Sovereign of the Ashes

Consanguineous marriages were extremely common among the noble houses, given that they did not involve siblings sharing the same biological parents.

Cousins, or even more distant relatives, were frequently united to strengthen family ties.

This practice served two purposes. Firstly, it was indeed aimed at preserving the purity of the family lineage, as asserted by House Farion.

Secondly, it was a response to the challenge of finding suitable noble matches for marriage.

In cases where nobles reached the appropriate age for marriage but were unable to find an appropriate match, they would be “assimilated into their own noble house”.

In the Magus World, the significance of bloodlines was pronounced, especially among knight families.

While long-established magic families, spanning millennia, did not place as much emphasis on bloodline inheritance as knight families, they still regarded the preservation of their direct lineage as important.

Marrying Sein would indeed be a good choice for Selina.

Beyond the practical considerations, Selina also viewed Sein, whom she had just met for the first time, in favorable light.

This attraction was not rooted in his physical appearance but rather in the sense of security she felt in his presence.

Having traveled all the way from the Lysian Alliance, Sein appeared to be the only person Selina could genuinely rely on in her current situation.

***

Sein’s residence was very spacious. It was much more than a typical three-story dormitory.

Each floor boosted multiple rooms of varying sizes, and the dormitory also came with a basement.

For Selina’s accommodation, Sein assigned her several rooms on the first floor.

The second floor mainly served as Sein’s laboratory and meditation space, while the third floor was his living and sleeping area.

Examining the situation, Sein realized that the only viable option was for him to share the first-floor space with Selina.

Selina’s arrival significantly impacted Sein’s daily routine.

Regardless how spacious his dormitory was, it paled in comparison to the grandeur of the earl’s castle.

Both of them would frequently see each other and conversations became inevitable between them.

It was difficult for Sein to treat Selina like a stranger.

Sein was not the only person affected, but also his owl, Sev.

The rooms on the first floor used to be Sev’s living space, a nest of some sort.

With Selina’s arrival, Sev had to share its space with her.

The magic beast, however, did not voice any complaints. It simply observed Selina, the girl who had barged into Sein’s life, with its brown eyes.

Selina was equally curious about Sev. It seemed like her cousin was much more mysterious, knowledgeable, and powerful than she had anticipated.

In addition to his connections with esteemed full-fledged mages, he also had a formidable magic beast as his familiar.

“Starting tomorrow, you should start attending public courses in the central academy building. Although you’re an intermediate initiate, the diverse knowledge offered at the divine tower academy will surprise you. Every single one of them is highly beneficial for initiates like you who have just joined the academy,” Sein advised Selina during dinner.

“Got it!” Selina nodded seriously.

Selina was the one who prepared the dinner, and Sein was pleasantly surprised by the culinary skills of the young noble lady, especially considering she had not been away from home for an extended period.

The sweetness of the fruit soup and the crunchiness of the toasted bread left Sein thoroughly satisfied.

It was one of the few comforts Selina could bring to Sein after moving into his dormitory.

Sein recognized Selina as an obedient and sensible girl. Had she been an unruly woman, he would have swiftly kicked her out even if she were his cousin.

When Sein came downstairs the next morning, he discovered a delightful breakfast already laid out on the table.

Selina was nowhere in sight, but there was a note placed beside the food.

Sein picked it up, identifying the handwriting as Selina’s.

In the note, she informed him that she had eaten and planned to explore the academy building and library to familiarize herself with the surroundings of the academy.

He took a sip of the juice Selina had prepared for him, noting with satisfaction that it carried a flavor he enjoyed, enhanced by the refreshing chill of the ice.

“Good, looks like I don’t have to worry about her,” Sein remarked with a nod.

After finishing the juice and taking a few bites of breakfast, Sein returned to his laboratory on the second floor.

With over five years of dedicated study at the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, Sein had completed various basic courses and attended numerous advanced courses that required additional fees.

For the time being, he had no need to venture to the academy building for further knowledge.

“The modifications to the Solar Eye spell were almost successful last time. As long as I can redo it and complete it, it should achieve my desired effects!” Sein mused as he entered his lab with heightened excitement.

In the last few years, Sein would only be this excited when he was exploring the truths and elemental mysteries.

It was at this moment, he realized he had lost track of the years since he last experienced the pleasure of the flesh. Perhaps it was time to seek a woman to satisfy his primal urges.

***

Living under the same roof with Selina was not as eventful as one might imagine.

Apart from brief conversations during breakfast and dinner, the two barely saw each other, let alone interact with each other.

It was almost as if they lived in parallel worlds.

Sein either spent the entire day in his laboratory or immersed himself in research at the library.

With the Solar Eye project approaching completion, Sein’s library visits became more frequent.

At times, he would venture out late at night, inadvertently waking Selina, who was a light sleeper staying on the first floor.

Even so, Selina did not seem to mind it. She diligently attended public classes and took charge of preparing Sein’s breakfasts and dinners daily.

Perhaps the adage “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” was true.

Selina’s culinary efforts and housekeeping gradually dissolved the gap between the once distant cousins.

On top of that Sein, with his knowledge as a Quasi Mage, was able to offer guidance on Selina’s homework and studies.

It was from one of the conversations during dinner, Sein learned that Selina’s primary focuses were also pyro and lumen magic.

However, her main element seemed to be the lumen element, with pyro element as the secondary.

Nevertheless, the revelation surprised Sein.

Considering his ongoing experiment, Sein proposed a request to Selina during their dinner.

“Do you have any important public courses to attend tomorrow? If not, could you assist me in the lab?” he asked.

“I need help with recording experimental data. I’m also researching a pyro-lumen magic spell. It should be a valuable experience for you as well,” he explained.

Selina was visibly surprised and delighted when she heard the suggestion.

“Sure, I have no classes to attend tomorrow anyway,” she readily agreed.

In any case, she had also been curious about Sein’s laboratory ever since she moved in.

She had cleaned Sein’s room, but never his laboratory rooms on the second floor.

Pleased with her cousin’s answer, Sein nodded approvingly and assured, “Don’t worry, I won’t let you help for nothing. You’ll get something out of it.”