‘This... this can’t be real...’ Siegfried doubted his eyes after seeing Brunhilde’s level. He rubbed his eyes vigorously and then took another closer look at her. ‘It’s still Level 449...? No way...’ However, her level was still Level 449 no matter how many times he checked it, and it meant that she had indeed gained one hundred fifty levels in an instant, bringing her from Level 299 to Level 449. ‘Does this even make sense? How can an NPC gain one hundred fifty levels in a matter of a few hours?’ Even though Brunhilde was his beloved wife, he was far too shocked to even be happy that she became stronger. After all, this ridiculous growth was something he couldn’t comprehend. As far as he knew, this was the single biggest level boost anyone, whether Adventurer or NPC, had ever received in such a short period of time. [The princess of the Elven Kingdom of Elondel as well as the Queen of the Proatine Kingdom.] [She is the wife of King Siegfried van Proa of the Proatine Kingdom.] [Also, she is the master of the divine mount, Hyperion.] [She is the incarnation of the divine beast of legends, the Phoenix.] [Race: Elf (371 years old)] [Rating: Supreme Swordmaster] [Class: Order of the Phoenix] [Affiliation: Proatine Kingdom] [Rank: Brigadier General] [Titles: Kind Knight, Happy Wife, Ugliest Elf, One Who Has Struck a Wall, Siegfried Lover, Best Mom, Wise Mother Good Wife, (omitted...) ] ‘Huh? Order of the Phoenix? She is the incarnation of the phoenix? Hold on, no way... don’t tell me?’ Siegfried recalled the moment when the Phoenix soared toward Mount Amon earlier. Just then, Brunhilde rushed to him. “What happened here?” Siegfried asked, still stunned. “I don’t really know. I threw my sword, Phoenix, into the crater, and then an image of a real Phoenix suddenly came flying toward me. And then—” “You became very strong?” “Yes,” Brunhilde replied with a nod. Then, she said, “I can feel it even now. There’s this incredible power inside of me.” “And my mind is filled with techniques I never knew before.” Siegfried instantly understood what she meant. NPCs had no status windows or skill trees, unlike the Adventurers did. In other words, they couldn’t allocate stat or skill points even if they changed classes. Instead, they had to visualize the movements in their head and diligently hone them into a proper technique. ‘But still... Why her? I’m the one who saved them...’ Siegfried grumbled inwardly, feeling wronged. The Phoenix accepted his help yet rewarded someone else for his troubles. This was without a doubt absurd, but the fact that the one bestowed with powers was his wife, Brunhilde, was a massive relief. ‘Well, what can I do about it? That bird chose my wife, so that’s a relief. Tsk... It’s a shame about the levels, but it’s still a good thing.’ He would love to gain one hundred fifty levels instantly, but he wasn't really that vexed by it. It was all because he was confident that he would soon reach Level 449. Besides, leveling up was part of the fun in a game. What was the point of playing a game if he would be using a cheat to max out instantly? “Congratulations. You’ve gotten stronger. Even stronger than me now,” Siegfried said with a smile, sincerely congratulating her. “Oh, stop it,” Brunhilde replied, waving her hand and laughing. “And I’m sure that...” “If you ever look at another woman... you know what’s going to happen, right?” A chill shot down Siegfried’s spine. Now that he thought about it, he was Level 345 while she was Level 449. What would happen if they quarreled? Even as the Lord of Despair, he had zero chance of winning against her. His legs would get shattered; he would get knee-capped before he could even react. Of course, he had no plans to argue with her or be unfaithful, but considering how often he got misunderstood... it was indeed a legitimate concern. “Hahaha... Haha...! O-Of course, my ever-dearest l-love! I would n-n-never!” Siegfried stammered. Faced with Brunhilde’s adorable yet terrifying warning, he could only shudder. However, that lasted only for a moment. “But we have a big problem...” Siegfried muttered, his expression darkened. “We need a Phoenix to summon the Avatar of Life, Terra. But... the Phoenix flew away, didn’t it?” “Oh, don’t worry about that,” Brunhilde said with a smile. “What do you mean by that?” “I can summon the Phoenix.” “I can feel it. It will come if I call.” “The Phoenix needs to rest, so I will not be able to do it right away. But in a month or two, I should be able to do so.” “Phew! I thought it ran off without honoring the deal.” Siegfried had been worried that the Phoenix had abandoned its promise to aid in Terra’s summoning, but it turned out that it wasn't the case at all. ‘Okay, that’s good enough.’ The quest which required summoning Terra was as good as completed. Now, all he had to do was wait for the Northern Great Rift to go berserk again. At last, Siegfried finally had a way to stop the Blue Knight of Death. The journey through Mount Amon came to an end with Brunhilde receiving the Phoenix’s Gratitude, allowing her to break through the wall and reach Level 449 in one go. However, Siegfried still had one final quest to clear before descending the mountain. He had to face Draculis in a one-on-one duel and emerge victorious to complete the Nameless Warrior quest. Siegfried approached the dragonkin warrior and said, “I have something to say, Draculis.” “I, too, have something to tell you. But go first,” Draculis responded as if he had been waiting for this moment. “I, Siegfried van Proa, King of the Proatine Kingdom, have been deeply impressed by your martial prowess.” “And I have been just as moved by your character. You saved me without expecting anything in return and even aided me in the search for my wife. Because of that, I have come to deeply admire your character.” “Haha! I only did what had to be done!” “Not at all. It is difficult to help others without hesitation in these times we live in. “So, what I wanted to say is—” “Wait. Would you allow me to speak this time, King Siegfried?” “Of course. Please, go ahead.” “I have long wished to see the world beyond these lands, fight against the strongest warriors out there, and make my name known across the world.” “I understand what you mean.” “And then, I met you. A ruler who governs a kingdom beyond these lands. That’s why I wanted to say this.” “I, Draculis, wish to serve under you.” “What?!” Siegfried exclaimed, his eyes widened in shock. Then, he stammered, “A-All of a sudden?!” “I heard from your wife that you are an honorary dragon who carries the heart of a dragon.” “And that you are acquainted with the Dragon Lord himself.” “Well, yeah... that’s true, I guess? Hahaha...” “A person like that would be more than worthy for me to serve as my lord.” With those words, the dragonkin warrior, Draculis, knelt on one knee before Siegfried and showed his respects. “King Siegfried van Proa. Will you accept me, Draculis, as your vassal? I wish to battle against the most powerful warriors on the battlefield under your banner.” Siegfried could hardly believe his luck. He was dreading the hassle of going against a dragonkin warrior in a grueling duel, but contrary to his expectations, Draculis voluntarily offered to become his subordinate. “Please, take me in and let me fight under your banner.” “Sure! It will be my honor.” Siegfried accepted his request without a second thought. After all, Draculis was a warrior who had reached the realm of Masters, so if anything, Siegfried felt like he should be the one kneeling in gratitude. Just then, a notification popped up before his eyes. [Alert: You have completed the Quest – Nameless Warrior!] The other Adventurers watching the scene were extremely envious. “He now has a Master as his lackey...?” The thought of having someone like Draculis as a subordinate was utterly unthinkable. Of course, Siegfried couldn’t care less about their reactions at all, as he was overjoyed by the fact that Draculis was now his subordinate. “I look forward to working with you! I will make sure to give you the best treatment!” Siegfried exclaimed, grabbing the dragonkin warrior’s hand firmly. “No, my lord! A true warrior belongs to the battlefield, where blood is spilled! Work me till my last dying breath!” Draculis went so far as to insist that Siegfried push him to his limits. After spending so many years secluded in Mount Amon, he was, without a doubt, itching to use the skills he honed on the battlefield. “Okay. I will set the stage for you to make a name for yourself and spread your renown across the continent.” “Your grace is immeasurable, sire!” Siegfried officially recruited Draculis, the Master-rank dragonkin warrior, as his subordinate. And with that, his journey in Mount Amon came to a close. ...Or at least, that was the plan. There was still one last thing he had to take care of. “Hic! So, ya got somethin’ to—hic! Say to me, boy?” Captain Alfred, who was still in the Dragonkin Village, was completely wasted yet still guzzled down bottles of Dragon Whiskey as if it were water. “Hey, Seung-Gu,” Siegfried called. “Restrain that thing.” “We’re taking him back to the Proatine Kingdom.” “Wait, why are we bringing that drunkard along?” Seung-Gu asked, tilting his head in confusion. “He’s going to go back to piloting airships and cause troubles again if we let him be.” “What if I run into him again? Am I supposed to crash again?” The chances of Siegfried ending up on an airship piloted by Captain Alfred again were astronomically low. Unfortunately, fate was a fickle yet cruel thing that had a habit of making even the most impossible things happen. So, instead of leaving things to chance, Siegfried decided to abduct Captain Alfred outright and make sure he never got the opportunity to crash another airship ever again. “Just throw him onto some construction site or something,” Siegfried said with a repulsed look. “If you say so, hyung-nim,” Seung-Gu shrugged and replied. And so, with Captain Alfred taken care of, Siegfried finally departed from Mount Amon, bringing his journey to a close. After returning from Mount Amon, Siegfried and Brunhilde spent a week at a luxury resort in the southern part of the continent. They swam in the emerald waters of an island that was nothing short of a paradise, had barbecue parties, sipped cocktails under the moonlight, and many more things that made it a truly romantic getaway. Of course, it did not quite feel like a proper vacation for Siegfried. No matter how realistic BNW was, it was still a game. For a gamer like him, he couldn’t shake off the fatigue he felt from playing the game. However, none of that mattered to him right now. For the entire week, he devoted himself to making Brunhilde happy, faithfully taking up his role as a husband. It also went without saying that he gave his all when playing mommy and daddy. Thanks to his efforts, Brunhilde was extremely happy. She managed to release all of the fatigue that had been accumulating within her due to the stress of parenting, along with everything else that had happened so far. Upon returning to the Proatine Kingdom, Siegfried wasted no time and called for Oscar. “Welcome back, Your Majesty. I hope you have had a pleasant vacation.” “It was a good trip. Thanks to you for handling everything here.” “I am relieved to hear that, sire. But might I ask for what reason you have summoned me?” “Ah, you have to come with me somewhere.” “Pardon me? May I ask where?” “We need to pay a visit to the Continent Religious Council.” “You will understand once we get there.” With that, Siegfried went to the headquarters of the Continent Religious Council with Oscar. ‘Just you wait, you filthy rats...’ He planned to root out the Illuminati members who had infiltrated the religious institutions.