Sovereign of the Ashes

Kirk City’s mercenary guild extended its welcome not only to human knights but also mages like Sein, who could undertake quests to earn rewards.

However, the majority of mages who enlisted were initiates.

Full-fledged black mages seldom joined organizations primarily driven by reward incentives as they prioritized the pursuit of knowledge more.

In fact, a small mage council boasting an extensive private library was more likely to attract even full-fledged black mages above Rank Two.

In their eyes, knowledge held an unparalleled value.

Sein, enjoying his meal in a corner of the inn, showed little interest in the burly knights, including the mercenary leader who was an intermediate squire.

His previous combined efforts with Seven to capture and dissect a bandit of similar strength had already provided him insights into the power of battle qi.

The power of battle qi in the bodies of intermediate squires surpassed that of their junior counterparts, leading to more pronounced changes in their muscle fibers.

As a magic initiate, Sein found their approach of pushing the body’s limits through the power of battle qi intriguing.

While knights dedicated themselves to physical training, mages focused on deep exploration of their brains and mental focus.

Sein, for instance, possessed a physical constitution of just over ten, while his mental focus had already reached the fifties.

Despite Sein’s initial disinterest in the noisy group of knights, their loud conversation gradually caught his attention and caused his furrowed brow to relax.

In the north, war had erupted between the Zephyr Kingdom and the Ohrque Empire. This marked the third such conflict in the last two decades, reflecting the perennial wars and frictions among the three human nations north of Gloomhaven.

Additionally, two years ago, the Lysian Alliance, another human nation, experienced border friction with the Ohrque Empire.

Among the three human nations, the Ohrque Empire was the strongest, followed by the Zephyr Kingdom and the Lysian Alliance.

The Ohrque Empire’s might was undeniable, and rumors circulated about them nurturing a group of Drake Knights.

The rankings of the Zephyr Kingdom and the Lysian Alliance, however, remained a subject of dispute.

The overall territory of the Lycia Alliance surpassed that of the Zephyr Kingdom, including its population and military strength.

Functioning as a league of nobles, the Lycia Alliance, despite having a nominal leader, the archduke, faced challenges in controlling all the nobles, especially those in remote areas.

Consequently, the loose structure rendered the overall strength of the Lysian Alliance slightly weaker than the more centralized power of the Zephyr Kingdom.

Over the past few decades, the Zephyr Kingdom and the Lysian Alliance often jointly faced the pressures exerted by the Ohrque Empire.

Once a flourishing empire known as Zephyr Empire, the Zephyr Kingdom’s former glory existed now only in historical records, as it had mysteriously declined, devolving into its current status as a kingdom.

This valuable information that Sein had managed to gather from the conversation of the boisterous mercenaries in the inn played a crucial role in determining his next human nation to visit.

“The Lysian Alliance appears relatively stable and is my first choice for traveling to the north. However, considering perennial wars and the longstanding border friction with the Ohrque Empire, it’s only a matter of time before the Lysian Alliance joins the conflict. I hope I won’t find myself caught in the crossfire of these three nations,” Sein mumbled with a sigh.

Furthermore, Sein inferred from the mercenaries’ conversation that the current war between the three human nations had not yet escalated to involve powerhouses of Rank One and above.

According to the loudest mercenary, the strongest participants in the conflict were merely Quasi Knights, equivalent in strength to Quasi Mages.

While magic forces were present, the mages involved appeared to be initiates, and there was no sign of full-fledged black mages.

“There must be full-fledged mages in the north. The Divine Tower of Verdant Spring alone houses a considerable number of them, not to mention other mage councils. The absence of Rank One and above mages in the war between these human nations potentially hints at hidden agendas or considerations,” Sein contemplated.

***

After a three-day respite in Kirk City, Sein set forth for the north.

Given the ongoing war in the region, he recognized the potential risks of travel alone near the border.

In light of this, Sein decided to join forces with a moderate-sized mercenary group, traveling with them toward the Lysian Alliance.

Despite the prevailing conflict in the north, there was a surge in mercenary quests that offered lucrative rewards.

Tasks such as supply transportation and personnel escort were in high demand at the mercenary guild, attracting experienced knights.

While some mercenaries hesitated due to their perceived lack of strength, others, particularly those who could harness battle qi, saw the war as an opportunity for wealth.

Wars between human nations often marked the decline of old nobility and the rise of new ones.

Unlike mages like Sein, who pursued knowledge and delved into elemental mysteries, these mercenary knights prioritized social status ascension, wealth accumulation and indulgence in life’s pleasures.

Participating in the war not only provided a chance for rewards but also an avenue to elevate their status among their peers and potentially joining the nobility.

Sein’s chosen mercenary group comprised twenty members, a size considered medium to low.

Their destination was the Lysian Alliance, with the primary objective of transporting a shipment of food and iron weapons.

Not all members of the group could harness battle qi, as this skill had specific prerequisites.

According to Sein’s conversation with the group leader, newcomers without battle qi had to serve in the mercenary group for seven years before receiving a battle qi seed and techniques from the leader personally.

Among the twenty members, only seven could harness battle qi, including the leader himself.

This included one intermediate, two junior, and four fresh squires, making up the elite combatants of the mercenary group.