Sovereign of the Ashes

“You’ve got great stamina. I can’t bear to part with you,” Mary whispered.

“You’re headed north, aren’t you? Can I accompany you? While I may not be incredibly powerful, I can still be of use to you... especially during your lonely nights...”

After their intense session, Sein used the Cleanse spell to freshen up, removing the sweat and perfume that clung to his body.

He then leaned against the headboard, savoring the sense of contentment.

Despite his satisfaction, the constant chatter from the woman beside him, ever since she regained consciousness, dampened the moment.

Her name was Mary, an intermediate initiate.

After she removed her mask, Sein found her appearance fairly decent.

Thanks to her consistent skin care and perhaps her makeup routine, Mary looked a lot younger than her actual age.

However, in terms of allure, both Sein’s girlfriend, Leena, and his senior, Faye, surpassed Mary by far.

Regardless, Mary was merely a passing acquaintance in Sein’s life—an outlet for his needs after years of repressed desires.

To put it bluntly, Sein could not have even considered taking her had he not failed to control his urges after enduring for so long.

Taking Mary along his journey north was out of the question for Sein.

He was not interested in a companion, especially an incapable one. Their encounter was strictly a one-time deal.

Met with Sein’s silence, a look of disappointment flashed across Mary’s face.

Sein fished out an intermediate energy crystal from his clothes on the windowsill and handed it to Mary.

“This is your payment.”

Intermediate energy crystal was a rare treasure for Mary.

The scarcity of resources in the region had limited her fortune to just a few—no more than three.

Upon receiving the energy crystal, Mary’s expression quickly shifted from disappointment to joy.

She was convinced that this senior initiate with a mysterious background was indeed a generous man.

Overjoyed, Mary could not help but plant a kiss on Sein’s cheek, leaving a red lipstick mark.

While that marked the end of their transaction, Sein could not help but remind her, “Well... Don’t forget to clean that up.”

Of course, Sein was alluding to a certain white fluid.

As a black magic initiate who had dissected countless specimens, Sein was well-versed in human anatomy.

Even back in the Black Magic Academy, Leena and Faye made sure to take necessary measures after their sessions.

After all, that kind of environment was far from ideal for welcoming a new life.

Similarly, Sein had no interest in welcoming a bundle of joy with a woman from a one-night-stand. Since he had almost released inside her, he felt obligated to remind her.

Mary smiled at the reminder.

“Don’t worry. Pregnancy accelerates aging, and I’m not interested in raising an illegitimate child either. Besides, you don’t strike me as the responsible type,” she teased and playfully poked Sein in his chest.

Mary, despite her average looks, was easy-going and had a cheerful nature.

Although Sein was initially annoyed by her chattiness, he found himself developing a slightly positive feeling toward her after interacting with her.

After drinking a nutritional potion to replenish some of his stamina, Sein could not resist giving Mary’s rear a squeeze again.

His unexpected action sent a shiver through Mary’s body.

While Mary was impressed by his youthful vigor, she was already quite fatigued at this point.

A look of dismay painted her face as she asked, “You still haven’t had enough?!”

“Ahem, well... I’m leaving soon and I don’t know if we’ll meet again in the future. Let’s make one more memory together,” Sein replied.

Truth be told, Sein’s body was nearing its limit too.

Yet, desires were capricious emotions that surge unexpectedly. If Sein were with Leena, she would have surely stopped him and urged him to be mindful of his own physical condition.

After an extended period of solitude, Sein found it challenging to contain his impulses.

Aware that he was acting somewhat recklessly, he justified it as a small indulgence.

A mere two hours were nothing compared to the first time he had done it with Faye. It was so intense that Sein felt like he was drained to the core.

Mary, sensing that this might be Sein’s last round with her, endured the physical toll on her body.

Despite her fatigue and soreness, she summoned the strength to ask a question that had been on her mind all this time.

”You’re from the south, aren’t you?” she asked.

Mystralora City, even though underground, was indeed situated to the south of Berthold City.

Sein, in the midst of his movements, grunted affirmatively, sparking a peculiar gleam in Mary’s eyes.

As an intermediate initiate, she had longed for the prosperity and magnificence of the south.

***

On the eve of Sein’s departure from Berthold City, the city lord hosted a lavish farewell dinner.

In gratitude for the baron’s hospitality during Sein’s stay in his mansion, Sein discreetly presented him with a Lumen Ring as a token of appreciation.

The ring, a pitch-black iron piece, stuck out like a sore thumb amidst the dazzling jewels on the baron’s fingers.

Though aesthetically unappealing, it was a valuable basic magic item that Sein had casually crafted during his journey after leaving the underground.

In response to Sein’s gesture, the baron not only gave him a big hug but also a box filled with two thousand gold coins.

Although the baron intended to gift Sein a carriage and two servants, Sein politely declined.

He preferred traveling alone. Apart from the main roads near cities, the rough terrains on the journey to the north made a carriage less practical.

During the farewell dinner, Frank, holding a glass of red wine, approached Sein with a mischievous chuckle.

“Hehehe, the joys of youth! I see Mary is still in bed,” he teased.

Sein, looking slightly embarrassed, explained, “Yes, she’s still asleep and will be skipping the banquet.”

Frank was about to continue the banter but shook his head when he remembered an important matter he needed to discuss with Sein.

“I spent an entire day and night on the illustrations for the field guide you requested. They might look a bit rough due to the tight deadline, but the content is comprehensive. I hope it meets your expectations,” Frank said as he gestured for a female attendant to bring a thick leather book over.

“It’s no big deal.”

Sein, eager to review the contents, put down his wine glass and accepted the thick book before he began flipping through it.

The illustrations seemed to be a mix of Frank’s work and some obviously torn from other books.

Nevertheless, Sein did not mind as long as they served their purpose.

Each image was accompanied by descriptions and personal annotations from Frank.

“Here’s your payment,” Sein said as he handed an intermediate energy crystal to Frank.

Despite being in the midst of dinner, Sein continued to delve into the pages of the book.