Sovereign of the Ashes

After turning down the clown from the Ring of Thorns, Sein set his course to the west.

Now within the Lysian Alliance borders, Sein was free from the burden of concealing his identity.

His pockets held a considerable sum of gold coins, acquired through various means—some from the old man with the goatee who purchased the skin of Hurricane Hog from him, and others gifted by the corpulent baron of Berthold City.

With a carriage and a skilled coachman at his disposal, Sein traveled along the main road of the Lysian Alliance.

The situation in the Lysian Alliance was a stark contrast with the Gloomhaven.

Not only was the landscape dominated by densely populated plains, but also well-constructed roads far superior to those in Gloomhaven.

Nobles in the Lysian Alliance seemed to recognize the pivotal role roads played in the development of their territories. Many had even invested in wide stone roads to connect their lands.

The efficiency of travel on these roads, especially with a carriage, exceeded that of walking by a significant margin.

The experienced coachman even assured Sein that with a sufficient payment for his services, he could bring him to Fairland, the westernmost part of the Lysian Alliance.

***

Upon entering the Lysian Alliance, apart from the unpleasant encounter with the intermediate initiate from the Ring of Thorns that soured his mood, Sein found himself mostly apprehensive and nervous.

His mind was occupied with thoughts of his family, hazy childhood memories of his mother, and his last name—Grantt.

Back in the Black Fortress, Sein could have easily inquired about House Grantt and its social status in the Lysian Alliance.

However, an unspoken emotion held him back, prompting him to continue following the faint guidance of the bloodline tracing magic to uncover his familial roots.

To this day, Sein remained uncertain about the stance he should adopt toward his family.

Should he embrace the joy of reunion or harbor resentment for being lost and not sought for over the past ten or twenty years?

These emotional struggles disrupted Sein’s focus on his studies, leading him to shift his mindset.

Instead of immersing himself in the advanced magic tomes left by his mentor in his space bangle, he returned to the practice of alchemy.

The bountiful harvests from Sein’s journey through the Gloomhaven and Dusken Ridge allowed him to accumulate a considerable number of intermediate and basic magic ingredients and raw materials.

Most of these materials were unfamiliar to him, as they could not be found in the Underworld. Utilizing them in the creation of intermediate and basic magic items posed a challenge, with a certain failure rate.

Each attempt at crafting magic items became a learning process for Sein, aligning with the wisdom imparted by Master Morsidor in his notes, emphasizing the value of experimentation and failure in alchemy.

If not for this approach, Master Morsidor’s advanced alchemy expertise would not have led him to occasionally craft magic items that served no practical purpose for someone of his caliber.

Did he craft them solely for the benefit of his initiates? The answer was no.

Morsidor’s impressive achievements in alchemy were the result of countless experiments and failures.

Sein’s identity as a mage, coupled with his alchemy experiments in the carriage during his journey, fascinated the coachman.

Having traveled extensively, the coachman’s encounters with mages were typically limited to observing them from a distance.

To experience such close contact and have the privilege of witnessing the experimental processes of an alchemist was more than enough for the coachman to boast about for the remainder of his life.

Due to the time dedicated to experiments on the road, Sein’s progress through the Lysian Alliance was slower.

However, this did not concern the coachman, as Sein ensured fair compensation.

The true concern lay within Sein’s heart, known only to himself.

After three months of traversing various noble territories, during which Sein crafted three basic magic items, “trouble” knocked on his door again.

“Trouble” might be too strong of a word for it as it was not a confrontational encounter, but an invitation to join an initiate council known as the Divine Harmony.

With the war looming, senior initiates like Sein, unaffiliated to any organizations, had become increasingly rare in the Lysian Alliance, making him a sought-after prospect for organizations like the Divine Harmony.

In contrast to the Ring of Thorns, the Divine Harmony approached Sein in a humbler manner. Despite having a parent council, they showed respect for Sein’s decisions.

Initially, the Divine Harmony’s lobbyist prepared a benefits package he believed to be highly favorable.

Upon discovering Sein’s proficiency in crafting magic items, he promptly presented an improved benefits package suitable for elevated members.

Different levels of magic initiates received varying treatments when joining a mage council.

While junior initiates might face difficulties in securing a spot within a mage council, senior initiates encounter no such challenges.

The new benefits package matched the benefits of a Quasi Mage, considering Sein’s status as an alchemist.

With the growing intensity of his bloodline tracing magic and a complex array of emotions, Sein found himself not in the right frame of mind to join any initiate council, despite the attractive offer. Therefore, he once again declined the invitation from the Divine Harmony.

Declining the Divine Harmony’s offer was not a significant concern for Sein. Nevertheless, as his reputation as an alchemist spread, more initiate councils and even bigger ones with the presence of full-fledged mages began to take notice of him.

Lobbyists from these mage councils approached Sein one after another.

During this time, Sein’s bloodline tracing magic finally came to a standstill.

It was not a malfunction. Rather, Sein had arrived at his destination—a noble territory in the heart of the Lysian Alliance.

The territory was expansive, surpassing the size of an average earl’s domain.

Based on the coachman’s descriptions and Sein’s own observations upon entering the territory, he deduced that the owner of this vast territory was a prominent noble known as the “Earl of Cercis”.

The Earl of Cercis had gained considerable renown within the Lysian Alliance.

Though holding the status of a central noble, his fame primarily originated from the Battle of Nessir Basin against the Zephyr Kingdom two decades prior and the Battle of Iron Dragon Fortress on the northern border with the Ohrque Empire seven years ago.

The Battle of Iron Dragon Fortress marked a historic event as the Lysian Alliance counterattacked into Ohrque Empire territory for the first time in nearly thirty years.

Rumors circulated that this battle might lead the Earl of Cercis to seek the prestigious title of marquis—a rank in the Lysian Alliance just below the archduke, who served as the nominal leader of the alliance.

Sein had only gathered information about the Earl of Cercis after entering the Cercis Territory.

He also discovered that the locals and passing merchants held the earl in high regard.

The city Sein now entered was Grantt City.

The city with its familiar name, housed a considerable population nearing three hundred thousand.

Considering the vast territory and the numerous cities under the rule of Earl of Cercis, it became evident how significant the power held by this renowned noble was.

As Sein stepped out of the carriage and removed the hood of his black robe, he marveled at the bustling city before him, feeling a surreal sensation.

At the top of the city wall, the leader of guards on duty appeared to be taken aback.

He rushed toward Sein, dropped to one knee and respectfully greeted, “Welcome back, Earl!”