Sovereign of the Ashes

BOOM!

The sound of an explosion shattered the morning silence at the earl’s castle.

Plumes of smoke billowed from the tower, the very place where Sein conducted his experiments.

The sudden explosion and ensuing flames plunged the entire castle into a state of disarray.

Maids and squires rushed to the scene, carrying buckets of water to douse the flames.

While the situation may have seemed chaotic at first glance, there was an underlying sense of order among those in the castle.

After all, this was not the first occurrence of such an incident.

This marked the third explosion within the month.

Although mages delved into the mysteries of truth within the laboratory most of the time to advance their ranks, their journey was not without peril. In fact, it was far more complex than outsiders might perceive.

The exploration of the truth was fraught with hardships and unexpected accidents.

For Sein, a budding senior initiate delving into the mysteries of magic without the guidance of an experienced full-fledged mage, the risks were even more pronounced.

Despite the detailed explanations in the magic tome, the actual application often differed from the theoretical understanding.

Buckets of water were swiftly transported to Sein’s laboratory.

The flames caused by the pyro elemental magic array were now extinguished, and the fires within the room had been successfully contained.

The attending maids and squires worked diligently to quell the aftermath without disturbing Sein, who stood contemplatively in front of his charred experiment table.

He meticulously analyzed the experiment that had gone awry, attempting to pinpoint the errors in his approach.

Sein had been studying the structure of an advanced magic spell—Solar Eye.

Among the myriad of advanced magic tomes left behind by Master Morsidor, Solar Eye was one of the top three powerful advanced magic spells.

To master such a spell, it was crucial to understand its principles and the core mysteries it harnessed.

Only with this thorough understanding could one construct the spell model of the spell in their sea of consciousness.

The complexity of the Solar Eye surpassed that of the Pyro Blade by more than double.

Conversely, its destructive power also exceeded the Pyro Blade by almost threefold.

It stood as a peak advanced magic spell, powerful enough to become one of Sein’s strongest spells upon mastery, even after his promotion to a full-fledged mage.

Yet, given his current pace of learning and research progress, Sein feared that he might not be able to master this advanced magic spell within the next six months.

On the other hand, it took him less than a month to master the Pyro Blade spell, even though it was also an advanced magic spell!

It’s really different to have the guidance of a mentor compared to exploring magic elements independently.

Of course, I was able to master the Pyro Blade so quickly back then because I already mastered the Pyro Chain Blade, its weaker precursor, when I was still an intermediate initiate.

Should I halt the research on the Solar Eye temporarily and redirect my focus toward improving my skills in alchemy?

No! How can I reach the ultimate truth of the elemental path if I give up so easily?

I must overcome this obstacle, even if it demands more time and effort than anticipated.

After identifying potential issues and determining his next course of action, Sein returned to the experiment table once again.

He meticulously arranged intermediate and basic pyro-attributed energy crystals in the spell nodes on the table.

Upon noticing his activity, the maids hastily vacated his laboratory as if fleeing from an impending flood or monster.

Even the expressions of the squires, including the stronger ones, betrayed nervousness.

Unfamiliar with the intricacies of magic elements, they remained clueless about the cause of the recent explosion.

Nevertheless, the commotion and destructive force unleashed by the blast instilled a sense of fear in those young squires.

As Sein delved back into his experiments, the surrounding lab once again descended into silence.

Mages were typically seekers of truths on a lonely journey.

In the empty laboratory, Sein continued his research on the pyro magic spell.

***

At the end of Sein’s second month in the earl’s castle, Earl Grantt, concerned about Sein’s prolonged seclusion, attempted to pull him out of the lab by force.

The reason for such a drastic measure was Sein’s repeated dismissal of the earl’s summons.

After learning from the maids attending to Sein that he had holed himself up in his laboratory for three days straight without eating, Earl Grantt decided to take matters into his own hands.

Coincidentally, during Earl Grantt’s uninvited intrusion, Grantt Castle witnessed its fourth explosion this month!

It created an extremely huge commotion, demolishing nearly half of the fourth and fifth floors of the tower where Sein lived.

Fortunately, no one was present above the third floor of the tower, except for Sein in the laboratory and Earl Grantt, who had just forcibly entered.

Otherwise, the aftermath of this explosion could have resulted in numerous casualties for the less resilient non-combatants.

Sein, with the protection of a geo elemental shield, were mostly unharmed, albeit feeling a little disoriented by the blast.

Earl Grantt, on the other hand, was less fortunate and suffered injuries despite his Quasi Knight physique.

The experimental accident had wounded his arm.

This incident shed light on the potency of the advanced magic spell Sein was researching.

With half of the tower in ruins, Sein would need a new place to stay.

Earl Grantt selected a spot behind the castle, which was initially a vast flower garden.

He intended to demolish part of it to construct a new tower for Sein.

Beyond the beautiful scenery, it was more secluded, with fewer maids and servants passing through.

That way, any future experimental mishaps would not pose a risk to others in the earl’s castle.

During dinner, Earl Grantt occupied the main seat, with Sein to his right, Solon to his left, and Lady Thea next to Solon.

Dinners at the earl’s castle were not always elaborate affairs.

Some nobles loved to throw banquets, but not Earl Grantt.

Apart from special occasions, it usually involved the family sitting together, enjoying a “simple meal” consisting of about twenty different dishes, sometimes accompanied by a few bottles of fine wine.

What set this evening apart was the white bandage on the earl’s right arm, casting a slightly somber tone over the dinner.

As they gathered for the meal, Solon discreetly observed his father and then cast a glance at his elder brother, Sein.

Over the past two months, Solon’s feelings toward Sein had subtly evolved.

Moving from an initial stance of outright jealousy and resentment, Solon now harbored a hint of awe and an unspoken fear toward Sein.

The frequent explosions at the earl’s castle over the past month, coupled with witnessing his seemingly invincible father injured for the first time, all contributed to Solon’s shifting perception of Sein.