Sovereign of the Ashes

“I’m here on Lady Thea’s order to arrest this man for impersonating the earl! John, do you intend to defy the countess’ directive?” the red-armored knight asked, pointing his longsword at Old John with a sense of justice.

The squires from the Zephyr Kingdom behind him had their longswords drawn too.

“The countess’ directive? This is the Cercis Castle within the Grantt Territory! Regardless of the situation, the earl himself will be the one delivering judgment! How dare you stand in my way, you insolent brat?” Old John thundered.

Despite his age, Old John retained the formidable presence reminiscent of his prime when clad in a sturdy steel chainmail.

Being called an “insolent brat” by Old John caused a vein to throb visibly on the red-armored knight’s temple.

Despite his strength as a senior squire, he had not only received knighthood but also a hereditary title in Zephyr Kingdom.

On the contrary, despite Old John’s years of devoted service to Earl Grantt, he was bestowed only with knighthood, placing him a rank lower than the red-armored knight.

“You old fool, I’ve found you an eyesore since long ago. I might have had reservations in the past, but not anymore! Look at how feeble you’ve become! An old man like you is fit only for guarding city gates—prepare for your demise!” the red-armored knight roared, his longsword bathed in the scarlet glow of his battle qi.

Senior squires could externalize his battle qi way better than ordinary intermediate squires, granting them extended reach and enhanced endurance in combat.

In national conflicts, a senior squire was definitely a force to be reckoned with, capable of leading a cavalry group through enemy lines.

Over the years of war between the three human nations—the Zephyr Kingdom, the Lysian Alliance, and the Ohrque Empire—the highest-ranking individuals to fall in battle were the senior squires.

The red-armored knight charged toward Old John and the carriage, the sharp battle qi from his longsword leaving a deep crack in the white stone floor.

Facing the impending attack, Old John merely lowered his body and maintained a steady stance, akin to an immovable mountain.

Despite his waning strength, Old John’s battle-tested experience outweighed the vigor of the red-armored knight.

Realizing the odds were against him, especially with a dozen squires supporting his red-armored opponent, Old John strategically sought to exploit gaps in the impending assault.

Simultaneously, as the red-armored knight advanced against Old John, the other knights within the Earl Grantt’s Territory, initially gathered around Old John, repositioned to intercept the red-armored knight and his comrades from the Zephyr Kingdom.

Old John was right—this was Cercis Castle, the integral part of the Grantt Territory.

Regardless of the circumstances, the earl’s authority held sway over all, surpassing even the countess.

Besides, the Lysian Alliance had a history of skirmishes with the neighboring nations.

Despite occasional cooperation, knights from the earl’s territory often found themselves unaligned with those from the Zephyr Kingdom.

Regnar, the leader of the knights in this castle, respected Old John and recognized him as an aide of the earl.

He had astutely pieced together the puzzle, surmising the mysterious guest in the carriage and understanding Lady Thea’s call for an arrest to be tied to some noble matter.

In any case, any final decision should be left to Earl Grantt upon his return.

Skurvayne City was not too far from the Grantt Territory. Considering the earl’s remarks before his departure, it was plausible that he had wrapped up his conference and was on his way back to the castle.

With news of the young master’s return to the Grantt Territory, Regnar foresaw the earl hastening back to the castle.

Regnar’s immediate concern was maintaining peace between the conflicting factions and preventing potential casualties.

Earlier, he had strategically positioned his men in between the two factions with the intention of halting the carriage, aiming to prevent a confrontation.

Contrary to expectations, the first to act against the red-armored knight and his comrades from the Zephyr Kingdom was neither Old John, who had adopted a defensive stance, nor Regnar who had his sword drawn and ready to intervene.

Surprisingly, it was Sein within the carriage!

The echoes of his swift incantation and the surging elemental energy instilled a sense of unease among the guards within the castle.

These knights, battle-hardened elites in the service of Earl Grantt, had experienced the brutalities of war firsthand.

While knights who could harness the power of battle qi excelled in close-quarters combat, the efficiency of magic in reaping life was undeniable.

Senior squire, using all their strength to slay a hundred foes, would inevitably exhaust their stamina and battle qi.

In stark contrast, mages faced no such limitations!

A senior magic initiate, with strategic positioning and precise timing, could easily inflict hundreds of casualties.

Under normal circumstances, the focus and mana levels of a standard senior initiate allowed them to unleash two to three highly destructive area of effect spells with significant coverage.

On top of that, magic spells always gave off an air of mystique and formidable power.

In the Lysian Military, the benefits an intermediate initiate received rivaled those of a senior squire.

Not only that, mages only had to unleash devastating spells from a protected vantage point while the knights fought on the front lines.

Sein’s chosen magic, the Pyro Blade, the only advanced magic spell Sein had mastered.

Unlike ranged magic, Pyro Blade focused on a single, devastating strike.

An azure-hued blade materialized in the air, radiating an ominous heat that unsettled the onlookers.

Clad in armor devoid of defensive enchantments, even senior squires, shielded by battle qi, would find it no trivial matter to withstand the fiery assault.

The red-armored knight, lacking defensive magic items, was ill-equipped for such an onslaught.

Theoretically, only a full-fledged knight could rival a mage.

This was because only a Rank One and above knight possessed the ability to externalize and condense battle qi into protective shields, allowing them to withstand the onslaught of magic.

In reality, by the time the knights could condense battle qi into shields for defense, they often found it insufficient when facing mages who could employ an even broader array of techniques, along with an assortment of magic equipment and potions crafted through alchemy.

In essence, the disparity between a knight and a mage stemmed from the more sophisticated and intricate nature of the mage’s profession.