Sovereign of the Ashes

The spectacle of a magic initiate daring to challenge a full-fledged mage was considered an uncommon occurrence within the Divine Tower of Dawn.

As the crowd of magic initiates swelled, Sein’s expression darkened, visibly displeased by the unfolding scene within the cafe.

The female owner of the cafe quickly made her way to Marie, leaning in to discreetly share her worries and expressing her wish to avoid any unnecessary altercations in her shop.

According to the Divine Tower of Dawn’s rules, Sein could accept Kled’s challenge and duel with him on the arena stage.

However, the idea of a full-fledged mage dueling an initiate seemed beneath him.

At this point, Marie could only offer a rueful, helpless smile.

Observing Kled’s behavior gave Sein a glimpse into the frequent annoyances Marie had to endure because of him.

Determined to resolve Marie’s issue, Sein accepted Kled’s challenge.

However, Sein was not going to be the one dueling him. A flash of white flew out from his space piccolo. It was Sein’s companion, Sev, who retrieved Kled’s discarded white glove.

Among the nobility in the Magus World, throwing one’s glove at the opponent was a widely recognized gesture of issuing a challenge.

The sudden appearance of a magic beast elicited gasps from the surrounding initiates.

On the other hand, Marie seemed to recognize Sev as she was staring intently at it.

“That’s...” she began, her voice filled with surprise.

“Yes, it used to be one of the overseers in the Black Magic Academy of Mystralora City, but it’s my partner now. Thanks to my mentor’s influence, its past affiliations are no longer an issue,” Sein assured her.

Kled was vexed by the fact that his glove was picked up by a magic beast instead.

Yet, Sev was no ordinary magic beast. Its display of strength had revealed it to be a ranked beast, allowing everyone to grasp the extent of Sein’s capabilities.

Not every full-fledged mage in the Divine Tower of Dawn could afford to keep a Rank One magic beast as a pet, given the substantial resources and effort required.

Sein had made significant investments to help Sev in reaching Rank One. Thankfully, Sev made good on those investments.

Both of them had forged a strong bond with each other since Sein’s days as an initiate.

Sein envisioned a future where both he and Sev would evolve together, side by side.

***

A confrontation between a ranked magic beast and a magic initiate hardly merited mention.

For Sein, it was a farce rather than a fight.

Kled, who was not even a phenomenal initiate, naturally lacked the capability to take on a Rank One creature. His attempts to harm Sev were merely minor nuisances for it.

The battle was uneventful and monotonous for Sein, but it was an “exciting battle” that captivated thousands of initiates at the Divine Tower of Dawn!

After all, it was not every day one could witness a duel between a magic initiate and a Rank One creature.

Word spread quickly, drawing more initiates to the arena stage.

After the rather anticlimactic battle concluded, Sein, Marie, Angie, and Sev swiftly departed.

Only the loser, Kled, was left behind on the arena stage. Supported by his magic rod, he kneeled on one knee amidst a sea of scattered brown feathers.

Sev had shown restraint, ensuring that Kled could maintain some dignity despite his defeat.

Influenced by Sein, Sev had adopted a more low-profile demeanor, particularly in unfamiliar settings.

While Sein walked away from the arena stage indifferently, Marie felt a profound sense of relief, evidently glad to finally be free from Kled’s persistent annoyance.

With Sein’s departure imminent, he cast a glance toward the massive magic clock atop the Divine Tower of Dawn. Given its craftsmanship, it should be a valuable treasure.

The hands of the clock were pointing downward, indicating the evening was upon them. The horizon still held the last light of the day, but the sun should set soon.

Sensing the somberness of an imminent farewell, Marie released Angie’s hand.

The girl quickly scampered toward Sev, who hooted softly and led her away.

Yuri was standing quite a distance away, providing Sein and Marie a rare moment of privacy.

After a slight pause, Marie suddenly asked, “You’re planning to visit the Western Archipelago, right?”

Sein was not surprised by Marie’s quick deduction of his journey’s final destination, given their shared origins in Mystralora City.

The fact she knew about the Western Archipelago showed that she had amassed a wealth of knowledge over the years.

“Yes, that’s the plan. I believe Leena might be there. I need to find her.” Sein nodded in affirmation.

The mention of Leena plunged Marie into a contemplative silence.

Leena’s name was not new to her. In fact, Marie had always been somewhat intimidated by her because Leena had always been cold to her.

Although Marie’s feelings had gone unnoticed by Sein all those years, Leena realized Marie’s feelings for him early on as a fellow woman.

However, Sein misinterpreted Marie’s silence.

“Your former mentor, Daelis, killed my mentor. She likely sought refuge in the Western Archipelago. My journey to Blackhaven there carries another purpose—to avenge my late mentor!” Sein disclosed solemnly.

“My relationship with Daelis was hardly that of a mentor and apprentice. She never truly regarded me as her apprentice, so I was more like a helpful apothecary initiate to her. She didn’t even think about us when she escaped Mystralora City,” Marie responded with a wry smile.

Sein acknowledged her explanation with a nod, reflecting on how his own mentor, Morsidor, was far more dependable.

Mosidor had handed Zorro and Faye over to Master Jeanne, a Rank Two black mage.

When Sein was in the Yellow Sand World, he also secretly gave Sein a signal generator.

Marie expressed no objection to Sein’s quest for vengeance, but cautioned, “Dealing with a seasoned black mage like Daelis won’t be easy.”

“Your journey to the Western Archipelago will be fraught with danger, won’t it?” she asked.

“Even so, I must go. I refuse to live with regrets,” Sein declared.

He was determined to meet Leena again, fearing she would fail to be promoted to Rank One.

However, the word “regret” resonated differently with Marie.

“Regrets, huh...? Likewise, I do not wish to live with them too,” she mumbled to herself.

“Sein, how about I show you a place?” Marie suddenly proposed.

“Where to?” Sein asked curiously.

“The place I called home before becoming Master Monroe’s apprentice,” Marie replied, her eyes twinkling with anticipation.