Sovereign of the Ashes

Julius’ introduction of Sein to these knights served as an opportunity to expand his social network.

Despite Sein’s naturally reserved and indifferent demeanor, fulfilling this social obligation allowed him to become acquainted with many ranked mages and knights.

Sein’s traits did not sway his judgment. He was a mage skilled in assessing and weighing the advantages and disadvantages of each situation.

Although Sein found himself somewhat averse to mingling with the rowdy Rank One knights, he engaged with them patiently, recognizing the potential benefits to both himself and House Grantt.

Not every knight possessed the eloquence of Snape, the Rank Three knight. Many knights spoke crudely.

Sein learned through Julius’ discreet voice transmission that they were of humble origins. In fact, two-thirds of the ranked knights present here were commoners who ascended to nobility through valor.

Their forebears were ordinary people. These knights established themselves as the first generation of nobles through their own endeavors, achieving Rank One and a lifespan of a millennium.

Sein’s great-grandfather, Julius, was also a first-generation noble.

Despite his typically reserved demeanor, projecting the refined air of a nobleman, glimpses into his younger self could be discerned from his choice of mount, the Reverse Winged Lion King.

Certain traits were ingrained deeply and difficult to change.

The distinction between these self-made nobles and those born into established noble families like Old Grantt and Jeremy was palpable, particularly in matters of etiquette and speech.

For instance, Sein encountered a Rank One knight who, after feeling a rapport with Sein, decided to boldly inquire if Sein could facilitate his granddaughter’s enrollment into the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring.

When Sein explained the necessity of adhering to the divine tower’s enrollment criteria and taking an entrance exam, the knight remained undeterred.

He posed a more direct question instead—“Can you take my granddaughter as your apprentice?”

“I know you mages place great importance on apprenticeship. Let me assure you, my granddaughter is a very smart girl,” the knight insisted.

This knight was a cunning fox. Sein was the apprentice of the Tower Master of Verdant Spring.

If his granddaughter became Sein’s apprentice, her status would be elevated significantly, effectively making her the grand apprentice of the Tower Master of Verdant Spring.

Although the other Rank One knights at the banquet were engaged in their own conversations, most of them had noticed the situation between Sein and the knight.

As the Rank One knight posed his question, the murmurs among the other knights dwindled. Even Snape, the Rank Three knight, cast a curious glance their way, intrigued by how Sein would respond.

Sein was taken aback by the question of the Rank One knight named Ross.

He had never met his granddaughter, let alone knowing her age. How could he simply accept her as an apprentice just because the knight claimed that she was “smart”?

“I have no intention of accepting an apprentice yet,” Sein responded, decisively shutting down the proposal.

“I see...” Ross, the bearded knight, exhaled a sigh of disappointment at Sein’s refusal.

Yet, undeterred, he shifted gears with another surprising question. “Master Sein, are you married?”

Once again, Sein was stunned into silence.

***

Among the more than two hundred knights gathered by Julius and Jeremy, a few indeed presented themselves as quite peculiar.

Yet, Sein found them generally amicable, with no malice detected.

Sein also conversed with a Rank Two knight from Lady Thea’s family. He also mentioned Zephyr Kingdom’s interest in sending members of the royal family and nobility to the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring for further studies.

Sein was not sure if the Zephyr Kingdom was still within the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring’s sphere of influence.

He was previously uninvolved in the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring’s enrollment matters. However, his visit to the Lysian Alliance unexpectedly generated significant interest in the divine tower.

This surge in interest was partly because this area lay at the edge of the divine tower’s influence and had not been a focal point for initiate recruitment in the past.

Furthermore, the knights likely became more aware of the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring following its recent involvement in an interplanar war.

The knights were no simpletons.

Ross, the Rank One knight, might look like an unsophisticated and direct man, yet beneath the surface, he actually harbored a wealth of thoughts and considerations.

After engaging with all the knights, Sein was relieved to retreat to the castle for some rest.

The knights, who still had stamina to spare, continued indulging themselves on the lawn since they were not burdened with time-consuming scholarly pursuits like mages.

In certain respects, knights in the Magus World seemed to lead more carefree lives than mages. They often indulged themselves until the specter of war loomed.

This lifestyle shaped the hierarchy within the Magus World, maintaining a distinct divide between knights and mages despite the numerous shifts and changes.

After all, it was only fair that rewards matched the effort expended.

Mages who dedicated themselves to the pursuit of knowledge wielded greater power and commanded greater respect.

Their dominance was apparent in various aspects such as access to resources, authority, and influence, effectively keeping the knights in check.

This ensured that the Magus World remained dominated by mages rather than knights.

The dynamics of supply and demand in the Magus World established a unique equilibrium where Rank One mages could interact with Rank Two knights as equals.

This was because Rank One mages could create potions, equipment, and other essentials that were critically needed by Rank Two knights.

Conversely, Rank Two knights contributed by leveraging their strength to procure raw materials for mages, but lacked the capability to monopolize these contributions.

This notion of a “monopoly” was significant when considering the array of innovations within the Magus World—be it space fortresses, war airships, magic artifacts, and potions. These creations were predominantly the work of mages, placing knights in a position where their role was primarily to benefit from the fruits of magical labor!

Such monopoly further cemented the influence of mages within the Magus World.

Despite the presence of numerous formidable knights, comparable even to the most powerful soul overmages, decision-making and authority in significant matters remained largely in the hands of mages.

As someone who stood to benefit from this system, Sein was acutely aware of the distinction between mages and knights.

However, since Sein had yet to collaborate with knights in an interplanar war, he was still unfamiliar with the dynamic between the two groups during warfare.

It appeared that a primary function of the knight legions was to safeguard the mage legions, ensuring that mages could employ their long-range assault against enemies effectively.