Sovereign of the Ashes

Over two years had passed since the end of the Lysian Alliance’s border war with neighboring nations.

During this period of peace, there seemed to be no imminent signs of renewed conflict, and several nearby human nations were in a celebratory and recovery phase.

Sein surmised that the return of all Rank One and above knights to the homeplane might have also contributed to this joyous atmosphere.

As Sein approached Grantt Castle, his formidable focus level as a full-fledged mage immediately detected the presence of three powerful beings within the castle, each with a strength of Rank One or above.

At the same time, Sein made no effort to conceal his own energy fluctuations.

Shortly afterward, a formidable magic beast appeared before him. It was a seven-meter-long winged lion with a unicorn horn.

“This is House Grantt’s territory. State your business, full-fledged mage...” the lion spoke in human speech.

Before Sein could respond, the lion paused, sniffing the air.

Shock appeared on its lion-like face, which was surprisingly human in its expression. “Wait, you carry the bloodline of House Grantt?”

“Yes, I am Sein Grantt,” Sein replied calmly.

The appearance of this large magic beast did not seem to alarm the townsfolk below. They appeared accustomed to its presence in the skies above the Grantt Territory.

The lion fell silent for a moment upon hearing Sein’s response.

Then, in a dramatically loud voice, it called out to the castle below, “Come out, Sterk! Your great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson has returned, and he’s a Rank One mage!”

The theatrical antics of the magic beast made the corner of Sein’s lip twitch.

However, what caught his attention more was the lion’s aura, which was far more potent than his own.

It was a super-ranked magic beast with a Rank Two life level!

***

In Grantt Castle, an awkward silence permeated the air.

Sein stood at the entrance of the hall, accompanied by Sev and his cousin, Selina.

Selina was clearly unaccustomed to such settings as she looked rather shy and uncomfortable.

Sev, mirroring Sein’s typical aloof demeanor, seemed composed at first glance.

However, a closer observation revealed a slight twitch in one of its tail feathers from time to time.

This subtle sign of unease in Sev was due to the presence of the magic beast that had returned to the castle. Now lounging leisurely on a cushion, the lion’s azure-colored eyes, reminiscent of precious sapphires, occasionally fixed on Sev, displaying a curious interest.

Facing Sein in the hall were four men, all silent. Among them, Sein did not recognize the two seated in the middle.

The one with the most powerful presence had rare blue hair, and the super-ranked magic beast was lounging at his feet.

The other man, a blond, radiated the aura of a Rank One knight.

He bore a resemblance to Earl Grantt, and to a lesser extent, Sein, though the generational gap made the similarity less pronounced. Beyond their shared blond hair, their features differed significantly.

Besides the two unfamiliar men, the other two in the hall were Sein’s father, Earl Grantt, and his younger brother, Solon.

Solon was probably thirty-one this year. He had grown a beard, just like Earl Grantt, making him appear older than Sein.

Sein’s recent promotion to full-fledged mage had rejuvenated him to his physical prime despite nearing the age of forty.

Furthermore, the Planar Light had induced subtle changes within him.

Among the present men, Sein had the youngest appearance.

Unlike Earl Grantt and the others, who exuded the ruggedness typical of knights, Sein’s demeanor leaned more toward the refined and composed nature of a mage, setting him apart from the rest within the grand hall.

“Ahem, Sein, didn’t you write a few years ago that you had just become a Quasi Mage? How are you now a...” Earl Grantt was the first to break the silence with his question.

“I completed my breakthrough after participating in the Regional Inter-Divine Tower Academy War,” Sein explained.

“My current mentor is Master Lorianne, the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring’s tower master,” he announced.

While Earl Grantt might not have been fully aware of the specifics of the Regional Inter-Divine Tower Academy War, the two elder members of House Grantt beside him undoubtedly understood its significance.

However, it was Sein’s mention of Master Lorianne that elicited a more profound shock among those present.

Even the blue-haired man, who initially regarded Sein with admiration, was visibly taken aback.

The hall fell into silence again, broken only by the super-ranked magic beast a few moments later.

“Your mentor is a divine tower master? Holy shit!” the lion exclaimed.

The lion’s outburst jolted everyone back to the moment.

“With a great divine tower master as your mentor, it’s no surprise you’ve been promoted to a Rank One mage in just a few years,” the blue-haired man said with a nod, attributing Sein’s rapid progress to his apprenticeship under Lorianne.

Sein chose not to elaborate further.

The man with blond hair smiled and nodded approvingly.

“Impressive. With this, House Grantt now has three Rank One or higher beings. That’s an achievement worth celebrating! If Kelman also breaks through to Rank One, that’ll be four!” he exclaimed.

Kelman, Sein’s father, was seldom referred to by his first name.

“Looks like we can hold a grand feast tonight. Come, Sein, let me introduce you to these two grandfathers of yours,” Earl Grantt said happily.

As Sein’s father, he felt nothing but pride in his son’s achievement, even if it meant Sein had surpassed him in terms of strength and life level.

Earl Grantt then introduced the blue-haired man as Julius Grantt, the founder of House Grantt and a formidable Rank Two Land Knight.

The super-ranked magic beast lion, known as Samson, served as Julius’ mount.

Julius was the one who named the lion, and the two had been partners on battlefields for thousands of years.

The blond man present was Earl Grantt’s great-grandfather, making him three generations senior to Sein.

His name was Jeremy Grantt, a Rank One knight.

Among the two ancestors of House Grantt, Jeremy, as a Rank One Knight, shared a closer bond with Earl Grantt.

This was likely because Earl Grantt had been personally trained in battle qi by Jeremy during his youth.

Earl Grantt further revealed that House Grantt’s lineage also boasted another Rank One knight.

Unfortunately, that ancestor had fallen in an interplanar war. It was a loss that continued to be a source of deep sorrow for House Grantt.