<h4>Chapter 188 </h4>


    The details of the hidden ss popped up in front of Siegfried’s eyes.


    [ss Change Scroll: Hidden ss 009]


    [A portrait of a woman carrying the resentment of the continent’s best singer as well as the empress—the wife of the Mad Emperor—Gran Cabrio. It allows one to change into the Hidden ss 009, the Phantom Singer.]


    [The Phantom Singer is a magician-type ss that sings songs carrying mana to decimate their enemies.]


    [However, the Phantom Singer is hopeless at physicalbat and close-quartersbat, so they should always be worried about protecting themselves at all times.]


    The ss introduction was a bitckluster, but it didn’t sound bad at all.


    However, what came next was the main problem.


    [Type: Consumables (ss Change Scroll)]


    [Rating: Hidden]


    [Price: 100,000 Gold]


    [ss Change Conditions: S+++ Singing, S+++ Looks, Perfect Pitch]


    Unfortunately, Siegfried couldn’t change into the Phantom Singer ss. He wasn’t good at singing, and he wasn’t handsome enough to fulfill the ss change requirement. He also didn’t have perfect pitch, which was the most important requirement.


    He could somewhat supplement hisck of singing ability and looks by massacring all of the Sirens on the continent, but there was no way he could have perfect pitch, which was an innate talent.


    “<i>Aah…?Argghaaa…!”?</i>


    Siegfried convulsed and grabbed the back of his neck out of frustration.


    Who could have known that the hidden ss he had worked so hard to obtain would end up as a pie in the sky? A treasure one couldn’t possess—there was no crueler idea than that.


    However, Siegfried was the most upset of…


    “Why the hell does this ss discriminate against people by their looks?” hemented.


    He could have never imagined—even in his wildest dreams—that looks would be a prerequisite for a ss.


    Of course, Siegfried wasn’t really ugly or anything. In fact, he was considered above average among men. However, the real problem was the fact that one had to possess S+++ Looks to be the Phantom Singer.


    Disqualified.


    Siegfried’s looks could be described with that one word.


    “No…” Siegfried shook his head, and he said with a voice full of determination, “I will definitely find a way to obtain this ss.”


    Siegfried looked out of it at this point as he took out the Soul Separation Device from his Inventory and pointed it at the ss Change Scroll: Hidden ss 009.


    He was aware that it wouldn’t do anything, but Siegfried did it anyway out of frustration.


    After all, he had suffered too much just to obtain and open the ark.


    “I suffered a lot, and my identity was even exposed… A piece of trash worse than rotten food waste thought I was his kindred spirit, and I was mistaken for a thief as well. What is this? Are you saying that I’m too ugly…?” Siegfried muttered.


    A tear dropped from the corner of his eye.


    However, the ss Change Scroll: Hidden ss 009 didn’t care about his efforts or the hardships he had to go through. It tly refused to amodate him.


    [Alert: You have failed to change ss! You do not possess the required Looks!]


    [Alert: You have failed to change ss! You do not possess the required Singing Skills!]


    [Alert: You have failed to change ss! You do not possess Perfect Pitch!]


    […I don’t want to!]


    A woman’s voice even rang in Siegfried’s ears.


    Needless to say, the voice belonged to the empress stuck within the ss change scroll.


    ‘<i>Y-You don’t want to…?’?</i>Siegfried flinched in surprise.


    […Go away!]


    ‘…’


    [Please! Go away! I beg you!]


    ‘<i>A-Aren’t you being too much…?’?</i>


    Siegfried was hurt by the empress’ vehement refusal to amodate him.


    However, the pain quickly turned into anger.


    ‘<i>Hey, aren’t?you being too much discriminating?against people by their looks? I tried to be understanding because of what you had to go through, but you’re nothing but a piece of ungrateful trash…!’</i>


    Siegfried was so enraged that he tried to rip apart the ss Change Scroll: Hidden ss 009 apart.


    [No…!]


    ‘<i>Hmm?’</i>


    [It is only because you do not match me. I am nothing but the vestige of a poor woman who lived a pitiful life…]


    ‘<i>So?’</i>


    [I do not see any resemnce of the man that this woman loved on you. She wanted to feel even a tiny speck of familiarity with the man she loved even after her passing…]


    Just how much she loved him? Just how deep was her anger and resentment toward Gran Cabrio for being separated from her lover that her feelings had stayed even after her death? Just how heavy was her longing for the man she loved that she was fine with anyone as long as they possessed even just a tiny speck of resemnce to him?


    [So please do not rip that!]


    ‘<i>A-Alright…’</i>


    [She does not want you, but she wants that man over there.]


    The empress’ soul was pointing at none other than Gringore.


    ***


    Siegfried shed blood and tears to acquire the hidden ss scroll.


    He had stumbled upon it out of pure coincidence and luck, and he had taken possession of it and even opened it after much effort. However, it turned out that he wasn’t the rightful owner of the hidden ss.


    There was a saying about how every valuable object in the world had its own predestined owner, and it seemed that the ss—Phantom Singer—wasn’t an exception to that saying.


    ‘<i>I’m not the rightful owner of the hidden ss, but its rightful owner is my subordinate. He is my loyal subject, so this ss indirectly belongs to me…’?</i>Siegfried thought while holding the ss change scroll.


    He didn’t have to hesitate.


    “Scribe Gringore,” he called out.


    “Yes, Your Majesty?” Gringore responded.


    Siegfried shook his head and said in a voice filled with authority, “No, my loyal subject, Scribe Gringore de Noveldrawer. Stand in front of me.”


    “Pardon me, Your Majesty…?” Gringore muttered.


    He seemed puzzled by his liege’s sudden change of demeanor.


    <i>‘What’s wrong with His Majesty? Did I do something wrong…?’?</i>he wondered.


    Siegfried had always beenx and gentle with his subordinates, so he was confused when Siegfried was suddenly acting formal and authoritative.


    However, he couldn’t defy his king’smand, so he immediately walked up to Siegfried.


    “Kneel,” Siegfried said.


    “Yes, Your Majesty,” Gringore replied and knelt.


    Siegfried retrieved a sword decorated with precious jewels from his Inventory. It was the decorative longsword that he often used as the ruler of Proatine during formal asions.


    “I, the King of Proatine, Siegfried van Proa, hereby appoint my loyal subject and scribe, Gringore de Noveldrawer…”


    “…?”


    “As a knight.”


    “<i>Heok!”?</i>Gringore was shocked.


    A knight? How did it make sense for him to be a knight when he possessed less than a rat’s shit ofbat prowess?


    Gringore could not believe what he had heard just now. Of course, he had heard his liege loud and clear, but he still couldn’t help but doubt his ears.


    “But, Your Majesty! I am nothing but a scribe! I have attended not even a single lesson on how to be a knight…!”


    “Gringore de Noveldrawer.”


    “Yes, Your Majesty?”


    “Recite the Knight’s Oath.”


    “B-But…!”


    “This is a royalmand.”


    Gringore had a lot of things he wanted to say, but he could no longer retort.


    Why?


    Because it was a royalmand…


    Gringore started reciting the Knight’s Oath while kneeling in front of Siegfried, “I, your loyal subject, Gringore de Noveldrawer… vow to swear loyalty to my kingdom, the Proatine Kingdom, and my lord, King Siegfried van Proa. I will be my lord’s sword, and I will protect him until myst breath. I swear to cut down each and every one of my lord’s enemies with all of my might.”


    <i>Seuk…</i>


    Siegfried lightly tapped Gringore’s shoulders and head with his sword as soon as Gringore was done reciting the oath.


    <i>Ding!</i>


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


    [Alert: You have appointed Gringore de Noveldrawer as your knight!]


    Gringore was now Siegfried’s loyal subject, scribe, and knight.


    “Take this,” Siegfried said.


    He could finally give the empress’ portrait to Gringore now that Gringore was his knight.


    “That will be your sword,” he added.


    “My sword…? This portrait is…” Gringore tilted his head in confusion.


    “Yes, it will be the sword that will turn you into my most powerful sword,” Siegfried replied with a smirk.


    “I do not understand what you mean, Your Majesty…” Gringore muttered.


    “Hmm?”


    All of a sudden, Gringore noticed that a warm liquid was flowing down his head.


    “What’s this? Red? B-Blood?! Is this my blood?!” he cried out while wiping the blood off of his face.


    Yes, blood.


    Blood was down Gringore’s head. More specifically, blood was flowing down the crown of Gringore’s head, where Siegfried had tapped him with the decorative longsword.


    “Y-Your Majesty! Why would Your Majesty cut my head open while appointing me!” Gringoreined.


    “<i>Ehem…?Ehem…?</i>Anyway, you should rip that portrait,” Siegfried said while feigning ignorance.


    “Your Majesty…?”


    “Well, good luck!” Siegfried said as he quickly escaped.


    ***


    At Hive Games Entertainment…


    Section 7 was in charge of monitoring call name 007, Siegfried. They were stupefied by the sudden turn of events.


    “D-Double-O Seven failed to acquire Double-O Nine…” the operator reported with obvious shock filling her voice.


    The team leader was sleeping soundly, but he abruptly woke up and eximed, “What?! Double-O Seven failed?!”


    “Yes, even I cannot believe it, sir…”


    “Why?! How?!”


    “I think the epic code of Double-O Nine did not match with Double-O Seven.”


    “<i>Hmm?</i> Were they a bad fit from the start?”


    “I believe so…”


    “So what happened?”


    “Well… An NPC obtained the call name Double-O Nine…”


    “WHAAAAAAT?! An NPC obtained the hidden ss?! What nonsense!”


    “I was surprised, too, Team Leader-nim.”


    “Oh my god… Who could have known that it’s possible for an NPC to obtain a hidden ss… Then, what’s going to happen now? Do you think HQ’s going to do something about it?”


    “I don’t think so. They’ll probably act as usual,” the operator shrugged.


    “They’ll just let it be?”


    “Probably?”


    “Then, the brand new Section 9 is going to be monitoring an NPC…?”


    <i>Ding!</i>


    All of a sudden, a message from the headquarters was projected on the hologram screen, and the message contained…


    [Section 7 is to continue monitoring Codename 007 along with Codename 009 from now on.]


    There was nothing particrly wrong with the directive because Gringore—Codename 009—was an NPC subordinate under Siegfried, who was Codename 007.


    “<i>Ah…</i> Our workload has just increased…!”


    The team leader had been enjoying his life as a sry thief so far, but his workload suddenly increased by roughly two times. Therefore, the directive was anything but good news to him.


    ***


    Gringore stopped his bleeding and ripped the portrait to change ss.


    Meanwhile, Siegfried and Hamchi were squatting on the magic academy’s frontwn while nibbling on some snacks.


    “Hey, owner punk. Don’t you feel it’s a waste?” Hamchi asked.


    Siegfried shook his head and replied, “Not at all. It would have been better if I could im it as my own because a hidden ss is a force to be reckoned with, but what can I do when it’s not suitable for me?”


    “<i>Kyu…”</i>


    “Gringore is my subject, so I’m going to be stronger if Gringore bes stronger. I’ll just think of it that way and…” Siegfried trailed off. He smiled before continuing. “I think this strength of mine is more than enough. It should be fine as long as I use it to its full potential.”


    “<i>Kekekeke!”</i>


    Daode Tianzun’sughter suddenly rang out. He smiled warmly at Siegfried and said, “<i>Hoo!?</i>You have grown up! You were this ignorant and good-for-nothing imbecile who always wanted to bite off more than he could chew.”


    “Pardon me…?” Siegfried tilted his head in confusion.


    “To be honest, your nature of biting off more than you could chew made me worry, so I had been watching over you.”


    “You had been… watching me…?”


    “Yes, I was a bit worried since you’re the worst and trashiest talent among all my disciples, so…”


    “…”


    “<i>Ah,</i> my bad… I hope my words didn’t hurt you just now.”


    “I already got hurt.”


    “<i>Ehem!”?</i>Daode Tianzun faked a cough at Siegfried’s sharp retort.


    “Anyway, I’m d to see that you have matured a lot <i>mentally</i>. Not only did you obtain power, but your personality has also improved as well. It’s truly awe-inspiring,” Daode Tianzun said.


    “What do you mean by awe-inspiring…?”


    “You’ve finally realized that yourrade’s strength is your strength as well, have you not? Someone will only think that way if they truly trust theirrade.”


    It seemed that Daode Tianzun was sincerely impressed by Siegfried.


    “It’s also truly impressive that you decided to focus on improving your own strength instead of looking for shortcuts. A person walking on a single path is bound to reach the end of that pathpared to those walking on numerous paths,” he added.


    “Thank you for your words of wisdom,” Siegfried deeply bowed in gratitude.


    “If you understood what I meant, then I hope that you will continue to improve the strength you currently possess. The fact that a hopeless and talentless fool like you got that power in the first ce is—”


    Siegfried suddenly interrupted. “Master.”


    “<i>Hmm?</i>”


    “Would you like a beating?”


    Siegfried failed to suppress his anger.


    He was about tomit insubordination when the academy doors were flung open.


    <i>m!</i>


    <i>Sseeuuu!</i>


    Gringore stepped out of the academy. His eyes were emitting beams of white light.


    He looked at Siegfried and said, “Your Majesty.”


    “Yes?”


    “I, your loyal subject, Gringore de Noveldrawer, shall go and…”


    “…?”


    “...annihte Gran Cabrio’s army and return to Your Majesty.”