Sovereign of the Ashes

After finalizing the purchase of the space fortress at Capiche Business Alliance, the group was in no rush to depart.

Lorianne and Master Cipher even seized this opportunity to acquire several high-quality materials from the Alliance that would be essential for their ongoing experiments.

Sein also shopped a great deal at the alliance. He realized that the variety of magic ingredients and the plethora of magic artifacts available here far surpassed what was accessible through the divine towers.

Although Sein’s wealth had yet to reach seven or eight figures like Lorianne and other Rank Four or higher beings, he was certainly well-off among newly promoted Rank Two mages.

This allowed him to make purchases based on his interests and necessities.

During the last Verdant Leaf World War, Sein had crafted exceptional magic items as gifts for Leena, Natalya, and others.

This time in the Capiche Business Alliance, he purchased specific magic materials for Selina and Eileen.

He also chose gifts for the enslaved creatures who served him.

From a strategic standpoint, enhancing the combat abilities of Yuri, Azelia, and others also indirectly strengthened himself, given their special bonds.

After an extensive shopping spree—which included acquiring an elemental cannon that could be mounted on constructs for Yuri, and a priest’s codex for the fox maiden—Sein’s financial reserves were significantly depleted.

Of the thousands of magicoin he had, only about a thousand remained.

Most of them were spent on premium materials suitable for Rank Two mages and above.

Aware of his financial limits and wary of debt as he had no desire to take on any loans for now, Sein planned to conserve his remaining one thousand magicoins to cover his experimental needs for the next decade.

After this shopping spree, Sein felt a growing sense of urgency about the imminent war that the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring was preparing to launch against the low-level plane of Verdant Wilderness World.

“Seeking truths and powering up efficiently are indeed costly,” Sein reflected.

“The gifts I’m going to prepare for Selina and Eileen require a lot of materials, but I’ll be able to craft a few pieces of magic equipment for them once I return. Although I’ve managed to save a substantial amount on costs, the expenses are still significant,” he murmured with a sigh.

Sein’s predicament largely stemmed from his tendency to splurge on fine materials, a habit driven by the luxurious lifestyle he had grown accustomed to.

This was in stark contrast to most Rank Two mages in the Magus World, especially those who had only recently advanced.

Additionally, it was rare to encounter mages or knights as generous as Sein, particularly in terms of investing in their enslaved creatures.

War represented the quickest method for plundering resources and accumulating primitive capital.

Given this backdrop of civilization development, it was no surprise that the Magus World exhibited an aggressive and ambitious stance toward neighboring planes and star domains.

Perhaps the pressure from the Magus Civilization was so overwhelming that the Gallant Federation felt compelled to turn against its former ally, the Rosen Dynasty Civilization.

After all, in a universe where the strong dominated the weak, self-strengthening was the only way to avoid extinction.

This relentless drive had nothing to do with morality but survival and the fundamental interests of the Astral Realm.

Sein stood out among his peers not only because of his wealth but due to his proficiency in alchemy and apothecary.

In desperate times, he could always craft and sell magic equipment to earn magicoins.

However, Sein had rarely done something like that because he was not financially tight yet. He also felt that using his skills merely for profit was a waste of his time and efforts.

Master Morsidor and Zorro had progressed slowly in their pursuit of truths largely because they were too distracted by other matters.

Thus, Sein preferred to amass wealth by participating in interplanar wars—a method that not only filled his coffers but also expanded his horizons and allowed him to gather unusual interplanar materials.

His discoveries, such as the Thunder Body Tempering mystery from the Thunderfall World War and the Everburning Violet Flame mystery from the Verdant Leaf World War, were prime examples of this approach’s benefits.

Of course, Sein’s growing fascination with interplanar warfare could also be traced to his prolonged use of the Verdant Flame Body Tempering technique.

Unbeknownst to him, he was already walking a path similar to that of Feylis, Gregory, and Bernice—mages who appeared calm and wise, yet harbored a volatile, explosive force akin to molten lava within.

This fiery temperament was a hallmark of the Verdant Flame Faction, with Gregory being a particularly notorious example within the Magus World for his explosive temper.

***

After spending nearly two years at the Capiche Business Alliance, mainly assisting Lorianne with the acquisition of the “Verdant Spring Space Fortress”, the group finally embarked on their journey home.

During his time at the alliance, Sein gained significant exposure, largely thanks to Lorianne’s interactions with numerous high-ranking individuals—at least Rank Three grand mages or higher.

Lorianne frequently introduced Sein as her apprentice, enhancing his visibility among the elite.

This experience was a hidden gem for Sein, ensuring that his name would linger in the memories of these powerful mages for centuries to come, potentially paving the way for future collaborations.

Sein also discovered that his mentor, who often seemed engrossed in her scholarly pursuits, had quite an extensive network.

Beyond her peers like Master Zaka, she was well-connected with many figures in the Capiche Business Alliance.

During their interactions, those of Rank Four and above seldom acknowledged Sein’s existence, treating him as little more than a shadow.

He remained quietly observant, absorbing invaluable insights from the conversations of these formidable mages.

Perhaps this was Lorianne’s unique educational method...

On their journey back to Viridescent Land in the south, Lorianne and Sein first bid farewell to Master Cipher, who had been traveling with them.

Unlike Lorianne, Master Cipher had not invested in a space fortress, perhaps due to financial constraints or a lack of interest in expanding her influence through warfare.

Instead, she opted for several war airships and a prism fort from the Capiche Business Alliance.

Before parting, Master Cipher smiled at Lorianne and offered, ”If you encounter any difficulties in your upcoming low-level interplanar war, you can always seek my help.”

“Definitely,” Lorianne responded promptly, her tone unwavering.

Master Cipher’s parting smile was enigmatic. Although her face remained somewhat blurry to Sein, he sensed her gaze flickering briefly toward him, leaving him momentarily dazed.

When he regained his composure, Master Cipher had vanished.

“Come on, let’s head back!” Lorianne said, patting Sein’s shoulder.

Having secured the space fortress and completed the necessary arrangements, Lorianne was visibly more at ease.

Sometimes, happiness was attainable as long as one didn’t dwell too much on the burdens—like a looming ten million magicoin loan...