Sovereign of the Ashes

Not long after Gwyneira took Sein in, she was summoned for an audience with her father.

The Huusian King had already heard about the recent incident. He found out from his subordinates that the starship Gwyneira had been aboard was actually functioning normally, and that it was the princess herself who had deactivated the shield.

When her father questioned her, Gwyneira explained that she had simply felt stifled, so she deactivated the shield to see the scenery outside.

But the moment she did, a federal vessel approached, and she immediately reactivated the shield.

The Huusian King had no idea what the Gallant Federation was doing in the nearby star domains. All he had received were stern warnings from the federation to stay on course and be ready for inspection at any time.

Still, as a man of considerable experience and insight, he sensed that something was amiss.

After leaving the Zeak Empire and entering the Gallant Federation’s territory, the Huusian King had, through various channels, pieced together the nature of the enemy his people would soon face.

In recent years, the Huusian King had grown increasingly despondent. Melancholy, even.

He was the only one feeling this way. Many in the upper echelons who knew the truth of this war shared the same unease.

The more they learned, the heavier their apprehension about the future became.

By contrast, the common Huusian folk carried on with their daily lives, unaware of the changes around them.

As for the Huusian warriors of Rank One through Rank Three, they continued training hard for the coming conflict.

To them, war was no different from the mercenary campaigns they had fought before. It was a chance to bring glory to their clan, gain fame, and earn greater wealth.

The Huusians had long lost their homeplane, but they remained a formidable tribe.

Having fought in countless interplanar wars as mercenaries, they were as seasoned as any fighting force could be.

The Huusian King, weighed down by his own worries, did not press his daughter about what had happened.

He only reminded Gwyneira not to neglect her training, especially the royal cultivation technique he had passed down to her.

The royal technique he had imparted to the sisters was not a combat skill. It was mainly focused on speed and agility.

In battle, such a technique could certainly grant them an edge. But its greatest strength, and most practical use, was escape!

The Huusian King had already begun preparing for the worst.

Just as the divination he received before deployment had foretold, it was hard to tell whether things would end well or badly.

One thing, however, was certain: misfortune loomed far larger than fortune, which offered only the faintest sliver of hope.

***

After leaving her father, Gwyneira returned to her ship and soon arrived at Sein’s quarters.

By now, Sein had transformed the space into a simple laboratory.

He believed there were certain things he could not fully hide from Gwyneira. In fact, revealing a little might even strengthen the trust between them.

Sein no longer went out of his way to act like he was a Bokrian. Though his appearance still resembled a Bokrian, many of his mannerisms and daily habits had shifted back to his true self.

Gwyneira finally realized what it was about Sein that attracted her.

It was his calm demeanor and the occasional flash of wisdom in his eyes that captivated her.

She had never been interested in crude, barbaric warriors. Sein’s refined qualities matched her ideal of a partner perfectly.

Of course, she had no idea that the man she adored had quietly placed a weak soul-binding spell on her.

When she entered the room, Sein was busy tinkering with the Faceless Mask.

As his strongest weapon, he needed to restore its energy and return it to peak condition as soon as possible.

Only with its full support could he confidently face a Rank Five creature.

Without it, his strength alone would barely be enough to contend with a late-stage or peak Rank Four being.

This journey into federation territory had also opened new doors for Sein, giving him fresh insights into profound principles and deeper truths.

He now had plenty of room for research and advancement. Even if he set aside other pursuits, the Azure Flame and the Magic Cube would keep him busy for a long while.

And in his view, these two paths were the most likely to yield the greatest short-term gains.

The Faceless Mask lay at the very center of the worktable. Its flat, white surface immediately caught Gwyneira’s eye, and she found herself glancing at it more than once.

Energy conduits and complex magic arrays ran across the table.

Unfamiliar with the Magus Civilization, Gwyneira did not recognize them as alchemy and magic arrays.

Even so, she watched Sein work, her gaze filled with admiration and affection.

The patterns on the table were far more complicated than the ancestral totems of her tribe. And immersed in the experiment, Sein radiated a unique aura and presence.

When she finally reached his side, Gwyneira did not interrupt. She simply stood quietly and observed.

She was far more sensible than Natalya.

Had it been Natalya, she probably would have rushed straight into Sein’s arms, even if he were still working on an experiment.

That was often the source of friction in marriages between mages and knights. Their outlooks and personalities were just too different.

Fortunately, Reina, though also a knight, had not picked up those bad habits.

Although she seemed rougher than Natalya on the outside, she was at times far more thoughtful.

“Too bad I can’t push the energy supply any higher. The magic array can only run at 23.71% power. Any more than that and it would attract unwanted attention. At this rate, it’ll take at least three months to replenish the elemental energy drained from the Faceless Mask,” Sein mused as he worked at the table.

Once he had set up the Faceless Mask, he turned his focus to repairing and crafting magic artifacts.

It was not until half the day had passed that Sein finally wrapped up his work. He turned and smiled at Gwyneira.

“Ah, you’re here.”

“Mhm. What were you working on? I don’t understand any of this,” Gwyneira asked, stepping closer.

Perhaps intentionally, Sein had been working to win her friendship. After all, his hope of returning to the Magus Civilization likely rested on this woman.

In recent days, he had begun showing signs of intimacy toward her.

For instance, his hand now rested quite naturally on her waist.

This made the Huusian princess’s face flush and her mind spin.

Gwyneira did not even hear Sein’s reply, and she probably no longer cared about the answer.”

Even after leaving his place, her thoughts remained hazy.

Sometimes, sweet words from the opposite sex proved more potent than any soul magic. This was something Sein had recently come to realize.

By the time Gwyneira left the lower deck and made her way to the starship’s mid-level training zone, her younger sister was already there waiting. She had just finished training but was still dressed in a black combat suit.

“You’re practically head over heels for that guy!” Gwyndira scolded. “I still don’t trust his identity. Wasn’t his name Bousse? So why are you calling him Sein now?”

“Huh? What did you say?” Gwyneira asked. She was too absent-minded to catch her younger sister’s words.

Gwyndira rolled her eyes in annoyance.

***

The Faceless Mask would take three months to fully recover its energy.

But barely a month later, two federal fleets intercepted the Huusians and demanded to inspect their vessels!