Chapter 944

“What do you intend to do?”

“What decision have you made?”

Michele and Ninetail asked at the same time.

“I have decided that... I’m going to use these to strengthen our military might,” Siegfried said resolutely.

“...!”

“...!”

Michele and Ninetail were stunned.

They hadn't expected that Siegfried would make such an extreme choice. They assumed that he would either rush to Emperor Stuttgart and seek a reward or simply burn the documents to erase all risks.

But this?

“May I ask why Your Majesty came to that decision?” Michele asked.

“Because in the end, power solves everything,” Siegfried replied firmly.

“Excuse me?!”

“As long as I become strong enough, the Marchioni Empire won’t be able to touch me.”

“T-That is a bit–”

“How long do you plan on trusting the empire?”

“...!”

“Do you really think they will favor me forever?”

Michele looked as if he were struck on the back of the head with a hammer.

There were no such things as eternal enemies or eternal friends in international relations. This was the most fundamental principle of diplomacy—everyone could change at a moment’s notice when it involved profits for them.

‘

I didn’t expect... that I'd hear such words from His Majesty,'

Michele thought.

He started reevaluating the man before him, Siegfried van Proa. Without a doubt, he had become far more mature than when they had first met.

Just two years ago, he was nothing more than a mischievous troublemaker, but now, his words and actions proved that the throne was shaping him into a true ruler.

“And one more thing,” Siegfried added. Then, he paused for a moment before asking, “Do you really think the empire will last forever?”

“

Huh...?

”

“Can the empire truly defend this whole world from the angels? No, even the great Marchioni Empire is powerless against the angels without divine power.”

“Yes, that is true, sire.”

“And what about the demons? They’re always lurking, waiting for the right moment to strike.”

“That too...”

“Then there are the extraterrestrial invaders from other worlds. The Coral Race is already making their move on this world, attempting to colonize it.”

“

Hmm...

”

“No empire can last forever. If there is a start, then there will be an end. Whether the end comes tomorrow or in a few centuries, it will eventually come.”

Michele and Ninetail remained silent.

Siegfried smiled and continued, “There’s nothing guaranteed in this world. Nobody can tell what the future holds, and it won’t be strange if the world comes to an end eventually.”

“Your Majesty...”

“We will use these to become stronger.”

“What if we get caught?” Michele asked.

“Then we will tell the truth and beg for mercy,” Siegfried replied.

“Emperor Stuttgart will not believe a single word by then.”

“He will have no choice but to believe us.”

“

Huh?

”

“We have the Sword of Truth.”

Upon hearing that...

“

Ah!

”

“There was that option!”

Both Michele and Ninetail gasped upon remembering the existence of the Sword of Truth: Fragarach.

Yes, the emperor would suspect them, but the Sword of Truth: Fragarach could prove their innocence without reasonable doubt.

Well, it would be a different story if Emperor Stuttgart decided not to forgive them despite knowing the truth. If that were the case, then there would be nothing else they could do about it.

“I don’t trust the empire completely. And I refuse to be at the mercy of someone else,” Siegfried said.

“Your Majesty...”

“Sire...”

“That’s why I decided to use these to make our kingdom’s military stronger.”

And with that declaration, Siegfried completed the quest, "Crossroad of Destiny."

[Alert: You have chosen the Path of the Supreme King!]

[Alert: Congratulations!]

[Alert: You have chosen the path of a ruler who will carve through the times of chaos with overwhelming might and charisma!]

[Alert: The system has granted you new powers!]

[Alert: You have obtained the Supreme King’s Mandate!]

When those notifications faded away, a radiant light enveloped Siegfried.

***

Siegfried had chosen the Path of Supreme King[1].

The moment he made his decision, he was granted a powerful buff called Supreme King’s Mandate, which was a privilege that only a ruler could wield.

[Supreme King’s Mandate]

[A king needs to have both combat prowess and a powerful army.]

[This buff enhances your personal combat prowess and provides you with numerous opportunities to strengthen your nation.]

[Type: Passive]

[Rating: Legendary]

[Effects]

— All military personnel’s combat power +200%

— Magic Technology +200%

— Metallurgy Technology +200%

— Increased probability of heroes emerging among your soldiers +500%

— Increased likelihood of events beneficial to the kingdom from happening +200%

The Supreme King’s Mandate provided an extraordinary boost to someone ruling their own nation.

In addition...

[Remember this! In an age of turmoil, the only ones you can truly trust are yourself and your comrades who are fighting alongside you!]

A word of advice on how the Supreme King ought to act briefly appeared before Siegfried’s eyes.

‘

Yeah, this is how it's supposed to be. Having connections with the empire? Sure, that’s good. But at the end of the day, what matters most is the strength I possess.’

Siegfried etched those words into his heart.

The setting of BNW, the Nurburg Continent, was not a place for the weak. All sorts of incidents happened almost daily, and villains wanting to destroy the world lurked in every corner.

There was no question that becoming stronger had to be his top priority if he wanted to survive and save the world.

𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

“True freedom can only be attained when you hold absolute power in your hands.”

Siegfried steeled himself to walk down this path without hesitation.

In the end, what he needed was power—a power so overwhelming that no one could stand against him. Deus’ teachings weren't just mere philosophy; they were the undeniable truth that governed this world.

Besides, he already had a reason to become stronger. The arranged marriage with Irene had already convinced him that he had to grow stronger no matter what.

“Listen carefully, both of you,” Siegfried said.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Please, speak.”

Michele and Ninetail straightened their postures, preparing to receive his royal command.

“Michele, I want you to take these documents and use them to build an Immortal Fleet of our own. Also, pass the Marchioni Empire’s mana utilization method to Dame Oscar. I want her to start training an elite order of knights.”

“As you command, Your Majesty.”

“I’m sure you know how important it is that everything is done in secret, right?”

“Yes, I do. I will make it my top priority to keep this under wraps.”

Then, Siegfried turned to Ninetail.

“One of these documents seems to have my name on it. Can you decipher it?” he asked.

“It will not be easy, but it is not impossible if given enough time,” Ninetail replied.

“I’ll be counting on you. Make sure to keep it completely under wraps. Don’t bring in encryption specialists and risk drawing the empire’s attention. Their eyes and ears are—”

“Everywhere and nowhere at the same time.”

“Exactly.”

“I understand what you mean. You can entrust this to me.”

“I’ll leave it to you then.”

With that, Siegfried made his decision. He would use the Marchioni Empire’s classified information to bolster the Proatine Kingdom’s military might.

‘

Yeah, being self-reliant is the best defense.’

This moment cemented his resolve that he would no longer rely on Emperor Stuttgart.

***

The next day, Siegfried logged into the game first thing in the morning and headed straight to Quandt’s workshop.

“Welcome, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you for always working so tirelessly for our kingdom.”

Siegfried was in awe after seeing Quandt covered in sweat from head to toe after hammering away in the forge.

How could someone be so diligent?

As expected, there was no way a craftsman of his caliber would achieve what he achieved through mere luck. Even with his genius-like talent in crafting, Quandt never allowed himself a single day to laze around.

He always worked hard to refine his skills, and he even conducted research while he was supposed to be resting.

Quandt's dedication was what shaped him into the expert craftsman he was today.

“You arrived just in time, Your Majesty,” Quandt said with a smile. Then, he handed over a sword wrapped in fine silk before explaining, “Her Majesty’s new weapon is complete.”

“Whoa...” Siegfried muttered in amazement as he accepted the sword.

[Sacred Flame Sword]

[One of Quandt’s greatest masterpieces.]

[When the user infuses their mana into it, an aura blade imbued with both divine power and the fire attribute will manifest.]

[Type: Sword]

[Rating: Legendary]

[Level Requirement: 299]

[Durability: 5,000/5,000]

(omitted...)

The Sacred Flame Sword was practically crafted with Brunhilde in mind as the user.

“Is this... even possible? How can you create divine power artificially?” Siegfried asked.

Mana and divine power were fundamentally different forms of energy, making them extremely difficult to fuse.

“I based the design on my analysis of the weapons you got from the Corals. Well, the Omnistone was invaluable in crafting this.”

“

Whoa...

”

“I also made sure to reinforce its durability while I was at it. It should last a lifetime or two.”

“Wow...”

“There would be no weapon more fitting than this to defend this world against the angels.”

“You’re absolutely right.”

“Unfortunately, mass producing it is virtually impossible. I crafted this with Her Majesty in mind, hoping it would aid her in protecting the princess.”

“Thank you so much. To think you would create such an incredible weapon...”

“

Haha!

Your Majesty is the benefactor who revived the Bavarian Workshop. This is the least I can do for you!”

“Quandt...”

“And also... this is a gift I am preparing for the princess when she comes of age,” Quandt said, gesturing toward an unfinished weapon on a workbench.

“Huh?”

“I intend for this to be my life’s greatest masterpiece, my magnum opus.”

However, the so-called masterpiece resembled nothing more than an ordinary metal rod.

“What kind of weapon are you planning to craft?” Siegfried asked.

“I want to create a weapon that will maximize every one of the princess’ natural talents.”

“Wait, don’t tell me—”

“And I have already chosen the name for it. It will be called—”

“It’s not Trinity Force, is it?”

“H-How did you know?!”

Quandt jumped back in shock. Siegfried had correctly guessed the name, but Quandt had never told anyone about it.

“Haha... Hahaha...”

Siegfried laughed awkwardly while scratching the back of his head.

His mind flashed back to the time he cleared the dungeon created by the Eastern Great Rift.

‘

So that was real?’

The dungeon simulated a future where Siegfried had disappeared and the angels were ruling the world. The final boss of that dungeon was none other than Verdandi, his daughter, who was corrupted by despair after believing that Siegfried had abandoned her.

Surprisingly, the weapon she wielded as the boss monster was none other than the +18 Trinity Force.

The fact that the weapon Quandt was currently forging for her had the exact same name as the one Verdandi wielded in the dungeon sent a chill down Siegfried’s spine.

This was too much to be a mere coincidence.

‘

So, the Great Rift really does have some connection to reality...’

Siegfried now felt even more certain that the Secret Document: 006 wasn't just something generated by the dungeon. It was something that existed somewhere in the empire.

Otherwise, how could Quandt’s future masterpiece and the Trinity Force from the dungeon have the same name?

“The Robe of the Dead is nearly complete, too. We are currently testing it, and it is showing promise.

Ah,

and our analysis of the weapons used by the Coral Race has also made significant progress. I expect to bring Your Majesty good news soon.”

“I see. Thank you very much, as always, Quandt,” Siegfried said with a smile. Then, he added confidently, “I will do my best to make sure that Herbert’s final masterpiece will be completed as well.”

“

Oh!

”

Quandt’s face lit up with joy at those words. Hearing Siegfried's promise to fulfill the long-held dream of the Bavarian Workshop filled him with immense joy.

It wasn't just an empty promise.

‘

I also really want to see what a weapon of that caliber is capable of doing.’

Siegfried was a gamer, and he was beyond excited at the prospect of wielding the ultimate masterpiece of the Legendary Blacksmith, Herbert.

Around one hour later...

“Shall we go?”

“Yes, my love.”

Siegfried and Brunhilde stepped into the warp gate and left the Proatine Kingdom.

The husband and wife had finally embarked on the quest to destroy the Holy Sword: Phoenix.

1. Just one note. This Supreme King is not related to Supreme King Braum—as far as I’m aware. I could’ve put this note in the previous chapter, but I want to see if anyone will mention Braum or not.

Kekeke!

☜