Sovereign of the Ashes

After the trade fair concluded, Sein bid farewell to Selphy, and they went their separate ways.

Selphy had her own quarters within the space fortress, but it was on one of the middle levels, which paled in comparison to Sein’s luxurious single accommodation.

Although she was the youngest apprentice of Master Andres, she was not his only apprentice. Naturally, Master Andres was not able to give her much preferential treatment.

Selphy never mentioned anything about it, but she was definitely envious of Sein’s lavish living conditions and the preferential treatment he received from his mentor.

“My room is close by, so there’s no need for you to escort me any further. I look forward to working with you again in the next mission,” Selphy told him with a smile.

Sein nodded, recalling how Selphy had provided long-ranged support from the other space fortress over two years ago.

Selphy departed, but Eileen continued to linger by Sein’s side.

Eileen had been staying in Sein’s room for a while, so her personal items were still in there. Now that Sein had returned, she would need to retrieve her items from his quarters, particularly the extremely personal ones that could not be left on Sein’s bed.

Sein had probably expected this already so he turned around to face Eileen, who still seemed to be in a bad mood, and suggested, “Shall we head back together?”

The mention of “we” unexpectedly brought a flush to Eileen’s cheeks, though she merely snorted in response before leading the way to the fortress’ upper levels.

Despite being cared for by Eileen for two years, Sev had not forgotten his bond with Sein and chose to leave Eileen’s shoulder to perch on Sein’s.

Its action visibly irked Eileen again.

Her moodiness continued to puzzle Sein, who still could not figure out why she was upset.

***

Sein’s quarters remained unchanged from the outside, but it was a different story inside.

Upon entering, the mess inside and random articles of women’s clothing scattered about were enough to surprise Sein, a Rank One mage who was known for his calmness amidst chaotic battlefields.

While mages often neglected domestic tidiness, focusing instead on their research and experiments, Sein had always maintained a certain level of order in his living space due to his habits as a black magic initiate back in the day.

The current state of his bedroom was so much messier compared to the time before he left.

Eileen was obviously caught off guard by Sein’s unexpected return and did not have ample time to tidy up the room.

Eileen’s voice carried a hint of irritation as she suggested, “Why don’t you check your lab for any missing experimental materials and that captive of yours? I’ve taken good care of her over the past two years.”

Sein remained rooted to the spot, causing Eileen to flush a shade deeper as she yelled, “What are you staring at?!”

Sein was obviously staring at a red bra on the bed.

It was surprising to learn that Eileen, who usually dressed conservatively, would choose such bold colors for her undergarments.

Apart from the red bra, Sein also spotted a pair of purple panties at the foot of the bed.

Sein was not thinking of anything appropriate. He was just shocked by the mess in his room.

Heeding her exasperated prompt, Sein made his way to the lab, with Sev accompanying him.

Entering the familiar space and quietly shutting the door behind him, Sein took a deep breath.

His bedroom had transformed dramatically over the two years, but his laboratory remained mostly unchanged.

All his experiment instruments and materials were still in the same spot as he had left them before he departed the space fortress.

The experiment table had been slightly moved as if someone had been there. Sein could almost see the silhouette of a female studying the surroundings with curiosity and making use of the table in her free time.

Shaking off the thought, Sein noticed a cubic glass case in the corner. It was three meters high and two meters wide.

Inside the glass case was a familiar figure from the Neisse Civilization.

The woman before her was pale and evidently frail, lacking the vigor she once possessed. She was none other than the engineer whom Sein captured from the battlefield of the Viridian Venom Flame World.

She was a stark contrast to the threat she once posed during their initial encounter that nearly resulted in Sein’s demise. A glance at her conveyed nothing but vulnerability, weakness, timidity, and a pitiable state.

Time, it seemed, had taken its toll. Sein had done nothing more than keep her in this space for two or three years, so something must have transpired in his absence.

Eileen was probably the one who put her in the cramped glass case since Sein was not the one who did it.

Sein was able to deduce from a single glance that Eileen had provided just enough sustenance to keep the engineer alive.

The once arrogant engineer from the Neisse Civilization was now reduced to a timid, weakened state, resembling a lab mouse within her glass prison.

Sein felt a little sorry for her, but then again, her current state meant that it would be easier for him to place a Soul Enslavement magic on her.

As Sein scrutinized the engineer, the door behind him suddenly opened.

Eileen had finished cleaning up the room in this short period of time and regained her composure.

Noticing Sein’s gaze fixed on the glass case, she explained, “I acquired this from the space fortress. Not only can it limit the occupant’s movement, it can also apply a hypnotic effect to weaken them.”

“Oh? This is actually a magic item?” Sein was taken aback. He re-inspected the glass case and noticed an intricate magic array etched at its base.

He contemplated inquiring about its price to reimburse Eileen, yet he could not bring himself to ask that question while they were inside the laboratory.

Besides, Eileen still owed him a considerable sum of magicoins for her medical expenses. Given this, the expense of the glass case likely paled in comparison.