Debuff Master

“Are you sure? Were those things really manufactured in the Zavala Kingdom?” Siegfried asked, trying to confirm what he just heard.

“Yes, Your Majesty. We analyzed the materials used and confirmed that the Zavala Kingdom’s steel was used,” Quandt replied, nodding in confirmation.

“Is it possible that the steel was exported from the Zavala Kingdom?” Siegfried retorted, raising a brow and probing further.

“I am certain that the Zavala Kingdom has not exported steel recently. Also, this isn’t just ordinary steel. It’s an alloy forged from many different metals,” Quandt replied with certainty in his voice.

“Hmm?”

“We broke down the components, and all of the metals used in it traced back to the Zavala Kingdom. It's not just the materials; the metallurgy technique, finishing, and even the craftsmanship matched their style.

"However, the strongest piece of evidence is the main ingredient of the solution that they had pumped into Inkarthus’ body. It was none other than the Acacia Flower of Life, which is endemic to the Zavala Kingdom.”

Siegfried furrowed his brow at the report. The Acacia Flower of Life was renowned as the primary ingredient for high-tier potions, and the Zavala Kingdom was the world’s largest producer of it.

The troubling part was that the sheer volume of Acacia Flower of Life used to awaken the slumbering First Black Dragon, Inkarthus, had to have been massive, and this was far beyond the amount a clandestine organization could muster.

Only a mighty and affluent nation could possibly amass such a massive amount of Acacia Flower of Life.

“So… are you saying that the Zavala Kingdom is the true base of the Church of Osric?” Siegfried asked.

“That’s the most likely scenario. It would be impossible to smuggle all of these materials and acquire that much Acacia Flower of Life without getting caught. It’s simply beyond the capacity of what an individual organization could do.

“Hmm…” Siegfried let out a low hum as his mind raced.

“Only the royal family—specifically King Frederick, has the capability to move this much resources. Or perhaps there is someone else with equal authority to the king, but I’m not sure about that,” Quandt added.

Those words perfectly aligned with the things Siegfried had been suspicious about recently. The Zavala Kingdom’s sudden invasion, the detection of the soul fragment, and the origin of the equipment used for Inkarthus’ resurrection.

It was clear as day now that the Zavala Kingdom was supporting the Church of Osric.

“I did suspect that some nation might be supporting them, but the Zavala Kingdom…? It’s hard to believe that a major power like the Zavala Kingdom would be the one pulling the strings…” Cheon Woo-Jin muttered, shaking his head.

“What could they possibly stand to gain from this? What would a major power like the Zavala Kingdom get out of allying with the Church of Osric? All their power will mean nothing if the world falls to ruin,” Siegfried clenched his fists in frustration and asked.

Cheon Woo-Jin narrowed his eyes and said, “If our theory holds… then either their king has gone mad or—”

“He’s already been brainwashed by the Church of Osric,” Siegfried interrupted, finishing Cheon Woo-Jin's words for him.

Cheon Woo-Jin nodded in agreement and said, “Exactly. Or it’s also possible that King Frederick is actually the leader of the Church of Osric.”

“We’ll need to check and see for ourselves to be sure then,” Siegfried replied with a grim look.

“Yeah, we have to do that,” Cheon Woo-Jin agreed, his tone sounding just as grim as Siegfried's.

“Either way, it seems the Zavala Kingdom’s inner circle is deeply tied to the Church of Osric,” Siegfried grimaced and concluded.

“That much is certain,” Cheon Woo-Jin replied. Then, he rubbed his head out of frustration and said, “One problem after another… Just when you think it’s all over, there’s another problem right after that. It’s like a mountain pops up out of nowhere just when you manage to hike through one…”

“Alright. I’ll start reaching out to our allies for help. In the meantime, you do what you can on your end,” Siegfried said with a sigh.

“We’re not supposed to get involved in wars between nations, but…” Cheon Woo-Jin said, pausing and biting his lip. Then, he continued, “But this time it’s different. We’ll help.” ṝÅƝŎᛒĘS

“Don’t beat around the bush and make it so complicated. Just say you’ll help if you’re going to help,” Siegfried grumbled in response. He chatted with Cheon Woo-Jin for a short while longer before heading toward the warp gate.

On his way, he suddenly came to a halt.

“What…?”

Siegfried's eyes widened after recognizing a familiar group waiting near the warp gate.

***

The Zavala Kingdom had long been renowned for its rich iron deposits, and it was equally famous for being one of the largest producers of the Acacia Flower of Life, which was the key ingredient in making high-tier potions.

They conducted large-scale cultivation of the Acacia Flower of Life and even went as far as brewing top-tier potions themselves, which allowed them to amass incredible wealth that they used to solidify their status as one of the major powers on the continent for centuries.

At the heart of this prosperous and mighty kingdom was King Frederick. He had shown great leadership and strong charisma since his days as a crown prince, which earned him the admiration of his people.

Even after ascending the throne, King Frederick never wavered in his mission to strengthen his kingdom, and it led to his subjects giving him the moniker "Lion King."

King Frederick was a towering figure with a muscular frame and a mane that resembled a lion’s mane. His fierce eyes resembled those of a lion ready to strike its prey, and this only enhanced his fearsome reputation.

He was also an expert swordsman and was considered one of the most formidable warriors in the kingdom.

However, he had one peculiar habit, and this was his tendency to retreat to his private chamber alone for hours on end. His closest advisors thought it was a way for him to meditate and clear his mind from the burdens of ruling such a great kingdom.

Well, they were not entirely wrong, as Frederick himself often spoke of the benefits of solitary reflection and even encouraged his council to do the same quite often.

Today was no exception.

“Your Majesty, preparations for the invasion of the Proatine Kingdom have been completed,” an aide reported.

“Is that so?” Frederick replied, his voice sounding calm yet firm.

“Yes, sir.”

“Very well. Convene the royal council in three hours. I need some time to gather my thoughts,” King Frederick said, dismissing the aide.

The aide left the room, leaving King Frederick all alone. Then, the king reached beneath his desk and pulled a hidden lever.

Creak…!

A bookcase behind him slid apart, revealing a secret passage. Frederick stepped into the passage and descended a narrow set of stairs to his private meditation chamber.

The room was dark and damp, no larger than twenty square meters. There was a small wooden table at its center, with a single candle burning that had its wax slowly dripping on the surface of the table.

The only other object that stood out in his meditation chamber was a framed painting that was covered by a cloth and hanging on the furthest wall.

As humble as this place appeared, King Frederick would often come here to clear his thoughts and meditate. He walked over to the painting and reached out, carefully pulling the cloth away. The painting was finally revealed, and it depicted a figure found common across the continent, known as the Guardian Wraith.

The people of the continent had a custom of hanging paintings of the Guardian Wraith on their doors during the Days of the Dead, which lasted from the thirty-first day of the tenth month until the second day of the eleventh month.

It was believed that the paintings of the Guardian Wraith could ward off evil spirits, as the spirits of the dead would mistake the house as already claimed by another ghost and move on.

However, today was not the Days of the Dead, and King Frederick had no reason to display the painting, or so it appeared.

“Your humble servant begs for your audience, Master,” King Frederick whispered, kneeling before the painting. Surprisingly, he referred to himself, the king of a major powerhouse on the continent, as a mere humble servant.

The image within the frame swirled, and a shadowy figure emerged from it.

It was none other than the wraith depicted in the painting.

“Did you call for me, my servant?” the wraith asked, its voice echoing throughout the room.

“Yes, Master. I have come bringing you news,” King Frederick replied, his once fierce eyes now pale and lifeless.

“Speak,” the wraith said.

“The preparations for the invasion of the Proatine Kingdom are complete,” King Frederick reported, bowing his head.

“Proceed with the invasion immediately,” the wraith commanded.

“As you command, master,” King Frederick replied without any hesitation.

“Remember this. Following my will is the only way to cleanse this world of its filth,” the wraith added.

“I believe in you without question, O Savior of the World,” King Frederick replied, bowing his head to the floor this time.

The wraith slipped back into the frame and vanished as if it had never been there to begin with.

“To cleanse this world…” King Frederick muttered as he left the chamber. Then, his cold distant voice echoed as the bookshelves closed. “In order to purify this fallen world… destruction must come first.”

***

“Why… are you all here?” Siegfried muttered, surprised as he saw the gathered figures waiting near the warp gate.

“It’s been too long, brother!” Lionbreath, the King of the Nordic Tribe, greeted with a hearty smile.

“Long time no see, Your Majesty,” Lord Angele, the President of Stone Island, greeted Siegfried in a calm manner.

“I pay my respects to the Great Chieftain,” Antiope, the Chieftain of the Amazoness Tribe from the Southern Jungle, said with a salute.

Saintess Janette, the Leader of the Constantine Holy Empire, stepped forward and bowed. “I greet Your Majesty.”

“How have you been?” King Aisha, the Ruler of the Macallan Kingdom, asked with a gentle smile.

“I trust you have been well, Your Majesty,” King Kyrix, once the crown prince but now the Ruler of the Solid Kingdom, greeted with grace.

“I shall lend you my strength,” Nanuqsa, the Chieftain of the Blanc Tribe, who had hurriedly returned from the southern front where he was stationed against the Bayerische Kingdom, banged his chest.

They were not the only ones who had come to Siegfried's aid…

“My son-in-law! Don’t you worry! I’ll help you with everything I’ve got!” Siegfried's father-in-law; Elven King Lohengrin appeared with a booming voice.

“Everyone…” Siegfried muttered, his eyes beginning to water.

An Adventurer was not necessarily a good person, and Siegfried was no exception to that. He had always been moving for the sake of his own goals, and the only reason he managed to form relationships with these NPCs along the way was due to the quests that led to them.

However, they had all come running to his side in his moment of crisis. The sight of them made Siegfried’s heart swell with warmth, and he felt a hard lump in his throat.

Why?

It was all because he was planning to run around asking for favors and seeking their help to defend his kingdom in the upcoming war, but they came first to him willingly, which caught him off guard.

“Thank you for coming,” Siegfried said, bowing deeply. He folded his waist in a ninety-degree angle to show just how grateful he was.

“Hey, what are you doing? Aren’t we sworn brothers? It’s a given that I’ll come to your aid!”

“A threat to the Proatine Kingdom is also a threat to our homeland. It is only natural to come to help.”

“I have been waiting for the day I could repay the debt I owe you, Your Majesty.”

“It is the law of the Great Jungle to serve the Great Chieftain. Our warriors are always at your disposal.”

“Ha! What are you talking about? It’s only natural for me to come help when my son-in-law is in trouble! We are family, after all!”

The NPCs each had something to say in response.

“No, truly, I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Siegfried repeated, his tone sounding even more sincere and heartfelt.

This was a huge deal for him.

Adventurers like him could simply respawn if they died, but that was not the case for the NPCs. They only had one life, and entering a war with a major powerhouse like the Zavala Kingdom meant sending their soldiers into the jaws of death.

In addition, war was bound to cost a fortune, so helping him came at the price of both losing their precious soldiers and money.

Despite that, they still decided to come and help him even though it was not something that could be done lightly. Their presence here was proof of just how much these NPCs valued their relationship with Siegfried.

“Kyuuu! Hamchi is here too, owner punk! Hamchi will protect owner punk!” Hamchi cried out, tugging at Siegfried’s pants.

“Geez, you will protect me, you little punk?” Siegfried teased with a laugh before lifting Hamchi up and putting him on his shoulders.

“Kyaaaaak! Don’t use that condescending tone on me!”

“Hahaha! Thanks, buddy.”

Siegfried found himself able to smile despite the looming invasion of the Zavala Kingdom. At least for now, he felt happy to be surrounded by the people he loved who cared about him deeply as well.

***

Having gathered all his allies, Siegfried finally began the strategic meeting.

However, the truth was that the strategic meeting was nothing short of pointless.

Yes, the Proatine Kingdom did receive the support of its allies, but the combined forces still did not amount to one hundred thousand. In contrast, the Zavala Kingdom boasted a staggering five hundred thousand troops.

The enemy outnumbered them five to one despite the coalition of allied forces, leaving the Proatine Kingdom with no other choice other than to turtle up and endure the siege.

But that was not the only problem…

“Your Majesty… We are critically short on air forces…” Oscar said, her voice sounding grave, reflecting the seriousness of the situation. Then, she reported, “The Zavala Kingdom’s air force is really strong, and they are considered top-tier even among the great powers.

"Their number of warships might not be that great, but their technology is exceptional. Their warships are equipped with lightweight alloy instead of wood, and this gives them extraordinary defense while being highly agile.”

“Hmm… Is it possible for our fleet to hold them off?” Siegfried asked with a hint of hope.

“I'm afraid our airships are no match against theirs…” Oscar replied bluntly.

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