Debuff Master

Chapter 789

A chain quest was a continuous series of quests where the rewards would grow progressively larger. It was one of the types of quests that captivated players to the point that they'd lose track of time just doing it.

Most players loved chain quests for this very reason, as following the questline often led to completing an entire episode in the game that would give them handsome rewards.

‘Nice! Now we’re talking!’ Siegfried cheered, delighted by the reappearance of a chain quest after so long.

He checked the quest details.

[Path of Wise King (1)]

[Go to the Royal Military Hospital to comfort and encourage the soldiers injured in the recent war by visiting them.]

[Progress: 0%]

[Rewards: +150% Loyalty and Respect From Military Personnel, +500 Divine Power]

‘Eh? What the hell? Why is it giving Divine Power as a reward? Bah, who cares? I’ll just take whatever they’re offering.’

With that, Siegfried turned to Michele and said, “I’m heading to the Royal Military Hospital right now.”

“Understood, sire. Ah, Her Majesty the Queen and Her Highness the Princess are already there,” Michele replied.

“Hmm?”

“Your Majesty might not be aware, but during the war, Her Majesty and Her Highness had devoted themselves to caring for the injured and comforting the people.”

“They did?”

“Yes, they did, sire. Her Majesty and Her Highness are truly remarkable individuals, worthy of utmost respect.”

“Oh...”

Siegfried’s heart warmed after hearing of his wife and daughter’s kindness. He closed his eyes for a moment to savor this feeling.

What did he do to deserve such a wonderful wife and daughter?

‘Marrying Brunhilde was the best decision I’ve ever made. There’s no doubt about it,’ he thought.

“I’ll head there right now,” Siegfried said, filled with pride in his loving family.

“A wise decision, sire,” Michele replied with a bow.

“Thanks,” Siegfried said.

He left Michele and made his way to the Royal Military Hospital.

***

Upon his arrival, the guards stationed at the entrance snapped to attention.

“Loyalty! Salute His Majesty the King!”

“LOYALTY!”

The soldiers’ voices boomed in unison as they saluted crisply and sharply at the same time. @@novelbin@@

“Thank you for your hard work, everyone,” Siegfried responded warmly with a salute.

“It is our honor, Your Majesty!”

“I’ll be going in now.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Siegfried went inside and sought out Brunhlde and Verdandi, who were busy tending to the wounded.

He found Brunhilde first. She was sanitizing a soldier’s wounds with alcohol-soaked gauze and was offering him words of encouragement.

Rather than announcing his presence, Siegfried stood silently and watched her tend to the soldier.

“How are you feeling? It must hurt a lot, doesn’t it?” Brunhilde asked, her tone sounding ever so gentle.

“I-I am fine, Your Majesty! This is nothing for a soldier of the Proatine Kingdom!” the soldier replied enthusiastically.

“You are truly brave. Thank you for your dedication to our kingdom.”

“Y-y-your kindness humbles me, Your Majesty!”

The soldier, flustered by the Queen personally caring for him, struggled to contain his emotions and even fumbled his words.

“Thank you for protecting our country, sir.”

Verdandi stood beside Brunhilde. She was assisting her mother with her tiny hands while expressing gratitude to the soldier.

This was not a superficial act done solely for publicity. The mother-daughter duo sincerely cared and tended to each of the four soldiers in the room personally with unwavering dedication.

Siegfried’s heart swelled with emotion, and he wanted nothing more than to embrace both of them right there and then. Still, he restrained himself, as he had to maintain his royal dignity and prestige in front of the soldiers.

“Ahem...”

He cleared his throat to make his presence known.

“L-Loyalty!”

“Loyalty!”

The soldiers quickly rose to their feet and saluted him with utmost respect.

“Your Majesty!”[1]

“Father!”

Brunhilde and Verdandi noticed him, and their faces lit up with smiles.

“So, this is where you both have been,” Siegfried said with a smile.

“It is only my duty as the Queen,” Brunhilde replied with a slight bow.

“Thank you,” Siegfried replied, holding her hand tightly in gratitude.

“I am merely doing my duty, Your Majesty,” Brunhilde said with a gentle smile.

Siegfried turned his attention to Verdandi. He lifted her into his arms, hugging her warmly.

“You’ve been so good, my sweet daughter!” he said.

“Father! I missed you!” Verdandi beamed, snuggling against him.

“I missed you too, my precious girl.”

After kissing her cheek, Siegfried turned to address the soldiers.

“How are you all feeling? Are you all right?”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” the soldiers replied in unison. Their voices were so thunderous that they nearly deafened Siegfried.

“Good to hear. I’m deeply grateful for your sacrifices for our kingdom. Rest assured, I will personally see to your treatment and compensation, so don’t worry about anything else and focus solely on recovering back to health.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Siegfried, now accompanied by Brunhilde and Verdandi, continued his rounds. He visited the wounded soldiers one by one, offering them words of encouragement and solace.

Thus, he fulfilled his royal duty as a compassionate and caring king.

***

Five hours later, Siegfried had spent the entire afternoon aiding in the care of wounded soldiers. He offered them words of encouragement while doing his utmost to support them.

He was not simply doing this just because of the quest. As king, he genuinely appreciated the sacrifices made by those who fought for the kingdom.

To him, visiting them one by one and offering them support was his duty.

[Alert: Quest Progress has reached 98.7%!]

The quest was almost complete, and there was only a tiny fraction remaining before it was completed.

‘Hmm... There’s only a little left. Should I finish it tomorrow?’ Siegfried wondered.

It was then.

“Didn’t I tell you not to come back?!”

Someone's shout echoed from a secluded hospital ward in the distance.

Ding!

A string of quest messages popped up in front of Siegfried's eyes.

[Alert: You have completed the Quest – Path of Wise King (1)!]

[Alert: Loyalty of your soldiers has increased by 150%!]

[Alert: Respect of your soldiers has increased by 150%!]

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

A new quest immediately appeared.

[Path of Wise King (2)]

[Hide behind the potted plant and eavesdrop on the quarrel between the couple.]

[Type: Chain Quest]

[Reward: None]

[Progress: 0% (0/1)]

‘Eh? Why would I eavesdrop on something like that?’ Siegfried wondered, baffled by the quest’s strange objective.

Still, he decided to play along with the quest line. He quietly slipped behind a large potted plant in the hallway. Hidden, he listened to the argument between the couple.

“Why won’t you listen to me?! I told you to leave me already!”

The enraged voice belonged to a soldier who had lost his right leg and arm during the war. His name was Lieutenant Thompson, a soldier of the Proatine Kingdom.

“Please! Stop! I love you! Don’t do this! We love each other, don’t we? Is this really what you want?”

The woman pleading with him was Misha, a baker from the outskirts of the royal capital, and her voice cracked with desperation as she pleaded repeatedly with Thompson.

“Shut up!” Thompson lashed out. Then, he cried out in pain and anger, “I’m a cripple now! Do you hear me? A broken man! I’m missing a leg and an arm! I’m nothing but a wreck!”

“You’re not a cripple! You’re still you! And I don’t care about whether or not you’re a—”

“No! I’m a cripple! I’m nothing but a disabled man! So just leave me and don’t come back!”

“Please! Thompson!”

“How many times do I have to say it for you to understand?!

Then, Thompson grabbed a water bottle and hurled it in her direction.

Crash!

The bottle shattered against the wall, spraying glass shards and water everywhere.

“Thompson...” Misha muttered. Her face turned pale with shock, and she trembled where she stood.

“Go. Get out of my sight. I don’t want to see you ever again,” Thompson growled.

“Sniff... Sniff...!”

Misha, with tears streaming down her face, lowered her head and left the room.

Ding!

A new quest window appeared before Siegfried’s eyes.

[Path of Wise King (3)]

[Speak to Lieutenant Thompson.]

[Type: Chain Quest]

[Reward: None]

[Progress: 0% (0/1)]

Siegfried accepted the quest without hesitation. He stepped out from behind the potted plant and knocked on Thompson’s room door.

***

Knock! Knock!

“May I come in?” Siegfried asked.

“I don’t want to see anyone right now. Please leave—huh? Y-Your Majesty!” Thompson gasped and quickly tried to collect himself after seeing the king standing at his door.

Then, he jumped up and saluted, “Y-Your Majesty! It is an honor! Loyalty!”

“Loyalty,” Siegfried replied casually, acknowledging the salute with his own. Then, he pointed at the chair beside the bed and asked, “May I sit down?”

“W-What are you saying, Your Majesty? How could you grace such a humble place with your presence?”

“I’m sitting anyway.”

“Thank you, sire!”

Thompson was visibly flustered. He had heard that the king, queen, and princess had been visiting the wounded, but he never imagined that Siegfried would personally pay him a visit.

After all, the military hospital was enormous.

“How are you feeling?” Siegfried asked.

“Just surviving is a blessing in itself, sire,” Thompson responded with a brave smile.

“Such brave words. As expected of a true officer of our kingdom.”

“I am unworthy of such praises, sire!”

“But you scored zero points with your girlfriend,” Siegfried added with a playful smirk.

Thompson’s expression stiffened the moment he realized that Siegfried had overheard his argument with Misha.

“Why did you do that?” Siegfried asked gently.

“That is... I am now a broken man. I have lost an arm and a leg, Your Majesty,” Thompson said hesitantly.

“So you didn’t want to be a burden to her, is that it?” Siegfried asked. His voice was calm but it pierced straight to the heart of Thompson’s thoughts.

How could Siegfried not understand? Even for someone not directly involved, it was easy to empathize with such a situation. So, for Thompson, the pain must be unimaginable.

“...Yes,” Thompson admitted weakly. Then, he added, “But I do not regret losing my limbs in service to my beloved kingdom. I was prepared for this the moment I was commissioned for war. I can bear that burden and will proudly live with it. But with this broken body... I will only become a burden to her. I cannot make her happy.”

“I understand what you’re saying,” Siegfried replied with a nod.

He didn't argue and refrained from spouting empty words of encouragement about how Thompson could still make Misha happy despite his injuries. Somehow, it felt inappropriate—even condescending—to do so.

This was not something that encouragement alone could fix.

‘Damn it... There has to be a way,’ Siegfried thought, racking his brain on how he could give this young officer real hope and a brand-new life.

Ding!

A new system message suddenly popped up in front of his eyes.

[Path of Wise King (4)]

[Find a way to support the war veterans and injured soldiers.]

[Type: Chain Quest]

[Progress: 0% (0/1)]

[Rewards: National Military Strength +15%, National Morale +50%, National Patriotism +150%, +250% Increased Chance of Producing a War Hero with Exceptional Combat Skills]

‘Oh?’ Siegfried muttered inwardly, and his eyes widened at the incredible rewards.

The Proatine Kingdom’s military strength during the last war against the Zavala Kingdom had been remarkable—astonishing, even. With such boosts to strength, morale, and patriotism, the army would become even stronger, making their future performances beyond imagination.

“You know what. I’ll try to find a solution,” Siegfried said with determination.

“P-Pardon me, Your Majesty?” Thompson stammered, looking flustered and confused.

“Rest well, Lieutenant. The life you thought you lost in service of your kingdom, the kingdom will return it to you.”

“Y-Your Majesty!”

“Oh, and be sure to apologize to Miss Misha, okay?”

With those parting words, Siegfried left the Royal Military Hospital and immediately called for an emergency council meeting.

Late at night, the officials of the Proatine Kingdom gathered in the throne room and exchanged uneasy glances with each other.

Nobody voiced any complaints, even though they were surprised by the sudden summons at these ungodly hours, as everyone knew that Siegfried had been going around visiting the wounded at the Royal Military Hospital until late into the evening.

“From this moment, we will discuss ways to improve support and care for the veterans who suffered grievous injuries in the war and their families who were severely impacted by the war.”

The court officials immediately began an intense debate on the matter, as each and every one of them understood Siegfried’s purpose for bringing up the matter.

1. Brunhilde is the one addressing him here. It’s one of those customs where the queen must address the king formally in front of commoners. ☜