Debuff Master-Chapter 814

“S-Siegfried von Proa…? T-The King of the P-Proatine Kingdom?” Bellatrix stammered, visibly shocked by the revelation.

Siegfried nodded and replied, “Yes. I’ve had no choice but to conceal my identity in the course of my actions.”

“But why…?”

“Well, you see…” Siegfried briefly explained the circumstances leading up to this moment.

“So that was what happened…” Bellatrix murmured.

“And before I knew it, I ended up as the Pirate King. Hahaha…” Siegfried said, chuckling awkwardly and scratching the back of his head. Then, he added, “In any case, I plan to continue hiding my identity until the very end.”

“Why…?”

“Because even the mere fact that a king has been disguising himself as a pirate in foreign waters can spark a serious diplomatic issue.”

“Oh…”

“And from the perspective of other nations, they won’t be thrilled if they hear that the Green Isles suddenly became the territory of the Proatine Kingdom. In fact, they'll likely resent it.”

“Why is that?”

“Politics.”

“...!”

“That’s just how things work in the world of politics. Unless it’s a staunch ally like a blood ally, no one can stand to see another nation prosper. Besides, there’s no such thing as eternal friends or enemies in politics.”

“Ah…”

“Even if it comes to light later, what’s important is that we keep it hidden for now. It’s better for everyone to believe that Captain Francis de Drake has unified the Green Isles and has risen as the new Pirate King.”

“I understand, Your Majesty.”

Bellatrix had nodded and replied that way, but she failed to entirely grasp the depth of Siegfried’s explanation. After all, she was still a pirate down to her very core.

She dreamt of turning the Green Isles into a maritime kingdom and made great efforts toward that goal, but her lack of political background made her political acumen basically nonexistent.

In other words, while she understood what Siegfried was saying, she failed to fully comprehend the intricate meaning behind his words.

“Besides, doesn’t it make for a great legend?” Siegfried said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“What kind of legend do you mean, Your Majesty?” Bellatrix asked, looking confused.

“The story of how Frances de Drake unified the Green Isles and built a mighty maritime kingdom. It’s a tale for the ages, one that would be a legend of the seas!”

“...”

“So let’s leave the title of King of the Green Isles with Captain Drake, shall we?”

“All right.”

Although confused, Bellatrix agreed with whatever he said.

“But still… You’re going to be quite busy from now on,” Siegfried said, looking at her with a pitying gaze.

“Pardon…?”

“Those things. You probably won’t be needing them much anymore,” Siegfried said, gesturing at the pistols and sword hanging from her belt.

“What do you mean by that?”

“You’ll see,” Siegfried replied. Then, he flashed a sly grin and added, “You’ll find out soon enough, so don’t let it bother you too much.”

“...?”

“You will soon probably wish you could run away. Hahaha!” Siegfried laughed as he imagined Bellatrix struggling against not enemies but towering stacks of paperwork with nothing but a pen in hand.

As a lord appointed by a king, her role would be to govern and manage the territory entrusted to her. And for any lord, administrative tasks were an unavoidable part of life.

For someone like Bellatrix, who had spent her entire life wielding pistols and swords as a pirate, having to wield a pen and go through stacks of paperwork would be entirely foreign and undoubtedly challenging.

‘She’s not going to try and escape though, is she…?’ Siegfried wondered. He could not help but wonder if Bellatrix would eventually succumb to the weight of the paperwork dumped at her head and flee in the dead of the night.

***

After appointing Bellatrix as the lord of the Green Isles, Siegfried summoned the Descendant of Supreme King Braum, Cesc.

He believed that Cesc’s background as a former bandit would give him valuable insights into the psychology of those involved in piracy. Even though he was in a slightly different field than them, those who lived a life of crime most likely had the same way of thinking.

Cesc had been serving diligently as an officer in the Proatine Kingdom’s military and as a drill sergeant in charge of physical training for the soldiers as well. He also ran a gym called Cesc Gym, dedicated to spreading weight training throughout the kingdom’s populace.

“Physical strength is national strength!”

He'd often say that. His dream was to transform the Proatine Kingdom into the strongest kingdom—in terms of physical strength per capita.

“Have you called for me, Your Majesty?”

Cesc rushed to the Green Isles the moment he received Siegfried’s summon.

But…

“...Why the hell did you suddenly turn into a pig?”

Siegfried was utterly shocked at the sight of Cesc’s body.

In the past, Cesc had been a towering figure with a body carved entirely of muscles. But now, he looked completely different from his old self.

His weight seemingly ballooned to roughly over two hundred kilograms and he resembled more of an enormous boar rather than himself.

“I am currently in my bulking phase, sire.”

“B-Bulking?!”

“I wanted to increase my muscle mass quickly, so I put on some weight.”

“...”

“This is normal during the offseason, is it not? Hahaha!”

“...Hold on. You’re not using anything shady, are you?” Siegfried asked, narrowing his eyes out of suspicion.

“Shady?”

“You know? Illegal substances that give you an artificial boost for increased muscle growth? Stuff like that?”

“What?! N-No way! I would never touch something as filthy and horrible as doping! Never!” Cesc cried out in indignation.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!”

Cesc spoke with the sincerity of a man whose pride had been wounded.

“Your Majesty! Building muscles is all about effort! Hard work! Please do not insult my dedication to the beauty of bodybuilding!”

“Hmm… Hard work…”

“Your Majesty?”

“Ah, it’s nothing,” Siegfried said, waving his hand and chuckling softly. Then, he smiled and thought, ‘Well, it’s not like steroids exist in this game.’

Given Cesc’s heritage as a descendant of the Supreme King, it was impossible to imagine him relying on drugs. His class, the Strength Master, had recently advanced to its next tier, the Terminator.

This advancement granted him a passive skill, Blessing of Muscle Growth, which strengthened his physique exponentially as he trained. With a gift like that, illegal substances were entirely unnecessary for him.

“Anyway, I need you to stay here and serve as governor for a while,” Siegfried said.

Cesc blinked a few times before asking, “Governor? But Your Majesty… I do not have any experience in administrative work…?”

“Who said anything about administration? Just handle security and report any unusual happenings.”

“Ah, I see!”

“While you’re at it, why not open another gym? What about something like… Cesc Beach Gym, Green Isles Branch?”

“Oh! That is a great idea, Your Majesty!”

“All right, thanks then.”

Siegfried was genuinely grateful to Cesc.

He could not stand in the spotlight, but his contributions behind the scenes were undeniable. Under his slogan of “total three major lifts of five hundred kilograms for every citizen,” he single-handedly improved the physical fitness of the Proatine Kingdom’s population.

Thanks to his efforts, daily stretching routines, weekly weight training sessions, and cardio had become ingrained in the citizen’s lifestyles.

In addition, the dietary culture had also evolved. High-protein, nutrient rich balanced meals replaced the previous carb-heavy diet, which dramatically improved the overall nutrition and health of the people.

In other words, Cesc had quietly become a cornerstone of the kingdom’s military strength and the health of its people.

“Thanks to you, our kingdom’s fitness level is improving day by day.”

“Haha! It was nothing, really, Your Majesty!”

“I’ll set the stage for you to shine soon. Don’t worry.”

“There is no need for that, Your Majesty.”

“Hmm?” Siegfried tilted his head in confusion. Then, he asked, “But you’re the Descendant of Supreme King Braum. Don’t you want to make a name for yourself as one of the continent’s strongest warriors?”

“My dream is to be renowned as an ambassador of health for the common people, not a warrior.”

“...Really?”

“I aspire to open Cesc Gym branches across the continent and host physique competitions under my name.”

“Eh?”

“I believe that this is a meaningful path, sire.”

“Fair enough. I’ll support your dream then,” Siegfried said with a smirk.

“R-Really?”

“Submit a business proposal for the gym franchise, and I’ll invest if I like what I see.”

“W-What?!”

“I’ll also fund your physique competition, so you better work hard and make it happen.”

“T-Thank you, Your Majesty!”

Cesc could not help but be extremely grateful for the support.

‘I guess everyone has their own path,’ Siegfried thought.

He learned today that not everyone aspired to be the strongest or the most invincible of warriors. Some people were happy pursuing different goals and had a different perspective on what was truly valuable in life.

“Anyway, for now, just focus on your duties here,” Siegfried said.

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Cesc replied enthusiastically.

“I’ll leave things here to you then.”

“Please, leave it to me, sire!”

Just like that, Siegfried officially appointed Cesc as the Governor of the Green Isles and departed back to the mainland.

Transforming the Green Isles into a maritime kingdom under the Proatine Kingdom was a monumental task that would come with countless challenges. Siegfried knew he would need to revisit the Green Isles frequently, but for now, his priority was clear. He had to return to Mischa in Barnacle Village with her father, Sam.

Completing the Epic Quest "On a Mission! Hero to the Rescue!" was the most important thing for him right now.

***

Siegfried left the Green Isles and set course for Barnacle Village.

After completing the quest, "On a Mission! Hero to the Rescue!" Siegfried still had to deliver Captain Baroque and Captain Joshua to the Allied Naval Command before finally completing his journey.

Finally, he arrived at his first stop, Barnacle Village.

“Daaad!”

“Mischa!”

The father and daughter had a tearful reunion. They sobbed uncontrollably while hugging each other. Amid the tearful reunion, the father and daughter clung to Siegfried and thanked him.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I can see my daughter again because of you. Truly, thank you so much.”

“I have no idea how I can repay you, Your Majesty.”

Ding!

A message popped up in front of his eyes.

[Alert: You have completed the Quest – On a Mission! Hero to the Rescue!]

[Alert: Your Divine Power has permanently increased by 500!]

[Alert: A new quest has been generated!]

The details of the quest were as follows…

[Hero Hotline]

[Respond to more calls for help and resolve their requests.]

[Type: Epic Chain Quest]

[Progress: 0/4 (0%)]

[Reward: +500 Divine Power per request resolved]

“More?!” Siegfried exclaimed.

The thought of having to clear four more quests similar to the one he had cleared just now already made him feel drained. It took more than a month and a half to rescue Mischa’s father, so four more quests of this level were too overwhelming even for him.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

‘Should I just… skip it?’

When that thought crossed his mind, he heard them again.

What did he hear? The same haunting voices.

Please… Help us…

Just this once… help me, please…!

The pleas echoed persistently in his head, causing him to grimace. He seriously thought of just ignoring the voices and not doing the quest altogether, but he decided that he had no other choice but to do it.

After all, it was either he'd quit the game or die of stress if he ignored the pleas.

[Alert: You have accepted the Quest – Hero Hotline!]

The moment Siegfried reluctantly accepted the quest, something extraordinary happened.

Rumble!

Mischa’s figure emitted a bright golden light.

“Huh?!”

Siegfried’s eyes widened in shock, realizing that the radiant light engulfing Mischa was the light of class advancement.

Ding!

Then, another message popped up in front of his eyes.

[Alert: NPC Mischa has advanced to the class – Follower of Hero!]

[Alert: Congratulations! You have acquired a Follower – Mischa!]

[Alert: Followers are invaluable companions who will grow alongside you and serve as a pillar of your strength and support!]

“What… is this?” Siegfried muttered, confused by the cryptic notifications.

‘Follower? Companion? Pillar of strength and support? What does that even mean…?’

Out of curiosity, he flashed his Rune of Insight to examine Mischa.

The results revealed that Mischa had advanced from Classless to Follower of Hero.

Other than this class change, there were no significant changes.

‘What’s the point of this then…?’ Siegfried wondered, still puzzled by what happened.

For now, he decided to just press on and complete the new quest, Hero Hotline.

‘Usually, clearing something like this once leads to new information being made available,’ he thought that enduring this just one more time might open up some new doors and help make sense of everything happening.

“Alright, I’ll just call in a few soldiers to—”

Just then, a desperate voice interrupted his thoughts.

Help us! Please! We need help now!

The voice was filled with urgency and was gasping for breath as if the speaker was on the brink of passing out.

“Sam, Mischa, stay here and take care. I’ve got an urgent matter to handle,” Siegfried said. Then, he turned and yelled, “Let’s go, Hamchi!”

“Kyuu!” Hamchi was caught red-handed snacking on some nuts in the corner of the cabin, and Siegfried proceeded to grab him by the scruff of his neck.

Without wasting another second, Siegfried activated Seeker of Faith to respond to the desperate call.

Flash!

Siegfried teleported and arrived… at the Green Isles.

More precisely, he found himself in the territory formerly ruled by the very first Pirate Lord, who was defeated in the recent battles.

And up ahead of him was chaos...

“Kieeeeeeek!”

A massive sea crocodile as large as an airplane was rampaging throughout a village somewhere in the northern reaches of the Green Isles.

Tokki's Thoughts

Tokki: Kids, don’t do drugs. Also, Hero Hotline Bling, badum… tss…!