New World – Aboard the Pirate Ship
The thunder on the island had barely lasted two hours.
From the deck, Argus watched the returning ship slice through the waves like a blade. It was overloaded, but not with bodies or blood—this was a victory parade. Dozens of treasure chests, packed to bursting, glinted under the noonday sun like sirens' gold.
"Gurararara~~~"
Newgate's iconic laugh cracked through the wind, louder than any cannon.
"Argus! Your brother returns victorious!"
"I can see that," Argus replied flatly, arms crossed, tone bone-dry.
He didn't need to squint to see the haul—gold, silver, rare goods, and far more importantly: supplies. People imagined pirates hunted only for treasure, but the reality was simpler and grittier. Life at sea bled resources—food, medicine, tools, sailcloth, timber. Steel could be stolen. Wheat couldn't be forged. In this life, logistics were worth more than coin.
But then his eyes landed on her.
Standing at Newgate's side, delicately framed by the mast, was a young woman clad in white. Her hair cascaded down in golden waves, skin pale as porcelain, eyes lowered in perfect submission. She looked to be no older than eighteen—a walking fairytale. Everything about her was elegant to the point of surreal: slim wrists, long lashes, lips like crushed rose petals.
"That has to be the princess of the Platter Kingdom," Argus thought, watching her with a critical gaze. "Good grief, this kind of beauty? You don't see that outside of fiction."
She wasn't just pretty. She was sculpted—the sort of impossible highborn refinement that centuries of selective breeding and luxury could produce. The type that dominated old-world red carpets and ruled entire industries with a single photo.
"Argus!" Newgate roared again, clearly pleased. "This is Serena—the royal princess of the Platter Kingdom! A concubine worthy of your bloodline! If you like her, keep her. If not, I'll toss her and grab a better one!"
Serena flinched at the casual brutality of the statement, a flicker of fear passing through her soft features. But only for a heartbeat.
Then she stepped forward, lowered herself gracefully, and bowed low.
"Master Argus... your concubine will obey. Always."
Her voice was quiet, steady. Not trembling. Not broken. There was resignation, yes—but also calculation. Behind the veil of submission, her eyes flicked up ever so slightly, scanning Argus, reading him.
Argus raised a brow.
"...No complaints," he said after a beat.
"Gurararara~~~!"
Newgate's booming approval echoed across the deck.
Later, in private, Argus muttered to himself:
"She's smarter than she lets on. Not broken. Just adapting."
---
Serena's Mind – That Evening
They think me porcelain, she thought as she sat in the corner of Argus' cabin, quietly sipping medicinal tea. Let them. Fragile things are protected.
She knew how to survive men like these. First, you make them underestimate you. Then, you make them pity you. And if you're lucky—if you're clever—you become something they don't want to lose.
---
A Few Days Later – Deck Scene
Doma walked past Serena as she quietly folded laundry by a barrel. The princess didn't ask for help. She worked in silence, dainty hands calloused just slightly, refusing luxury.
"You don't have to do that, Your Highness," he said, scratching his temple.
She looked up, gave a small smile.
"If I don't earn my place, I'll be discarded. I'm not stupid."
There was no bitterness in her voice. Just sharp realism.
Doma blinked. "...Huh."
He walked off slowly, then circled back later with a spare blanket.
As, he made a mental note. To, bring back maids and servants, during the next Raid.
---
Later, in the Mess Hall
Serena served tea to Hiroshi and a few of the older pirates. She bowed with practiced grace, then turned to leave, but not before lightly touching Hiroshi's shoulder.
"Thank you for watching over me, Lord Hiroshi."
The man choked slightly on his drink.
"L-Lord? I'm no lord."
"You carry yourself like one," she said with a polite smile. "And I feel safer when you're nearby."
He was quiet for a long moment.
Then he said, gruffly: "...If anyone touches you without permission, tell me."
Looks, like he have work too do. People too look out for.
It doesn't feel that bad. Heh!
---
Even Newgate, blunt and wild, began treating her differently.
He caught Serena bandaging a crew member's arm after a bar brawl. She didn't flinch at the blood, didn't ask for help.
He scratched his beard.
"You're not bad for a princess."
She bowed, smiling softly. "A crown is useless without a people. I would rather be useful than pretty."
Newgate grunted.
"Gurarara. You might survive this world yet."
Looks, like It may, turn out to be better than he expected.
The, woman is SMART! Looks like some woman do have a working brain.
---
Thirty Days Later – Infirmary Cabin
"Are you certain?" Argus asked, brows furrowed, as the ship's newly recruited physician handed him a report.
"Yes, Master Argus." She bowed. "There is no mistake. Madam Serena is one month pregnant."
"What the hell?!"
Argus nearly dropped the parchment. He blinked twice.
"Seriously?"
Before the shock could even settle, a crisp notification rang through his mind.
[System Notice: First Heir Detected!]
[Newbie Gift Pack Being Prepared…]
[Gift Pack Successfully Delivered!]
Argus froze, brain rebooting.
"It actually activated? The system… works by descendants?"
He quickly dismissed the physician, checked in on Serena—resting well—and retreated to his cabin. He sat cross-legged on the floor as the translucent system panel blinked to life before him.
[Would you like to open the Newbie Gift Pack?]
"Yes."
[Opening… Complete.]
---
[SYSTEM INTERFACE — BLOODLINE LEGACY ENGINE]
Host: Edward Argus
Total Descendants: 1
Current Bloodline Grade: [C+]
Legacy Power Pool: 0.00 Units
---
> Recent Event: New Heir Detected!
Name: [Pending]
Mother: Serena of Platter Kingdom
Status: In Utero (1 Month)
Initial Traits Detected:
• Royal Will – Mental Fortitude + Charisma Bonus
• Balanced Vitality – Strong Immune System
• Keen Intuition – Enhanced Danger Perception
Select 1 Talent Template to Extract for Inheritance:
> [1] Royal Will — Grants minor leadership aura; mental resistance
[2] Balanced Vitality — 5% faster physical development
[3] Keen Intuition — Slight danger sense for ambush avoidance
> Extraction: Pending
---
> Reward: Newbie Gift Pack
Unlocked Items:
• Aptitude Enhancement Elixir (x1)
• Basic Super-Training Manual for Heirs
• Talent Extraction Slot (x1)
> Would you like to extract a talent now?
[Yes] [No]
---
> Power Transfer Log: [ Sub- Function: Locked]
• No abilities transferred yet.
• Eligible Targets: [Hiroshi, Doma, Self, Newgate, Serena, Crew Members]
---
Argus narrowed his eyes, fingers interlocked beneath his chin.
"So that's how it is…"
This system wasn't meant for him. It wasn't a cheat for the present—it was an investment in legacy. The more exceptional his descendants became, the more power the system would unlock for him. In a world ruled by bloodlines and monsters, "many children, many blessings" wasn't just a philosophy.
It was a strategy.
He reviewed the items again:
Aptitude Enhancement Elixir — boosts the child's natural growth potential.
Training Manual — foundational techniques to raise a powerhouse heir.
Random Talent Templates — three options for innate abilities, one of which he could select at birth.
Argus exhaled slowly, the weight of it all beginning to settle in.
This wasn't just about conquering the seas.
It was the beginning of a bloodline that would one day stand atop the world.
(CHAPTER END)