Sovereign of the Ashes

In addition to being an evil god, the Spider Queen appeared to be an expert in magic.

Sein could not decide whether to think of her as an evil god who followed the path of a mage, or a mage who had embraced a faith-based system.

Although his interactions with the Spider Queen had yielded little useful information about her background, Sein had pieced together enough to conclude that she was likely a native of the Magus World!

This would explain her ability to spread faith within the Magus World, as well as her immediate recognition of the wisp of Planar Light and Dragon’s Blessing within him.

For now, Sein lacked the strength to oppose her. Compliance with her orders was the safer route for self-preservation.

Sein had no illusions about benefiting from his association with the Spider Queen.

Her promise of a reward upon reaching Blackhaven was not something he placed any trust in.

Her willingness to sacrifice her devout followers in the Underworld without a second thought laid bare her true nature.

The Dragon’s Blessing within Sein’s body had likely been bestowed by Tourmaline when he left the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, and it was probably the source of the faint connection he felt to the dragon turtle.

When Sein returned to the Divine Tower of Dark Flame, the Spider Queen emerged from the silver spider ring.

In her hands was the mysterious stone slab that had been the source of the spatial fluctuations that caused dozens of divine towers and knightly orders across the northern Ylli Knight Alliance to mobilize tens of thousands of personnel to investigate the anomaly.

Now, a layer of silvery light coated the surface of the stone fragment, perfectly isolating its disruptive fluctuations.

The Spider Queen seemed to have found a way to conceal the slab’s abnormal effects.

The Spider Queen’s clone that materialized in Sein’s laboratory exuded only the strength of a Rank Two being.

Sein surmised that she deliberately limited her power to avoid drawing the attention of Dark Flame, the Rank Five mage who oversaw this territory.

While the Spider Queen’s main body might possess the power to rival or even crush Dark Flame, her current form was far from that.

Hence, she still required Sein’s assistance before the slab reached Blackhaven safely.

The Spider Queen used the equipment in Sein’s laboratory without his permission.

During her experimental tests, Sein observed that she operated the equipment with even greater expertise than he did.

Without using her divine power, Sein assessed that the Spider Queen possessed the foundational skills and knowledge of a Rank Five mage at the very least.

Being under the Spider Queen’s control during this period was not entirely a negative experience.

By observing her methods, Sein found his understanding of various concepts growing significantly, particularly in areas where he was relatively weak.

Her indirect guidance greatly enhanced his previously limited knowledge of necromancy and umbra elemental magic.

Beyond these two areas, Sein also discovered the Spider Queen’s remarkable expertise in array arts.

Her ability to manifest a clone with the strength of a Rank Four or higher being was clearly augmented by a powerful array.

As array arts happened to be one of Sein’s weaker subjects, he saw this as an invaluable opportunity to learn.

For a Rank Three grand mage and a divine tower academy dean like Sein, the higher he climbed, the more he realized how much more there was to learn.

However, the Spider Queen was far from a good teacher.

She lacked the patience to actively guide Sein and only shared her knowledge of necromancy, umbra elemental magic, and array arts when it was necessary for her experiments.

Sein’s current role was similar to that of a magic initiate—restricted to assisting with menial tasks in the laboratory.

Interestingly, when the Spider Queen learned of Sein’s hundred-year contract with the Divine Tower of Dark Flame, she did not pressure him to terminate it prematurely.

Instead, it appeared she intended for him to complete his term.

This revealed her calculated nature, ensuring Sein’s actions would not draw unnecessary suspicion.

After all, the timing of the stone slab’s return to her possession did not matter.

For now, Sein’s position and laboratory at the divine tower provided her with everything she needed to continue her research on the stone slab without hindrance.

In the brief moment that Sein was distracted, he found that the Spider Queen had already rearranged every piece of equipment in his laboratory.

Since the arrival of the Spider Queen, the atmosphere in Sein’s laboratory had undergone a dramatic transformation.

What was once neat and orderly had become more “practical” and “convenient”—or, in less flattering terms, outright chaotic!

The fox maiden had not cleaned his laboratory in two months—not because she was lazy, but because Sein had forbidden it.

As of now, the only people aware of the Spider Queen’s presence were Sein and Yuri, who had accompanied him to the underground.

Sein deliberately kept her identity a secret, knowing that the fewer people involved, the safer it was for everyone.

In a way, he was protecting them.

“What are you standing around for? Help me monitor the data anomalies in the spatial fluctuations!”

The Spider Queen, standing at the center of the laboratory with the stone slab in her hands, ordered sharply, raising an eyebrow at him.

Sein moved to the equipment table and began skillfully operating the devices. Yet, his curiosity got the better of him, and he could not resist stealing glances at the Spider Queen.

Her figure was stunning from any angle, exuding an air of perfection. But what truly intrigued Sein at this moment was the mysterious stone slab in her hands.

Even the Spider Queen, a being of immense power, seemed fascinated by the slab. It was only natural that Sein’s curiosity about the treasure grew stronger.

As he prepared the equipment, Sein asked casually, “Why not just send this stone slab to Blackhaven through teleportation? Why do I have to deliver it in person?”

The Spider Queen sneered and shot him a sharp look.

“You fool! With the spatial properties this stone slab holds, what kind of teleportation channel could possibly accommodate it? Besides, this stone slab is also imbued with the law of fate. I suspect it arrived in the Magus World by sheer chance, not through anyone’s deliberate actions.”

She rolled her eyes and asked, “Do you even understand what the law of fate is? In the entire Magus World, there are fewer than five world-class secret treasures that possess this type of law! If a treasure with such a rare attribute were to vanish in the chaotic time-space turbulence, where would I find another like it?”

“That sounds really impressive!” Sein said, his voice tinged with awe.