Cursed to level 1 with an Ego weapon

The dining hall is a huge room in the palace. Not surprising for a kingdom that is growing.

The "boss battle" in the assault that I stopped in the game happened here. Everything was burning and destroyed, and it was filled with demons and summoners.

Now, here was a big table with a few chairs, all tall and dignified. The biggest one was the one at the end of the room, where the king sits. Just on the side was the princess's chair, which was also bigger than the rest and more ostentatious than the rest.

Then there is mine, simple yet close to the one where the princess sits. I feel small in that place. I am facing directly at her, and she is looking at me with a wide yet friendly smile while holding her head with both her hands.

"So, tell me, how have you been? Found any interesting artefact? Boyfriend? Girlfriend?"

If I were drinking water, I would be commically spitting it at her question.

"N-no... I am still single..." My ears are flat in my ears.

I have been single for a couple of years on Earth... and Amber is also single. Romantic options with NPCs are possible in the game. Even having a child that you can play with later is an option. But with Amber, the in-game years since I started playing her have only been focused on adventuring and becoming stronger.

"But! I have been traveling the South Highlands! I found a nice sword."

"But aren't you a mage? A staff would make a better item to wield, wouldn't?"

"It is not used in combat. It grows with me, and I have been preparing it to be a powerful magic catalyst."

I always wanted someone to speak about the stuff I did in the game. None of my friends on earth played it. But talking about it here felt more like how my business is doing instead of just how much time I spent sitting in front of a screen.

I mean, I still did do that, but here is the real.

"Oh! I have heard about objects like that! Seems business is going fine for you."

"And what about you? How has the life of a princess treated you?"

"Well... Since my mother died that day, it has not been easy. Father has been slowly recovering, having lost his wife and only love."

Impressive, he got married, and it was in love. Now I feel worse for him that she died in the onslaught.

"But... The kingdom grows and is prospering. No faction has attempted to oppose us, and we have been starting several trade agreements to sell what we have and buy what we need. If you didn't intervene that night and then stopped the Cult, who knows where this kingdom would have gone to?"

She keeps her smile.

I feel my face burn in embarrassment. I know those compliments are for me... But that is stuff I did playing a video game, not in reality.

I will keep that for me, for the moment. The last thing I want is to be called crazy.

Then a butler enters with a tray into the room with dishes for us. I look at them while they walk and place the food in front of us.

It was a piece of meat, with sauce on top of it, and some vegetables on the side.

"Thank you," I said with a smile to the butler.

"Enjoy your food, my lady." He answers with a bow. His expression is one of surprise... Probably caught by getting a thanks.

Nonetheless, I can see the big piece of meat, and the smell is making me salivate like crazy.

"Enjoy, then we will talk about the job I have ready for you." The princess says.

Food is important in this world. It does not add buffs or stats. It increases the speed st which you win stats while training skills.

When you train a skill and level it up, part of the experience goes to the stat it belongs to.

With food, you increase a multiplier that affects said XP received, and when you eat, you get a small amount of progress to the next point.

It all depends on the ingredients used in the dish, they all affect what stat it affects and to what extent.

When I cut a portion of the meat and put it in my mouth, I can feel the delicious taste and how tingly it is. It is spicy! I love that kind of food. I wonder what kind of-

[You resisted the poison]

H-huh?!

What was the notification?

The food is...

I look at the prkncess and see she is about to take a bite herself, while looking at me. My first instinct is to stand up and cast [Gust of wind], a simple spell that is used to push enemies and objects, on her dish.

The plate flies to the side when I direct the gust of wind created by the spell, and she looks at me surprised of my sudden casting.

"D-don't eat that, is poisoned!" I alert her.

"W-what?!"

Then I hear movement.

From within the windows behind Orianna, a couple of people doning huge black tunics that cover their faces and jump down to the floor.

I get into action and leave my seat. I take Bloodless out of my inventory, and hold her with both hands as I jump into the table and get myself between the hooded figures and the princess.

"Behind me, Orianna!" I yell as I face them.

I don't hear or see annyone else.

"... You are naive, girl." Said the hooded figure in my right. Male voice.

"Naive? what are you-?"

Then I feel something sharp and warm on my side. I loose air and gasp for it while I loose hold of my sword. I look down and a knife buried in my right side and a hand holding it.

And when I follow it... I see is Orianna's hand.

"Naive like a little girl." She says.

[You feel your strength leaving your body!!!]

[You feel your body becoming weaker!!!]

[You feel less agile!!!]

....

Several notifications like that appear in front of me as I stumble forward. I feel the blade leaving my body. My strenght is leaving me, I feel my body becoming heavier, and is hard to breathe.

I am trying to understand what is happening... But...

"Congratulations... You captured the woman that attempted to kill me."

I hear Orioanna's voice while I fade to black.