Tristan went limp. He leaned back in the chair like someone who had no bones.
He gave up because he was stupid. There was no point in protesting against the system.
The system has already made a decision, and it cannot be changed.
Tristan, who took too long, realized he had forgotten his special task.
The System announced that Tristan had failed to complete the special task two minutes after he had told his two knights about his opinion on the problems faced by the farmers.
The System gave Tristan time to withdraw his statements.
Now Tristan couldn't do anything. He was regretful. He shouldn't have asked his two knights what happened to the farmers!
"I'm so stupid." Tristan took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Okay, I'll wait for whatever bad luck will befall me."
Gradually, Tristan could accept that he was punished and that the system trapped him.
"Special tasks are as the name suggests. Special. He was really special until the system hid the truth that I would get a penalty if I failed." Tristan muttered.
"The system made me curious because I would get a special reward, and on the other hand, the system also made me off guard because I thought I wouldn't get a penalty if I failed." Tristan changed his sitting position to an upright position and placed both hands on the arms of the chair.
"I won't feel happy if the system gives me a special task someday." Tristan nodded with determination burning in his chest.
"I wouldn't believe the system if it said I wouldn't get a penalty." Tristan clenched his hands. He'd remember the important lesson he learnt today.
Tristan threw away the regret in his chest because his stupidity made him know that the system was not playing around with its words about Tristan's purpose in being in Tristan Madigan's body was to become king according to the system's wishes.
The tasks they give must be done very well. Tristan must not fail.
Even though the system made Tristan a cruel king, which was not in accordance with Tristan's wishes, he is powerless since the system will continue to assign him tasks. He will incur consequences if he refuses or willfully fails them.
"I was going to die when they said the penalty was death." Tristan shuddered in horror.
So far, he has had two tasks that would lead him to death if he failed to complete both tasks.
Carlos Madigan must not recover from his illness, and Jane must remain in prison until Carlos Madigan dies.
Now Carlos Madigan is 45 years old. Jane will be in prison for 50 years. So when Jane gets out of prison, Carlos Madigan is dead.
"That is very correct." Tristan nodded. "In this world, just like the world I came from, only one or two people die at the age of 100."
However, this couldn't make Tristan breathe a sigh of relief because it wasn't just Jane who was a threat; other physicians who weren't magicians could also be a threat if, by chance, they could create a medicine that could cure Carlos Madigan.
"Damn it!" Tristan scratched his head. "My head feels like it's going to explode."
In his previous life, Tristan was perplexed about how to get money. In today's life, as a king with a lot of money, his head still hurts.
Yeah, at least he has money. Tristan could buy anything he wanted to refresh his brain before it exploded.
"Your Majesty." Knight Aiden's voice startled Tristan, who was busy with his thoughts.
"What is it?" Tristan focused on staring at his two knights. In the deepest corner of his heart, he wanted to blame knight Aiden and knight Ajax who suddenly told him that the roll of paper from the farmers was missing when they were going to give it to him.
"Are you going to order us to find out who has taken the rolls of paper from the farmers?" asked Knight Aiden.
"No need." Tristan shook his head. "The most important thing is that I have helped them."
Knight Aiden and Knight Ajax seemed dissatisfied with the answer, but Tristan wasn't curious. It was a trivial matter.
Maybe the two knights forgot they didn't actually put the roll of paper from the farmers on the tray they would hand over to Tristan.
"Your Majesty." General Hudgon walked into the tent. "Are you ready to circle training camp?"
"Sure." Tristan stood up. When he was about to take a step, his foot stepped on his robe, causing him to fall to the ground.
"Your Majesty!" The two knights and general were shocked. They hurriedly helped their king to his feet.
Tristan grimaced. His knee throbbed painfully.
"Thank you very much," Tristan said to the general and his two knights. Then, after that, he walked, enduring the pain in his knees.
"Ouch." Tristan fell again on the ground after tripping on a stone. He had only been two steps out of the tent.
He stared intently at the stone that the palace soldiers used to sit on when they were outside the tent—the tent where he was resting was a tent that was used for gathering palace soldiers who trained prospective soldiers when they were going to discuss serious matters.
The general apologized many times to his king, and then he immediately moved the stone to another place.
Knight Aiden and Knight Ajax felt sorry for their king, who had fallen to the ground twice. They were sure that their king's knee was very sore, but the king did not complain. They were confused about what they should do.
Tristan inhaled and exhaled slowly. It wasn't just his knees that hurt; his palms, too!
"They are our future soldiers, Your Majesty. Their number is 245," said General Hudgon when they were near the location where the prospective soldiers were duelling using swords.
"They will all take tests to become palace soldiers and knights. Every year, the palace only received 10 to 15 new soldiers. Meanwhile, those who pass the selection to become knights will undergo further training for five months." General Hudgon smiled with satisfaction as his eyes watched the duel of the prospective soldiers.
"Then will those who don't pass the selection to become palace soldiers and knights remain in the army?" Tristan asked.
That information was not in Tristan Madigan's memory. It seemed like Tristan Madigan hadn't studied more deeply about national security, even though the army was a crucial component of a country.
"They—" General Hudgon stopped his words when a sword flew towards his king quickly. His hand swiftly caught the sword.
Tristan's eyes widened as if they were going to jump out, and his heart stopped beating. He would have died if General Hudgon didn't have highly high reflexes.
"I really had bad luck." Tristan had to serve the penalty for two days!