Sovereign of the Ashes

After the battle in the deep pit concluded, Sein led his troops westward.

The chief of the Green Mitten Sea Crabs proposed sending scouts to explore the underground dark river and Sein agreed to the suggestion.

***

A month later, inside the temporary camp....

Natalya found her mother, Sia, in this temporary settlement nestled within the dense forests west of Verdant Leaf World.

The camp had been established after the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring Army cleared a swath through the forest.

Wars involved more than just blindly advancing; the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring also needed rest.

This camp was the second established by the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring Army since their entry into Verdant Leaf World.

The northern camp near Verdant Leaf World was also nearing completion, set to serve as the fortress camp for the northern battlefield.

“Well? Have you succeeded?” Sia asked, seeing her daughter walking toward her.

“He locked himself in the magic tower ever since we got back. How am I supposed to approach him?” Natalya replied.

“Besides, I think I upset him during that battle over a month ago. Even though he didn’t say anything in the end, I’m a bit afraid to face him now,” she admitted.

“If you’re really afraid of him, why do you seek him out so often?” Sia rolled her eyes, knowing her daughter all too well.

Natalya fell silent at her mother’s observation.

Despite her fears, Natalya found herself inexplicably drawn to Sein.

Although they were engaged, their relationship lacked the warmth and familiarity of family.

In contrast to Selina, who frequently visited Sein’s laboratory, Natalya seldom had the opportunity.

Moreover, there was a more pressing issue at hand—Sein had never been intimate with her.

While neither had dwelled much on this, Sia had been rushing Natalya to seal the deal with Sein.

Initially, Natalya was indifferent, but her mother’s persistent urging spurred her to act.

She couldn’t shake the fear that perhaps Sein did not find her attractive, or worse, that he was involved with another woman.

Natalya’s suspicion grew due to Selina’s regular visits to Sein’s laboratory.

Her unease deepened when she observed another female mage from the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring entering Sein’s laboratory while stationed in the demiplane beyond Verdant Leaf World.

After asking around, she eventually learned that the female mage’s name was Eileen.

In any case, these circumstances convinced both the mother and daughter that it was crucial to solidify Natalya’s relationship with Sein as soon as possible.

However, it was not Sia who would take the lead; instead, Natalya herself needed to take the initiative.

Observing her daughter’s troubled expression, Sia sighed and urged, “It’s hard to find loyal men. Even though you and Sein are engaged, it would still be wiser to finalize your relationship sooner rather than later.”

“House Ernst isn’t that old-fashioned, so it’s fine to take your relationship to the next step before your wedding. Besides, it might even bring both of you closer,” she added.

“I know,” Natalya replied, lowering her head.

Seeing her daughter’s hesitance, Sia felt a push was necessary and decided to open up about her own experiences.

“What do you think of my relationship with your father?” she suddenly asked.

“Good. why do you ask?” Natalya replied, puzzled.

Sia sighed deeply. “In front of you, yes, but behind your back... ” She snorted lightly.

Natalya’s curiosity was piqued, and she urged, “What’s going on?”

Sia glanced around before erecting an isolation barrier around them with her battle qi and said, “Although he listens to me when I’m at home, who knows how many other women he’s involved with outside.”

Sia’s revelation shocked Natalya, leaving her mouth agape.

In the Magus World, monogamy was not enforced, and the Magus Civilization imposed no specific marital requirements.

Individuals could choose polygamy or remain unmarried without societal repercussions.

However, polygamy was still relatively rare, mainly because it conflicted with traditional values.

Women perceived as promiscuous were often despised and rejected by those around them.

This world was inherently unfair. The Magus World’s hierarchy was fundamentally built on the countless ordinary humans at its base.

Before the billions of ordinary humans mastered the transcendent powers of battle qi and magic, men with greater physical strength clearly dominated.

This underlying bias persisted up through the social hierarchy.

This cultural influence was also why women in the Magus World usually adopted their husband’s last name after marriage, except in cases where the groom marries into the bride’s family.

Sein and Natalya were only engaged and not yet married.

Once married, Natalya would take Sein’s last name—Grantt.

Likewise, Sia’s last name was also Ernst.

Sia’s revelations about her own marriage hit Natalya like a ton of bricks.

She had always viewed her parents as the model couple among the order.

She had been dismissive of almost all the knights of the same rank in the order. Her disdain stemmed partly from the fact that none of these knights could defeat her, and partly from her strong disapproval of their polygamous behaviors.

At least in the Order of the Steel Fist, she had not heard of any knight who remained single after being promoted to Rank Two.

As for the commoner knights, most of them often sought to extend their lineage by founding prosperous knight houses upon reaching Rank One.

The wealthy noble families frequently secured alliances through marriages well before the knights achieved Rank One, as exemplified by Sein’s father, Kelman, who had married twice.

For those seeking single men, the divine towers might offer better prospects.

In the Magus World, many male knights aspired to wed female mages, and similarly, female knights often dreamt of marrying handsome male mages.

However, the reality was that mages are generally reclusive, xenophobic, stubborn, and dour.

Marriages between female knights and male mages were rare, primarily because of their differing values.

Yet, Natalya found Sein satisfactory in all respects. Despite his cold exterior, their time together in battle revealed a warmth beneath his aloofness.

Therefore, she was not averse to marrying Sein; in fact, she was eager to solidify their relationship as soon as possible.

Sia understood her daughter’s heart well and was determined not to let such an excellent son-in-law slip through her fingers.

Sighing, Sia said, “If I hadn’t pushed so hard back then... I wouldn’t be Lady Ernst now and you wouldn’t even exist. One of those sly foxes out there would have succeeded... God knows how many there are, the only ones I know are...”

Her voice trailed off before she fell silent, holding back on details she was reluctant to burden her daughter with.

Sia shared these only to prepare Natalya mentally, aware that her daughter, having been coddled by both her and Wilson, might struggle with harsher realities.

Whenever Natalya was stressed, she was bound to do something drastic. Her abrupt decision to bring Reina home back then had already alarmed them.

“So, are you and Dad still in love with each other?” Natalya asked curiously.

The question plunged Sia into a brief silence.

Her eyes flickered with a complex emotion before she nodded and replied, “Of course we are, or else I would have divorced him ago!”

“Your father knows better than to bring those women home. If he did, I’ll... hehehe...” Sia chuckled coldly.

“Sein and I will definitely not end up like that,” Natalya shook her head and remarked firmly. She was still feeling hopeful about the future.

“Oooooooh?” Sia teased her playfully.

“So, what do you think I should do?” Natalya still ended up seeking advice from her mother.

“Ahem, I have an idea. Why don’t you try this...” Leaning in, Sia transmitted her voice through mental focus.

“Won’t that be dangerous?” Natalya looked up in alarm.

Sia explained, “It’s the danger that will prove your mettle. Have you forgotten how his attitude shifted when both of you were at Thunderfall World?”

“Trust me, I’m never wrong!” Sia urged, patting her daughter’s shoulder reassuringly.