Sovereign of the Ashes

Sein, now traveling alone, made no real effort to conceal the presence of the Spider Queen in the days that followed.

Perhaps due to her origins as a native creature of the Magus World, the Spider Queen seemed entirely unbothered by revealing her presence in this world.

In fact, save for Rank Four or higher powerhouses, most knights and mages could not discern that the woman in a flowing silver dress often seen at Sein’s side was actually a divine clone.

The Spider Queen’s appearance was nothing short of breathtaking.

Her pure, ethereal appearance left everyone who saw her utterly mesmerized—even Sein had been momentarily stunned upon their first meeting.

Her presence during his travels often drew admirers and curious onlookers.

Sein could not help but note that knights in the Magus World—especially the men—were notoriously flirtatious.

Even Wilson, Sein’s father-in-law and a Sky Knight with an otherwise upright reputation, had a rather complicated private life.

Over the centuries, Sein had encountered his fair share of beautiful women, but it was safe to say that even a knight squire likely had more conquests than he did.

Unlike knights, Sein was a mage dedicated to pursuing the mysteries of truths, lacking their drive for reproduction.

More than ninety percent of his energy had been devoted to magic experiments throughout his life, leaving less than ten percent for personal indulgences—usually spent unwinding with Natalya and a few other female companions.

Yet, even with just that fraction, Sein’s well-tempered body had left Natalya thoroughly exhausted on many occasions.

As for the more delicate female mages he had been involved with, they found his stamina overwhelming.

Since parting ways with Natalya and Reina, Sein’s only outlet for his pent-up energy was Yuri.

Although the Spider Queen possessed a constitution that could easily surpass anyone’s, every time Sein caught her teasing gaze or the cold amusement that lingered in her eyes, any spark of desire he might have felt was extinguished immediately.

The Spider Queen seemed to take great pleasure in teasing him, often dangling outlandish promises just to see his reaction.

One evening, as they sat by a campfire, she suddenly told him with a smirk that if he completed her mission and returned to the Western Archipelago, she would gift him a Dark Elf Queen for his pleasure.

“Dark Elf?” Sein scoffed, rolling his eyes as he poked the campfire with a stick. “I’ve only ever heard of Night Elves.”

The Spider Queen, who seemed to dislike fire, stayed a fair distance from the campfire.

Under the pale moonlight, she looked even more stunning.

“Night Elves believe in the God of Elves, while Dark Elves worship me,” the Spider Queen explained, her tone calm yet proud.

“Dark Elves were indeed transformed from Night Elves through the Ritual of the Fall. They are my most devout followers,” she added.

Sein could not help but think to himself, “So what if they’re devout? They’re still discarded at your whim. And gifting me a Dark Elf Queen? Aren’t elf queens usually demigod-level beings... so this Dark Elf Queen is...”

Of course, he kept such thoughts to himself.

However, the Spider Queen, with her ability to read his surface thoughts, heard his internal grumblings.

Under the moonlight, she smiled faintly and said, “You’re right. Dark Elf Queens are indeed demigods. There aren’t many of them under my command. Offering you one already demonstrates my sincerity and the high regard I have for you.”

Her tone shifted slightly as she added, “Isn’t it about time you started your journey to Blackhaven?”

Sein chuckled dryly, then said, “I’ve just left the Divine Tower of Dark Flame. Heading straight to Blackhaven in the Western Archipelago would easily raise suspicion.”

“I’ve told everyone I’m traveling for personal growth. How about letting me visit a few places first? I’ve always wanted to see Sky City,” he added smoothly.

His reasoning was sound, and the Spider Queen seemed to consider it carefully. Though a slight frown graced her elegant features, she nodded in agreement and refrained from pressing him further.

In truth, even the Spider Queen knew this was not the best time for Sein to head to Blackhaven.

A century ago, her divine servants had clashed with the knights and mages of the Ylli Knight Alliance in the Underworld.

The brief but bloody conflict had likely interfered with the Ylli Knight Alliance’s mission to investigate the anomalous spatial fluctuations in the region.

While other forces in the Magus World might show deference to the Spider Queen and the elders who supported her, the Ylli Knight Alliance was an exception.

After all, the Ylli Knight Alliance was renowned as the Magus World’s most prominent force against black mages and black knights.

Every year, more than eighty percent of black mages and black knights apprehended in the Magus World were directly or indirectly linked to the Ylli Knight Alliance.

The recent underground upheaval in the northern Ylli Knight Alliance was considerable.

There was already significant pressure weighing on the Spider Queen, though Sein remained oblivious to it due to his lower life level.

Even if Sein were to travel to the Western Archipelago now, the Spider Queen would not let him meet her in Blackhaven just yet.

Allowing him to appear there would only paint a target on her back, and she did not wish to be banished from the Magus World.

Fortunately for her, she had managed the situation fairly well this time. No knights or mages from the Ylli Knight Alliance had perished during the conflict—only the expendable dark creatures and demihumans under her command.

Given these circumstances, the Spider Queen expected nothing more than a few reprimands at most.

As a Rank Six creature in the Magus World, the Spider Queen possessed both connections and channels to access high-level information.

For nearly ten millennia, tensions had simmered between the Magus Civilization and another top-tier power, the Gallant Federation.

This rivalry was no secret, especially after a recent clash between the two civilizations in a medium-sized star domain.

A large-scale confrontation between the Magus Civilization and the Gallant Federation seemed inevitable and fast approaching.

Despite Blackhaven’s reputation as a scourge within the Magus World, its black mages and black knights were unmatched when it came to countering technological civilizations.

Whether it was the deadly epidemic virus engineered by black mages or the ability of black knights to infiltrate and wreak havoc behind enemy lines, Blackhaven’s forces were far more suited to this type of warfare than the knights and mages trained by standard divine towers and knightly orders.

Blackhaven’s harsh and resource-scarce environment had also driven necromancy to unparalleled heights.

Nearly every black tower academy in Blackhaven maintained its own underground catacombs, ensuring a steady supply of undead resources.

Even the Marmett Union Alliance, home to the largest concentration of necromancers in the Magus World and two overmages who excelled in necromancy, could not rival Blackhaven’s expertise in forbidden spells like the “Deadly Calamity”.

When war with the Gallant Federation finally erupted, the Magus Civilization would almost certainly call on Blackhaven to deploy its forces.

The Spider Queen’s recent restraint was not merely due to past reprimands from the Summer Guardian.

Rather, it was a calculated move. She intended to position herself and her forces to reap significant benefits from the inevitable conflict against the Gallant Federation.