Sovereign of the Ashes

Sein turned and saw a young man with gray hair.

This was a relatively pure-blooded Federation human. Not everyone at the auction was; in fact, the crowd was made up of all sorts of creatures.

Besides Sein, a native of the Zeak Empire, there were plenty of other exotic beings.

He even spotted an elemental being that was like a brown, slime-like creature.

Creatures of the Zeak Empire had birdlike heads on human bodies. From the perspective of either federal citizens or Magus World humans, they were not exactly appealing to look at.

Even so, the gray-haired young man did not seem the least bit bothered by Sein’s “ugliness”.

He greeted him warmly and introduced himself as Jeremy Doescher, a businessman in the logistics industry.

The Doeschers were well-known in the Gallant Federation.

The family was said to control nearly thirty percent of the federation’s long-distance logistics industry.

Among the federation’s top hundred conglomerates, the 97th—Doescher Aerospace Transports—was directly under their control.

Given both the last name and the man’s business, Sein, who had already spent some time in the federation, quickly connected the dots.

Jeremy did not openly admit to being part of the famous Doeschers, but Sein was sure of it.

It was not just his surname that gave him away. His life level was Rank Two, about the same as Sein’s, and behind him stood a pair of humanoid robots—one male and one female.

They were his bodyguards, no doubt, though their fighting ability did not interest Sein nearly as much as their appearance.

Both of them were literally angels, each with a pair of immaculate metallic wings!

Sein had read about the angels before, back in Sky City’s library, but those descendants of the Radiant Celestials were supposed to have long since disappeared from the surrounding star domains.

The fact that Jeremy Doescher owned these angel robots meant that those creatures must have visited the Gallant Federation in the past.

Sein did not bother hiding his surprise. His eyes were drawn almost entirely to the female angel robot.

Although the Zeaks had birdlike heads, feathered patches across their bodies, and other avian traits, they still found female angels especially pleasing to the eye.

So, Sein’s reaction was the expected response of anyone from the Zeak Empire seeing a female angel for the very first time.

After a long pause, Sein finally snapped out of it. He gave Jeremy Doescher an apologetic look and said, “That’d be wonderful. I’d be happy to pay you for the service, Mr. Doescher.”

“And are they your bodyguards?” Sein’s eyes shifted to the two angel robots standing behind him.

“It’s an offer for a friend worth befriending, not a service. There’s no need to pay me. You can just call me Jeremy, Lord Prisenne,” the young man said with a smile.

He then spread his hands and explained proudly, “And yes, those two are indeed my bodyguards, produced by the renowned Icarus Group in the federation. They specialize in producing these angel-type robots.”

“It seems that you’re especially interested in my Linda Mark II, Lord Prisenne. I can give her to you,” Jeremy offered generously.

A female angel robot capable of serving as the bodyguard of a Rank Two lifeform, like Jeremy Doescher, had to pack formidable combat power and carry an exorbitant price tag.

Since Jeremy had been overly attentive from the very start, Sein did not believe he was being charitable for no reason.

He accepted Jeremy’s kindness without hesitation and got straight to the point.

“Thank you, my friend. I commend your generosity. Is there anything I can do for you in return, Jeremy? Taking without giving back is not the way of the Zeaks. We’re always ready to help our friends.”

The Federation humans often preferred a roundabout way of talking among themselves, but when it came to dealing with people from other star domains, straightforwardness was usually the safer approach.

Jeremy Doescher had seen his share of business dealings and collaborations across star domains. He was clearly no stranger to directness and did not mind Sein’s bluntness in the least.

“Well, I have just expanded my business into the Golet Province in the Zeak Empire, but we’ve run into some misunderstandings with several noble families there. I believe this conflict calls for a few friends to help mediate,” Jeremy explained.

With a smile, he asked, “Would you be willing to assist me with this? I’ve also contacted other friends from the Zeak Empire, so you won’t need to act alone. Just participate alongside them.”

The Zeak Empire, as a large-sized civilization, still operated under an ancient imperial system.

Practices that other civilizations might consider outdated or even unacceptable were still commonplace there.

The Magus Civilization, by contrast, functioned more like an alliance.

Though it had plenty of empires on its homeplane, its rules and regulations were built to apply fairly across the board.

From the rules governing the divine towers and the knightly orders to the guardians and the Magus Alliance itself, a Rank Four mage was guaranteed the same rights as a Rank One.

Within the Magus World, even Rank Four beings and above could not arbitrarily trample on the rights of Rank Ones.

That system of order was clearly far more advanced than the rigid, outdated, and insular ways of the Zeak Empire.

For Jeremy, having a few noble intermediaries on his side would indeed be a great help.

There were plenty of Zeak Empire nobles scattered throughout the Gallant Federation. Sein was not the only one Jeremy had approached. Meeting him at the auction was simply a stroke of luck.

As for giving away his angel bodyguard, Jeremy did not see it as much of a loss. If he could befriend Sein, he had more than enough ways to make back the investment many times over.

Sure enough, Sein said, “The Golet Province? I can try to step in and mediate for you, but my family is not based there, so my influence may be limited.”

“If you’re willing, I suggest growing your business in the Dyca Province. My family is based there, and we have some sway in that star domain too. If you set up your operations there, I’ll make sure to lend you a hand,” he offered.

Jeremy’s smile broadened. He nodded and replied, “Alright. I’ll definitely reach out to you if I ever expand into the Dyca Province.”

With business matters set aside, the two new friends drifted into lighter conversation.

“She’s truly gorgeous. Which company did you say made her again, Jeremy?” Sein asked, pointing to the female angel robot.

“Icarus Group. They specialize in angel-type models. Aside from producing domestic robots, they also have deep partnerships with the military. In fact, my bodyguards are built with military-grade tech,” Jeremy explained.

He then pushed the angel robot toward Sein and transferred her ownership with a few configurations. “Well, she’s yours now. Feel free to give her a new name.”

Sein reached out with his bird claw and grabbed her chest, kneading as he murmured in awe, “It feels just like the real thing. I can’t even tell it’s a robot.”

“Do you have ways to get more of these, Jeremy?” Sein asked, drooling slightly. “I would like to buy a few more.”