Sovereign of the Ashes

Two days later, Earl Grantt departed from the castle with the soldiers under his command early in the morning.

Accompanying him was Solon, his youngest son, while Sein and Lady Thea saw them off.

For nearly two months, Lady Thea refrained from causing any trouble for Sein.

Aside during meals, Sein rarely came across his stepmother.

It was as though their conflicts had been resolved after Lady Thea apologized during the banquet the other day.

With Earl Grantt’s departure, Sein’s life returned to normal once more.

It was high time for Sein to consider the prospect of traveling to the Divine Tower of the Verdant Spring as well.

Sein tentatively decided to delay the trip until he had mastered the complex Solar Eye spell.

He could not help but ponder whether the ongoing war would conclude and if the Earl could return to the castle by then.

On the third day after Earl Grantt’s departure, a caravan of nobles from the south appeared outside Grantt Castle.

Among them was House Farion, Sein’s maternal family, responding to the call to war to join the front lines.

While most of them continued on their journey, two men stopped by the Grantt Castle for a visit.

Initially, Lady Thea handled the reception of the visitors from House Farion.

After informing Sein, who was engrossed in experiments in his laboratory, the senior initiate, bearing half of House Farion’s bloodline, hastily arrived at the castle’s reception hall.

Among the two members from House Farion, one was Sein’s maternal grandfather.

The other was a Quasi Mage named Gerald, who appeared to a generation older than Sein’s grandfather.

Despite being around seventy, Sein’s grandfather appeared younger than his age and exuded vitality thanks to his comfortable lifestyle.

The only visible sign of aging was his gray hair.

Sein also noticed a resemblance between the two of them in terms of appearance.

Gerald, the Quasi Mage and current head of House Farion, was the most powerful mage among the Farions.

After conversing with him, Sein learned that he was nearing ninety in age.

Over the years, Sein had encountered numerous formidable individuals, including a Rank Two mage.

Despite lacking mastery in detection magic, Sein could discern that Gerald Farion was not a particularly formidable Quasi Mage.

His presence reminded Sein of Zorro, but unlike Zorro, Gerald lacked proficiency in alchemy and an arsenal of magic artifacts.

Gerald’s situation hinted at his limited prospects of becoming a full-fledged mage.

However, such a fate was not absolute, as Quasi Mages could extend their lifespan by more than a hundred years through various means.

Elder Domvall, whom Sein had encountered not long ago, was an old man about the age of a hundred and twenty.

Considering this, perhaps there was still hope for Gerald Farion to become a full-fledged mage in the future.

Both elders displayed enthusiasm during their meeting with Sein.

Naturally, Sein harbored little expectations as it was only their initial encounter.

During their conversation, Sein’s grandfather was the more vocal of the two.

Despite his apparent vitality, Sein noticed grandfather’s inability to stay on topic as they conversed.

He spoke of Sein’s late mother, Catherine, and then shifted to inquire about Sein’s well-being.

At one point, he expressed sorrow over the untimely deaths of his two daughters.

He then praised Sein for his achievement as a senior initiate, but did not forget to mention that he was also proud of his granddaughter, Selina.

Selina was the daughter of Sein’s late aunt. The little girl stood out with exceptional talent for magic among the descendants of Sein’s grandfather’s branch.

At the age of twelve, Selina was already a junior magic initiate.

It was definitely a noteworthy achievement, even in the challenging environment of the Black Magic Academy.

However, the journey became more arduous as mages progressed through the ranks.

Gerald became a senior initiate at the age of forty, but it took until he was seventy to reach the status of a Quasi Mage.

Whether he would have the opportunity to become a full-fledged mage in the future and restore the family’s glory was uncertain, even to Gerald himself.

The visit of Gerald and Sein’s grandfather to Grantt Castle was relatively brief.

During their stay, Gerald inquired if Sein had been able to become a senior initiate in his twenties with the guidance of a mentor.

Following Earl Grantt’s advice, Sein provided an ambiguous response.

As expected, the dynamics between nobles boiled down to gains and profits.

Since Sein did not present anything that could truly capture House Farion’s interest, Gerald, the current head of the Farions, did not offer Sein any kind of support before their departure.

The label of “genius” and the seemingly exceptional untapped potential Sein possessed were not something that could be traded for mere energy crystals.

House Farion, with its ancient lineage spanning thousands of years, had witnessed more than one genius rising to the rank of senior initiate in their twenties.

Regrettably, all of those geniuses failed to progress beyond the rank of either a senior initiate or a Quasi Mage.

If promoting to full-fledged mages were as straightforward, House Farion would not have experienced a decline for centuries.

Despite Gerald’s apparent snobbery, Sein’s grandfather displayed genuine affection for Sein and his late mother, Catherine.

The elderly man suggested that Sein should consider visiting House Farion at some point to pay his respects at his late grandmother’s grave, and perhaps also offer guidance to Selina, who was still a junior initiate.

Sein’s cousin, whom he had not yet met, seemed to be the only glimmer of hope for the elderly man.

If Selena had not been engrossed in studies under their family mentor recently, the old man would have brought her along on this trip.

Before departing, Sein’s grandfather visited the cemetery situated at the back of the castle, paying his respects to Catherine, his daughter.

This was not Sein’s first time setting foot in this place.

Despite its lavish exterior, the cemetery exuded tranquility and tastefulness within. It served as the final resting place not only for Sein’s late mother but also for members from both the main and side branches of House Grantt.

Behind Sein’s mother’s tombstone stood a silver citron tree adorned with pure white flowers.

Rumored had it that Earl Grantt himself planted it.

***

After bidding farewell to the visitors from House Farion, Sein continued to immerse himself in his experiment and research.

Despite the occasional explosions resonating in the depths of the Grantt Castle, Sein was making progress, inching closer to success.