Sovereign of the Ashes

Knock, knock, knock!

The gentle knocks at the door jolted Sein from his thoughts.

It was Selina, reminding him that dinner was ready.

Since the academy war had only recently concluded, Sein had yet to resume his intensive study of complex magical theories.

Knowing this, Selina did not have to worry about distracting Sein either.

Sein, being human, needed to relax and unwind, particularly after the extended stress of the nearly two-year regional academy war.

During this time, his main diversion had been dissecting and analyzing the properties of shadow creatures, turning them into research specimens.

This activity was investigative and stimulating, yet not excessively demanding, offering a sense of discovery and novelty.

For Sein, the exploration of magic knowledge and truth was far from dull. Contrary to what novices might believe, he found it deeply engaging.

With his work on the current specimens complete, he left the two shadow fragments squirming inside the display frame, and made his way downstairs.”

The delicious aroma of food greeted him, inexplicably lifting his spirits.

Selina’s culinary skills were improving steadily, much to Sein’s delight.

At his place at the table, a glass of oddly blue-colored juice awaited him.

This fruit juice, known for aiding mages in meditation, had become a staple at their table since the end of the regional academy war.

Selina, too, had basked in Sein’s success, earning a substantial number of points in the war.

Rather than spending them frivolously, she prudently exchanged most of them for intermediate and advanced energy crystals.

The unusually lavish dinner passed quickly amidst the quiet conversation between Sein and Selina.

Sev was also an important presence during dinnertime.

Sein’s recently acquired status in the academy came with numerous perks, from which Sev also benefited. Among them was the high-quality magic beast meat that Sev was currently feasting on.

Furthermore, Sein also planned to concoct special magic beast potions to expedite Sev’s growth.

Finishing his blue fruit juice in a single gulp, Sein informed Selina of his plan to visit the academy’s exchange hall and library.

A faint noise drifted in from outside Sein’s dormitory, causing his brows to knit together in mild annoyance.

This was not a new occurrence. Following the conclusion of the Regional Inter-Divine Tower Academy War, Sein’s once peaceful and secluded home had gradually turned into a bustling center of activity.

The location of his home had become known to an increasing number of initiates, particularly the intermediate and junior initiates.

They harbored no ill intentions. Rather, it stemmed from curiosity and admiration. They often passed by, hoping to catch a glimpse of a phenomenal initiate.

Nevertheless, their presence brought a steady stream of disturbances to Sein.

Thankfully, the soundproofing and anti-interference features of Sein’s laboratory were exceptional.

Otherwise, he often thought he might have lost his temper and scattered these weaker initiates with a burst of explosive fireballs.

“The academy’s enrollment period is about to commence. Mentor suggested moving to her quarters at the top of the divine tower...” Sein recalled.

“I bet this place will only get busier with the influx of new initiates. That reminds me, Grimm has already relocated to live with his mentor on the 662nd floor of the divine tower. Daniel and Anna had also always stayed with their mentor instead of the initiates’ dormitory. Perhaps I should also consider moving to the top floor of the divine tower...” he thought.

Living with a mentor could certainly accelerate an apprentice’s progress in their journey to unravel the mysteries of truth.

Mentors often required the assistance of their apprentices in various magic experiments inside their laboratory too.

These daily experiments would subtly impart deeper and more intricate knowledge of magic elements to the apprentices.

This clearly demonstrated the indispensable role of mentorship in the profession of a spellcaster.

Having a mentor alleviated the challenges of solitary learning and minimized missteps in the intricate path of magic.

Initially, Sein harbored reservations about revealing his secrets.

However, since Master Lorianne was already aware of his past, there was no need for him to continue hiding it.

His lingering concern now lay elsewhere...

He turned his head around, looking at Selina who was tidying up the dining table.

“I suppose I’ll wait until the enrollment period ends. Master Lorianne isn’t pressing for me to join her just yet,” Sein thought, sighing softly to himself.

Stepping out of his dormitory, he found a group of intermediate and junior initiates gathered outside.

Their chatter ceased abruptly upon spotting Sein emerging from his house, replaced by a more intense admiration in their eyes.

Ignoring the initiates whose presence disturbed his tranquility, Sein kept his usual stoic expression and strode toward the exchange hall.

His departure reignited the buzzing conversations among them. This time, their excitement seemed heightened.

“Did you see that? Senior Sein just glanced in my direction!” a freckled female junior initiate with short blonde hair squealed, barely able to contain her excitement.

***

Located in the northwestern part of the academy, the exchange hall stood adjacent to the quest hall and in close proximity to the towering divine tower.

The primary function of the exchange hall was to distribute rewards for quests and to facilitate the exchange of energy crystals and magicoins.

With the conclusion of the regional academy war, the exchange hall had seen a surge in activity.

Every day, a large number of initiates visited, redeeming the points accrued in their divine tower badges for essential resources.

Every few days, the academy regularly restocked the diverse resources in the exchange hall.

This consistent replenishment led Sein to contemplate the immense wealth of the divine tower.

From his perspective, the extent of its resources seemed boundless.

Surveying the vast array of resources and rare items in the exchange hall, Sein found it challenging to gauge the wealth of his new mentor.

As an individual with an exceptional score of over 200,000 points, Sein did not use the regular exchange counters on the first or second floors.

Instead, he navigated through a side passage, arriving at a secluded room on the third floor.

His visit today was prompted by advance notice of an imminent delivery of exceptionally rare items to the exchange hall.