Sovereign of the Ashes

Sein’s room was situated in a luxurious, exclusive area on the top floor of the space fortress.

The full-fledged mages residing in this area were predominantly Rank Three grand mages.

In the Divine Tower of Verdant Flame, the number of these esteemed mages far surpassed those in the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, which had a less profound legacy.

The number of Rank Three mages from the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring participating in the war was fewer than ten, including the two deans.

In contrast, the Divine Tower of Verdant Flame boasted hundreds.

Among these were Lorianne’s two seniors and several fellow apprentices whom he had met during a recent faction gathering.

Privilege was a universal concept, even among the truth-seeking mages of the Magus World.

As the apprentice of a tower master, Sein received special treatment, exemplified by his residence among the quarters of the Rank Three grand mages.

Eileen, a full-fledged mage who entered the space fortress alongside Sein, also resided on the upper floors, but her quarters were situated several levels below Sein’s, and the amenities were not as luxurious.

Sein’s quarter was not only spacious but also well-equipped, featuring two laboratories, a meditation room, an incubation room, and a little storeroom.

Sev, the owl, came with Sein this time. As soon as they arrived in Sein’s quarters on the top floor, it flew into the incubation room and found a nest for itself.

Two large floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking view in front of Sein’s bed.

Standing before the expansive windows, Sein could see the distant outline of half the Magus World. Staff bustled about outside, some flying, others walking, all busy maintaining the starport and space fortress.

”So that’s the Magus World? Our Divine Tower of Verdant Spring should be located in the area to the south... Maybe around there?” Sein pondered aloud, his finger tracing toward a specific region in the vast panorama of the Magus World.

From their current vantage point, Sein was granted a comprehensive view of half the Magus World’s immense expanse.

Yet, he realized he still could not catch a glimpse of the Western Archipelago. Its remote location, combined with his current position, rendered it invisible.

Unless the orientation of the starport and space fortress changed, the extreme western region would remain beyond his line of sight.

As he gazed westward, Sein murmured to himself, “I wonder how Leena, Zorro, Faye, and the others are doing now.”

Even though the Western Archipelago was out of view, the location of the Boundless South Sea of the Magus World was discernible from the space fortress.

An expansive azure sea filled a large portion of his field of vision.

As he looked southward, he was reminded of Medich, the Rank Two Mage from the Divine Tower of Dawn, who had offered him considerable assistance. He was likely at the southern coast of the Magus World continent.

For Sein, viewing the Magus World from this stellar perspective for the first time was an exhilarating and curiosity-driven experience.

While continuously observing the near and distant vistas, a crystal ball appeared in Sein’s hand.

He began channeling his thoughts and discoveries into it, using this method as a way to record his life’s journey and truths.

Sein was engrossed in the unusual sights and discoveries unfolding before him when an untimely chime from a crystal ball communication interrupted his thoughts.

Eileen’s voice came from it, asking, “Hey Sein, want to have dinner together? By the way, where are you staying now? The Tower Master must have arranged a nice room for you, right?”

Although this call disrupted his process of recording and thoughts, Sein was not upset.

As his mentor Lorianne had mentioned, their journey to the Viridian Venom Flame World was still some time away, leaving plenty of opportunities to marvel at the starry sky’s splendor and vastness.

“I’m in Area 127 on the top floor. You can come find me,” Sein replied, his gaze still fixed on the horizon.

“I knew it! You’re really lucky! I’m in Area 766. All the Rank Three grand mages live up there with you, how could I, a lowly Rank One mage, dare to intrude? It’s better if you come down to find me,” Eileen replied, her tone tinged with a hint of envy.

“Fine.” Sein accepted Eileen’s invitation, thinking he had nothing else pressing to do.

Navigating the complexities of an interplanar war on one’s own was a daunting prospect.

Although Master Lorianne was a formidable Rank Four mage, she could not be expected to look after Sein constantly.

Ultimately, Sein knew he had to rely on himself.

Apart from Eileen, Sein considered reaching out to Master Jovian.

Despite Jovian’s reserved nature and lack of social skills, familiarity and camaraderie could be crucial in the unfamiliar interplanar war, potentially making the difference between life and death.

Additionally, Sein’s faction presented another valuable resource.

During a recent gathering, he had engaged in fruitful exchanges with Selphy on alchemy and found her company enjoyable. He could certainly seek to strengthen that connection.

In the grand scheme of an interplanar war, a single person’s power seemed insignificant.

For this conflict, several major divine towers had united, bringing nearly two hundred thousand full-fledged mages to the battlefield, not to mention the millions of enslaved creatures deployed by these towers.

Sein had no doubt about their collective capability to conquer the Viridian Venom Flame World.

However, a war of this magnitude was inevitably accompanied by significant casualties.

Even Lorianne could not assure his safety, especially considering the formidable Rank Five creature known as the Venom Flame Demon King.

Sein just hoped he would not end up being one of the unluckiest ones.

He hoped to return alive because he still had many unfinished endeavors and unfulfilled aspirations.

***

Although the space fortress was a massive war platform, it was impressively well-equipped with a range of facilities.

Beyond the lower levels designated for the legions of enslaved creatures, the upper levels, where the full-fledged mages resided, boasted amenities for dining, resting, and even entertainment.

Sein spent a considerable amount of time flying downward before he finally located the area where Eileen stayed, underscoring the immense scale of the fortress’ interior.

“I really envy you for living on the top floor of the space fortress. The view must be spectacular there, right? And I bet the living conditions are much better than mine, although mine isn’t bad either,” Eileen said as she stepped out of her room.

As Eileen emerged, Sein caught a glimpse of her quarters.

It was apparent that her quarter was somewhat smaller than his, lacking the multiple specialized rooms like those in his suite.

It seemed the standard residence for a Rank One mage included only a laboratory and a meditation room.

Nevertheless, compared to the accommodations of over a hundred thousand mages in the entire space fortress, the living quarters of Eileen and her peers from the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring were slightly superior to those from the Divine Tower of Verdant Flame at the same level.

This favorable difference was thanks to the goodwill of Master Andres, who also assisted Grandmaster Feylis in managing the space fortress.

“Come on, let’s grab something to eat. I’ll introduce you to a few of my friends,” Eileen suggested.