Sovereign of the Ashes

Sein did not mind the fox maiden erasing the soul seal from Thunder Beast’s brow.

Though he had lost direct control over Thunder Beast, the soul seal on the fox maiden remained intact.

Recently, Sein had gained new insights into the matter of the erased soul seal during one of his interplanar communications with Leena.

Erasing the soul seal was actually a way to prioritize where the soul truly belonged.

Evidently, the basic soul war song sung by billions of priests in the Beastmen World could bind souls more effectively than the Mirage’s Almanac of Souls, which Sein had purchased for a substantial amount of Arcane points.

In essence, the soul war song was a more powerful tool for soul control than the almanac.

Though the soul contract made with Thunder Beast placed fox maiden ostensibly on equal footing with her counterpart, the reality was different.

Apart from ordering it to commit suicide, the fox maiden could make Thunder Beast do anything else, including attacking the native creatures of Thunderfall World!

This near-coercive means of soul command reflected the inequality of their seemingly equal contract.

Intrigued by the Beastmen World from which the fox maiden hailed, Sein contemplated visiting this large world next time, if opportunity allowed.

Since establishing a soul contract with Thunder Beast, the fox maiden appeared to have developed a strong bond with it.

In fact, the Thunder Beast had also become significantly more powerful after bonding with her compared to when it was with Sein!

Of course, the fox maiden would not force Thunder Beast to act against its will. She had also been feeding it with a lot of good stuff she got from Sein as rewards.

“I get along well with Aragorn. It’s a good kid and is willing to continue powering your lab, Master,” Azelia responded carefully.

Aragorn was the name she had picked for Thunder Beast, after a legendary hero from the annals of Beastmen World history.

In addition to worshipping the gods, the Beastmen clan also revered their ancestors.

If it was a deceased ancestor who had not ascended to the altar of the gods, many beastmen would adopt the names of these forebears, aspiring to reach the same heights.

However, for those who had ascended to Rank Four and became Beast Gods, no one dared risk offending them by using their real names.

Sein nodded, finding himself increasingly impressed by the fox maiden.

House Jobbs of the East Coast had indeed given him a great gift.

Yet, Sein had not utilized her as House Jobbs intended, primarily because his heart was already committed elsewhere.

Additionally, Sein had been preoccupied recently while maintaining occasional contact with Leena.

After respectfully responding to Sein’s inquiries, the fox maiden timidly met his gaze, then bowed, signaling her intention to depart.

Sein detested interruptions during his experiments, especially from those uninvolved.

However, he did not let her leave just yet but instead pointed at the accessories she wore on her tail, asking, “This ornament seems important to you; does it have any special significance?”

After engaging in tedious experiments, Sein craved a bit of diversion and initiated some light conversation.

The fox maiden initially wore the string of red beads around her wrist as a bracelet, but Sein suggested she wear it at the base of her tail, remarking that it would look better there. Indeed, this adjustment made her tail look more appealing.

“It’s a gift from my grandmother,” the fox maiden replied softly.

Sein recalled that she had been sold into slavery in the Magus World and likely missed her family.

“Do you wish to return home? Back to the Beastmen World?” he asked.

The fox maiden shook her head first, then nodded hesitantly.

Intrigued, Sein asked why.

“My parents, grandparents, and other relatives have passed away. I was raised in the temple but life was hard there. However, I remember having some distant relatives in the village. I would like to visit them if possible,” she replied.

Sein nodded and said, “I will take you back to the Beastmen World when the opportunity presents itself.”

”Thank you, Master!” Azelia exclaimed joyfully.

She quickly exited the laboratory, skipping perhaps in gratitude for Sein’s kindness.

Sein smiled as she left; she was still a child at heart.

Although Leena was petite in her teenage form, she possessed a more mature demeanor that belied her youthful exterior.

“Why are you so kind to Azelia, Master? Is it because she’s pretty?” Yuri asked after the fox maiden left.

Yuri was usually quiet when assisting Sein with body tempering experiments, so her question caught Sein off-guard.

He stared at Yuri until she averted her gaze, her cheeks tinged with red.

“I’m merely showing the appropriate concern of a master for his servant,” he replied.

“Are you feeling homesick too? I’m not sure if the war in Neisse Star Domain has concluded, but if the opportunity arises, I’ll bring you there for a trip too,” Sein added.

The mention of “home” brought a distant look to Yuri’s eyes.

But it was Sein’s next comment that made Yuri glance back shyly.

“And it’s not just her. I think you’re quite pretty, too.”

Sein was not particularly concerned with outward appearances, yet it so happened that none of the female slaves who served him could be considered unattractive.

“Focus on the experiment!” Sein reminded Yuri, noticing her distraction.

***

Sein had not been in the laboratory long before Natalya called him.

Since the woman had rescued him previously, they exchanged contact details with each other after that.

Typically, Sein’s laboratory blocked most external communications.

However, Natalya reached out to Sein’s father, and it was through Kelman’s badge that she managed to contact Sein.

Naturally, Sein was not pleased to be interrupted during his experiments.

However, Natalya insisted she had something important for him and wanted to introduce him to a friend.

Considering her words, Sein decided to meet her.

Before leaving the laboratory, Sein grabbed Gould’s armor and sword that had been repaired.

“Brother, I can handle Natalya but not the other one!”

Gould, clutching his newly repaired weapon and armor, could not help but exclaim as he learned of Sein’s next destination.

Despite his complaints, Gould was nice enough to accompany Sein.

Natalya had chosen the gravity training room within the space fortress as their meeting place.