Sovereign of the Ashes

As a weak magic initiate, Marie’s constitution was far inferior to that of a full-fledged mage like Eileen.

She was likely even weaker than Selina.

At least Selina’s body had gradually adapted to Sein over the years, unlike Marie, who was still a first-timer in this respect.

The crimson red that stained the bed served as undeniable evidence of Marie’s purity.

After tempering his body with the verdant flame, Sein’s constitution was nearly on par with a knight.

Sein had barely started enjoying himself when Marie came for the third time, leaving her lying limply on the bed.

Given Sein’s profound understanding of human anatomy, he knew that proceeding further could be detrimental to Marie so he reluctantly ceased his actions.

Nevertheless, he was shocked by how sensitive Marie was.

Marie, far from a clueless woman, knew that Sein was not satisfied yet and was probably feeling blue-balled.

Unfortunately, Marie had reached her limit. She leaned against him breathlessly for what seemed an eternity before quietly suggesting, “Why don’t... you try going behind me...?”

“Behind?” Sein was a little puzzled initially but quickly understood what Marie was implying.

He drew a deep breath.

Among the women Sein had encountered, only Faye had ever made such a suggestion to him.

Neither Eileen, Leena nor Selina had given Sein this experience.

Even Faye had only attempted it once with Sein before, and he had only complied because she had insisted, likely out of curiosity.

However, Faye never made another request after that one experience, which left her bedridden for two days afterward.

Apart from shock, a hint of impulsiveness also surged within Sein at that moment.

Sein was certain that his appetite had never been this voracious before. The sudden urge he experienced now was likely a side effect of his body being tempered by the verdant flame.

As one’s physique developed, inevitable hormonal changes would occur within the body.

As someone who had received acknowledgment from a Rank One black mage for his understanding of human anatomy while in Mystralora City, Sein naturally had a clear grasp of the changes occurring in his own body.

Sein saw no reason to decline Marie’s suggestion.

It appeared that Marie’s experiences as a black magic initiate had provided her with “quite a bit of knowledge” in this aspect.

Sein was not surprised though, knowing that Marie’s senior sisters back at the Black Magic Academy had been described by Faye as “playful” and “adventurous” according to Faye.

The fact that Marie could retain her purity amidst the influences surrounding her was indeed commendable.

Knowledge alone was inconsequential, but applying it effectively, as Marie did with Sein, proved its value.

Eventually, Marie lay utterly spent in Sein’s embrace.

A burst of hydro elemental energy formed a ball of warm water that cleansed their bodies.

Although Sein was not entirely satisfied, he managed to find release once during their session, which helped to clear his head.

The comforting power of the warm water filled Sein and Marie with a sense of appreciation for the present moment.

However, the room was messier now.

Marie had been quite loud earlier. Fortunately, Sein reacted quickly enough to cast a soundproofing spell.

Whether her initial scream reached other female initiates in the dormitory remained a question.

“I’m sorry for my poor stamina. I should have taken with me a body-strengthening potion beforehand,” Marie apologized as she nuzzled her head against Sein’s chest.

Sein, however, reassured her with a gentle shake of his head, “No need, this was perfect as it was. Besides, a body-strengthening potion might have adverse side effects for a magic initiate.”

Body-strengthening potions, typically concocted by mages for knights, were intermediate-grade concoctions designed to enhance constitution and muscle strength.

These potions could fortify the muscles and toughen the skin of knights, making them a valuable aid.

However, such potions held little value for magic initiates.

A tough physical body could only impede a mage’s ability to cast spells and handle delicate magic spices.

Finding comfort in Sein’s reassurance, Marie nestled closer to him.

She had always loved this man and wished to remain by his side into the future.

Beyond their intimate session, Sein and Marie also conversed in bed.

Sein asked Marie about her preparations for her promotion to a full-fledged mage, to which Marie responded affirmatively.

She would begin attempting to break through once her focus and mana reached 98 points.

As the apprentice to an apothecary, Marie possessed considerable knowledge in the field and had ample resources for potion-making at her disposal.

Sein shared his experiences and breakthroughs in reaching Rank One, understanding that while each mage’s journey was unique, his insights could still offer Marie a few perspectives.

Master Monroe, Marie’s current mentor, was not particularly good at mentoring her apprentices.

Aside from being provided ample magic potions, Marie found herself largely dependent on her own efforts in other endeavors.

While Sein shared insights from his advancement to a Rank One mage, he also engaged in discussions about apothecary with Marie.

Despite being a Rank One mage, Sein’s understanding of apothecary paled in comparison to Marie’s decades of focused study in the field.

Although Sein might not directly utilize the insights Marie shared, as a full-fledged mage, he could fully appreciate the apothecary knowledge Marie brought to their conversation.

His broad perspective, extensive reading, and diverse interests enabled him to draw connections and utilize the insights shared by Marie effectively.

Sometimes, the conversation between mages could be really boring.

While mages occasionally hosted balls or gatherings, their conversations often circled back to their studies.

Marie and Sein spent the latter half of the night talking to each other. As the first hints of dawn began to light the distant sky, Marie suddenly embraced Sein once more.

“Can we do it one more time?” Marie whispered.

“But your body...” Sein hesitated.

“It’s fine, I’ve already recovered after using a few potions. You’ll visit me again in the future, right?” Marie asked.

“Of course, but only if you manage to become a full-fledged mage,” Sein replied.

“I’m confident that I’ll be able to become one. If you don’t come to me, I’ll find you at the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring,” Marie said with a chuckle, knowing that Sein was a registered mage there.

Sein nodded. He was also very confident that Marie could be promoted to a Rank One mage.

Given her status as a top initiate at the Divine Tower of Dawn and her innate talent, her chances of becoming a full-fledged mage were indeed promising, perhaps even surpassing Selina’s.

Marie understood Sein well enough to know he was not one to make promises lightly.

This realization left her in a considerably happier mood.

However, physical discomfort could not be easily dispelled, particularly in inherently delicate areas.

Yet, the pain did nothing to deter Marie. She bit her lip gently, then launched herself at Sein once more.

Marie was much more assertive this time, perhaps motivated by their impending separation.