Sovereign of the Ashes

The creation of ranked magic artifacts was not only costly in terms of materials, which alone could amount to at least ten magicoins, but it also required a skilled maker to minimize raw material wastage and avoid experimental mishaps.

For example, the Caldesia Shield that Zorro sold to the gray-armored knight cost about twelve magicoins in materials alone. Considering the labor costs, selling it for only twenty-four magicoins meant that Zorro did not make much profit.

Since Zorro was under the protection of Martin, he was obligated to share a portion of his profits with him.

Sein, also an alchemist, would never sell the magic items he crafted at low prices after investing so much effort.

To him, time was money.

Therefore, he would not engage in such “less profitable” business ventures as Zorro, who did not account for the cost of labor and time.

This highlights a difference in character between Master Morsidor’s two apprentices.

Zorro engaged in such transactions to build connections in Blackhaven, aiming to avenge his mentor’s death in the future.

Everyone had their own way of navigating life, and Zorro’s approach, while seemingly unprofitable, could be seen as a strategic investment.

If he could establish and maintain stable connections within Blackhaven, especially with the black knights on the west side, he might find a way to exact vengeance.

Compared to the typically more cunning black mages, the black knights were generally more reliable, especially in certain situations.

If Zorro could accumulate sufficient resources and build strong relationships, he might eventually convince a Rank Three black knight to avenge his mentor’s death.

The black mages, being insidious and cunning, were less reliable. Martin, for instance, was primarily interested in Zorro’s alchemical talents and might not be genuinely inclined to help him.

On the other hand, black knights, driven mainly by monetary gain, might be more willing to undertake such a one-time task.

However, it would take years for Zorro to gather sufficient resources to hire a powerful black knight for this mission.

The intelligence of a spellcaster should never be underestimated.

What Zorro invested today could yield substantial profits in the long run.

Sein, however, did not want to bide his time like Zorro.

Confident in his own strength, Sein was now ready to avenge Master Morsidor.

Noticing this determination in Sein’s eyes, Zorro nodded and said, “Then I’ll take you to Dean Martin now.”

With Sein and Leena in tow, Zorro flew toward Martin’s magic tower in the black market.

Casting a glance at Leena beside Sein, Zorro carefully chose his words and shared, “Seventeen years ago, Faye told me that she had been promoted to full-fledged mage.”

This naturally was cause for celebration; Faye’s advancement to Rank One was a significant milestone.

Sein’s former mentor was indeed a responsible and skillful mage.

Apart from his fallen apprentices, all the remaining three in his faction had achieved Rank One—a rate of success rare even in the divine tower academy.

Leena had known about the relationship between Sein and Faye since the very beginning.

Over the twenty years of exploring the Knight Continent, Sein had sporadically shared his experiences with Leena, including the other women he had bedded.

Leena was remarkably understanding about Sein’s relationships with other women because she could feel that she held a special place in his heart.

Besides, given her identity as a black mage, she believed she would remain in the background of Sein’s life for a very long time.

She cared deeply for Sein’s wellbeing and did not mind him having a few women to satisfy his needs.

She was confident that she alone would be Sein’s wife, secure in the knowledge that no one could rival her position.

Her certainty stemmed from her profound love for Sein, which had grown into unwavering trust.

“It’s great news that Faye has been promoted to Rank One. I’ve promised to take her to the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring in the future,” Sein commented, nodding.

Since Faye had only recently achieved Rank One, she was not yet wanted by any divine towers or orders of the knights.

Logically, she had a high chance of clearing her name.

“Over ten years ago, Faye wanted to come to the public waters, but I dissuaded her through a magic letter. Having just become a full-fledged mage, she should stabilize her powers rather than wander around,” Zorro explained.

Sein acknowledged this with a nod of understanding.

Martin’s residence was located in a small magic tower north of the black market.

This market, perched on an unclaimed rocky outcrop, had been transformed by black mages into a bustling hub, with Martin as one of its largest shareholders.

The arrival of Zorro and Sein did not surprise Martin; he likely had been informed of Sein’s emergence by other black mages.

Despite using an Aura Restraint spell to mask his aura, Martin noted some changes in Sein as soon as they met.

In just twenty years, Sein’s focus level had nearly tripled, reaching the peak of Rank One mages.

Considering Sein’s verdant flame body and the Verdant Flame Heart Rod, he was confident enough to face Rank Two mages.

Martin gave Sein a thoughtful look but chose not to probe deeper. Instead, he greeted Leena, who stood beside Sein, with a warm smile.

While Sein’s aura was unusual, Martin was more interested in Leena, not because she matched Sein’s life level, but because of the black tower badge pinned on her robe and the rumored interest the Black Tower Master of Cinderbones had shown in her.

“Both of you are alumni of the Black Magic Academy in Mystralora City. I hope you’ll visit us more often,” Martin said with a smile.

Sein had not signed any magic contracts with Martin, but now that he was with Leena, Martin assumed that Sein would be accompanying her to the Black Tower of Cinderbones.

This was a reasonable assumption given Sein’s age and his mastery of alchemy. With his Rank One life level and Leena’s personal recommendation, joining the Black Tower of Cinderbones would likely not be an issue for him.

Sein was considering whether he should beat around the bush but Leena spoke bluntly to Martin.

“Sein wants to avenge Master Morsidor, and I heard that Dean Martin has already agreed to intercede on his behalf with another Rank Three black mage named Gandra?”

Gandra was the backing of Daelis. If Sein wished to confront Daelis, he would need to bypass this significant obstacle.

Since Daelis was one of Gandra’s most profitable subordinates, any action against her would require Gandra’s permission.

With Rank Four powerhouses rarely appearing, Rank Three black mages represented the most commonly seen power in Blackhaven.

Leena did not consider leveraging the might of the Black Tower of Cinderbones for now. If Martin could initiate support on Sein’s behalf, their plans would proceed much more smoothly.