wise King (1)!]

It had been quite a long time since he last received a chain quest.