Debuff Master

Chapter 395

Chapter 395

“A request?”

“Yes, Your Majesty...” Oscar replied as she trailed the end of her words, and then she said, “I am well aware that I am not in a position to make any request to Your Majesty, but...”

“I will grant it if it’s something I can grant, so please feel free to say it,” Siegfried replied with a smile.

Oscar had received the Burning NPC buff after having her NPC Awakening Event, so granting a request of hers was not a big deal for him. He could simply think of granting it as a future investment. After all, granting a small request to such an outstanding subordinate wasn't that big of a deal at all.

“As long as you’re not going to ask me to spare that bastard.”

Except for one request.

However, Oscar shook her head and said, “No, I will never be so brazen and make such a request to Your Majesty. My request is—”

“Your request is?”

“May you allow me to kill him with my own hands?”

It was not a difficult request since Carell was already tracking the piece of trash down, and Siegfried was planning to further hunt him down with Hamchi.

What was he going to do if he caught him?

He would kill him, of course.

Siegfried couldn't kill the piece of trash earlier, as Oscar had gone through the trouble of rescuing him. However, the piece of trash had stabbed Oscar and ran away. Siegfried no longer had any intentions of letting him live, even if Oscar were to plead for him.

However, Oscar actually wanted to kill him with her own hands?

That only made it easier for him to grant her request, but...

“Will you be alright? I don’t think that’s going to be easy for you.”

He was worried about her.

After all, she went to great lengths to rescue the piece of trash.

Could she really kill him with her own hands?

“I will be fine, Your Majesty,” Oscar confidently replied, and then she said, “It is a bit overdue, but I believe sending him off with my own hands is the best I can do for him now.”

“Hmm...”

“I will sever my ties with him once and for all.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Alright then,” Siegfried nodded and said, “I will grant you your request.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Oscar bowed her head and said.

“I will give you two hours to rest up.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Siegfried granted her a short time to rest up as she didn't really need a lot of rest.

Why?

The Saintess had patched her up completely. All she needed right now was some food and a few bottles of potions to replenish her Stamina.

***

Meanwhile, Carell was carrying out Siegfried’s command and closely tracking the piece of trash, but...

‘Huh? He’s going to the Emporio Kingdom?’

Surprisingly, Salvatore didn't run away. He was going back in the direction of the Emporio Kingdom, and his destination was none other than...

‘The Valencia Territory...?’

The Valencia Territory was now occupied by the McQueen Forces.

But why?

Why was he going back to the place teeming with his enemies?

His actions did not make any sense at all.

Some might argue that he was probably going back to rally the people in his territory to fight for their liberation, but there was a flaw in that reasoning.

Why?

Salvatore was a ruthless tyrant.

What did that mean?

The people living in the Valencia Territory loathed him.

His reputation was so bad that the people welcomed the news of being conquered by the McQueen Territory. All of them agreed that it was better they were absorbed into the McQueen Territory than to continue suffering under the tyranny of Salvatore.

In other words, even the ordinary citizens in the Valencia Territory were Salvatore’s enemies as well.

But he was going back to such a place?

Carell could not help but find this extremely strange.

‘Just where the hell is he going...?’ Carell was perplexed, but he continued to tail him nonetheless.

‘Hmm?’

Carell followed Salvatore to a secluded village a bit far from the center of the Valencia Territory. This village was an abandoned village deep in the mountains that was once inhabited by slash-and-burn farmers.

‘What’s he doing here?’ Carell wondered as he continued to observe Salvatore.

Salvatore looked around to see if there was anyone around before heading toward the village well.

The well seemed to have dried up a long time ago, judging by how its opening was covered by a wooden cover.

Salvatore opened the well and climbed down the half-rotten rope.

He didn't forget to close the well before heading down.

‘There’s definitely something there.’

Carell was certain there was a reason behind Salvatore’s bizarre actions, as there was no reason for him to climb down a well unless he was planning to commit suicide.

‘What should I do...’

Carell was now in a dilemma, as he had two choices to make.

1. Keep trailing Salvatore.

2. Wait until Siegfried comes here.

His choice was...

‘Let’s go.’

He decided to continue tailing Salvatore.

This was a perfectly logical decision because his mission was to observe Salvatore.

It was best that he went after him.

Carell emerged from behind the bushes and headed toward the well.

***

At a worn-down mansion, the son of Demon Lord Vernas, Metatron, who had descended onto the Nürberg Continent a few months ago, was buried under a pile of books alongside his subordinate, Chaos, in search of the whereabouts of the Demon Sword: Avenger[1].

“Damn it!”

The old magician—no, Metatron roared in frustration.

“Where is the Avenger?!”

“M-My lord...!”

The demon, Chaos, tried his best to appease his lord.

“A few centuries have passed since the sword was lost. It'll definitely take time to locate it. If we gather more information and compile them, then we—“

“Damn it! Who doesn’t know that?!” Metatron shouted at the demon’s face.

“My lord...”

“Look! Look at this damned body!” Metatron screamed with both of his flimsy arms raised.

Crack!

His shoulder joint cracked the moment he raised his arms a bit too high.

“Argh!”

“M-My lord! Are you alright?!”

“Look... at this... body... These damned shoulders often pop out of their sockets, this neck is misaligned, my vision is dim even during the day, these knees start aching whenever the weather changes, and I can’t read these damned books without a magnifying glass!”

“My lord...”

“Until when do I have to be trapped in this messed up body...? Until when...?”

Every single day trapped in the old magician’s body was excruciating for Metatron. He, the son of Demon Lord Vernas, had to live with arthritis, aneurysms, and various other diseases that come with age.

“Please be patient, my lord! You have to endure this much pain if you are to inherit the throne!”

“Ahem!”

“You have to tough it out, my lord!”

“Tough what? What does that mean?”

“It is a slang used by the Adventurers when they are enduring something until the end.”

“Oh! I see!”

“Yes, it is excruciating right now, but how will it feel once you have Avenger in your hands? You will enjoy the prestige of becoming the ruler of the demon realm, my lord!”

“Ruler of the Demon Realm!” Metatron exclaimed as he clenched his fists.

Becoming the ruler of the Demon Realm basically meant becoming the Demon Lord.

“My lord, the pain and sorrows of today will turn into glory tomorrow! You have to tough it out, no matter how painful it is! But if you are unable to continue, then please go rest, my lord. I, your loyal servant, Chaos, shall continue going through these records.”

“I... I will be grateful if you do that for me. Ahem...” Metatron said and faked a cough before he pushed the book in front of him to his servant.

Every part of his body was aching from sitting all day long reading books, and he immediately accepted Chaos’ offer on the spot.

“...”

Chaos was in disbelief after seeing Metatron immediately accept his offer, but he did his best not to make it too obvious.

The Demon Realm was strictly survival of the fittest, and having a high rank meant that one was incredibly powerful.

However, the real reason Chaos was enduring all of this was due to the fact that he would have made the biggest contribution if Metatron became the Demon Lord, and the rewards he would receive for doing so were going to be immense.

The suffering he was enduring today was his investment for a brighter future.

“My lord, please go take a stroll to relieve yourself of—“

“Hmm?!” Chaos flinched and shuddered.

Swoosh!

The sigil engraved on his left shoulder started shining in a purple light.

“M-My lord! I apologize, but a human is summoning me right now!”

“Summoning?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Can’t you refuse?”

“That is...” Chaos muttered as he started to sweat profusely and explained, “The human is summoning me through the sword I contracted last time, so...”

“What?!”

“M-My lord! I truly apologize for this! I will be back shortly—“

“Damn it!”

“I-I will be back as soon as possible, my lord!”

Seuruk...!

Chaos was transported to his summoner against his will right after he said those words.

“...”

Metatron was left all alone. There wasn't anything else around him other than the books he had tried to delegate to his servant.

***

Siegfried chased down Salvatore and Carell with the help of Hamchi.

A few hours later...

“Sniff, sniff! It’s over here!”

It did not take that long for Hamchi to track down Salvatore and Carell.

“Owner punk! Over here! I’m certain they went inside here! Kyuuuu!”

“Really?”

Siegfried looked at where Hamchi was pointing. It was a dried up well with a wooden cover on its opening.

“A well? Why would they go inside this?”

“Maybe it leads somewhere else? Kyuu!”

“Does it...?” Siegfried tilted his head in confusion, and then he added, “What’s he up to... It’s strange he came back to the Valencia Territory, but going inside a well makes it even stranger. Don’t you agree, Dame Oscar?”

“Yes, it is truly strange, Your Majesty,” Oscar replied.

“Shall we go?” Siegfried asked before he carefully pushed aside the wooden cover and peeked down the well.

No, he tried to peek down the well, but he couldn't do so.

Bam!

Something emerged from the well and struck his face.

“Ack!”

Siegfried screamed and grabbed his face as he fell back.

Then, he instantly stood up and exclaimed, “W-What was that?!”

“Owner punk!”

“Your Majesty!”

Both Hamchi and Oscar were looking at him aghast.

“Your nose is bleeding, owner punk! Kyuuu!”

“N-Nose?! Ack!”

Siegfried wiped his nose and grimaced after finding blood on his hand.

“What in the world was— Huh? You’re Carell!”

“Keuk... Y-Your Majesty...”

The one that bumped into Siegfried was none other than Carell.

“Hey! Are you alright?!”

“Keuk... Your Majesty...”

His condition was extremely bad. He was a bloody mess, and he was covered in both minor and major wounds. To make matters worse, he seemed to have been attacked by something sinister, as his wounds exuded traces of dark mana.

“Carell! Get a grip! Hey!” Siegfried shouted.

Shwoooosh!

While Siegfried was trying to shake Carell awake, something dark and sinister shot out of the well...

1. This will be changed from Magic Sword: Avenger to Demon Sword: Avenger from now on. ?