Sovereign of the Ashes

As the suggestion left the Huusian King’s lips, Gwyneira’s pink skin turned even rosier.

Ever since she had first brought Sein to meet him, the king had been well aware of his daughter’s feelings.

Though he suspected Sein might be using Gwyneira, the king felt that this was the better choice.

The bird-headed humanoids of the Zeak Empire had such peculiar tastes that their sense of beauty clashed completely with the Huusians’.

Even if the Huusian King had wanted to arrange a marriage for his daughter, he doubted any Zeak noble of equal rank would find her appealing.

At the same time, he did not wish to go against his daughter’s will.

As for the Gallant Federation, the Huusian King had met very few of its beings face-to-face, even after all this time.

Most of their dealings were conducted through electronic screens.

The Gallant Federation’s creatures were inherently frail, and its leaders distrusted alien races too much to meet them physically.

By contrast, Magus World humans and Huusians looked strikingly similar.

Beyond a few minor anatomical differences, the most noticeable distinction was skin tone.

Even when Sein shed his Bokrian disguise and revealed his true self, Gwyneira felt no disappointment.

The conflicted look on her face earlier came not from his appearance, but from realizing that much of what he had told her had been lies, and that the bond between them might have been deliberate rather than “destined”.

Still, with Sein revealed as a Rank Four mage of the Magus Civilization, marrying him would be a step up for Gwyneira, even as a Huusian princess.

The Huusian King studied Sein in silence.

If the Magus Civilization could not show even this small gesture of sincerity, then he would have to seriously consider whether to lead his people in turning against both the Zeak Empire and the Gallant Federation.

The Huusian King was no fool. When he made this decision, he had already prepared for the worst-case scenario.

What if the Magus Civilization turned out to be nothing more than another world that devoured others whole?

By offering his daughter to a Rank Four mage, the Huusian King hoped it would at least give her, and perhaps a small part of their tribe, a faint chance at survival.

Such was the tragedy of the weak!

Fortunately, in all of Magus Civilization’s history, no plane had ever stooped to sending its own kind away in diplomatic marriages.

In the Huusian King’s eyes, things would be perfect if his daughter could unite with a Rank Four Magus World powerhouse like Sein and even bear him an heir.

However, the truth was that the two of them were not in a relationship yet. At least, the king could tell that his daughter was still untouched.

The king’s response left Sein struggling for words.

Despite all his experience in planar negotiations and his years spent exploring the mysteries of truth, the contrast between the refined social structures of Magus World and the Huusians’ life as a wandering tribe in the Astral Realm made it hard for him to keep up with the king’s train of thought.

Perhaps their outlooks on life and ways of thinking were worlds apart!

Sein did not believe a marriage could really guarantee the Huusians’ safety or bring them lasting benefit.

Yet from the Huusian King’s perspective, it seemed like the only card left to play.

Sein’s official wife was Natalya, while the one who had that special spot in his heart was Leena.

And then there were the other women who had been by his side for many years. Each of them also had a place in his heart.

By now, Sein had grown into someone completely different from a black mage. Even his slaves, like Yuri and Azelia, had been treated with kindness over the years, and he had come to care for them genuinely.

Faced with the king’s urgent push for commitment, Sein could only say, “But I already have wives in Magus World...”

It was not unusual for the powerful to have multiple spouses. Most civilizations across the Astral Realm had developed that way.

In fact, it was almost a necessity for their evolution.

Even the Huusian King himself had many consorts. Gwyneira and her sister’s mother had been his queen before she passed away.

The fact that Gwyneira would never become Sein’s primary wife left the Huusian King feeling regretful.

Nevertheless, the Huusian King believed that becoming the wife of a Rank Four Magus World powerhouse like Sein was still a prestige.

Besides, all the king wanted was a promise and a guarantee.

He made it clear that if a formal contract with the Magus World was to be signed, it had to include a clause obligating Sein to marry Gwyneira.

As their conversation continued, Sein gradually understood the significance behind this condition.

The king did not insist on a genuine relationship between Sein and Gwyneira. He only demanded that his daughter be named Sein’s wife.

This arrangement would not only give their tribe a sense of security but also help the king convince the other Huusians, especially the Rank Fours.

After all, some Huusians might refuse to join the Magus Alliance!

Seeing Sein start to yield, the king pressed his advantage and said bluntly, “Why not take Gwyndira as your wife too? I have only these two daughters. By giving them both to you, the future of the Huusians will be bound to yours, Mage Sein. Surely you would not betray us, right?”

As expected, old foxes were the shrewdest.

Sein had gone out of his way to show concern for the Huusians and even offered them plenty of benefits. Now the king was returning the gesture with a “grand gift”.

Self-interest was human nature. Even Sein could not deny that.

If he really accepted both Huusian princesses, then by the king’s line of succession, this interstellar nomadic tribe would essentially become his private army.

Even if he did not care about others, he still had to think of himself. Could he really let the Magus Alliance waste such a remarkable force as mere cannon fodder?

In such a short time, the king had already made all these moves and calculations, forcing Sein to take him seriously.

To be honest, Sein was tempted.

The only one truly blindsided by this negotiation was Gwyndira.

Up until now, she had just been watching quietly, even feeling happy that her older sister was finally getting her wish to be married.

But how had she suddenly been dragged into this?

Before Gwyndira could say anything, Sein, who had already sorted his thoughts and wanted to avoid dragging the talks out, nodded firmly.

“Very well,” he said. “I agree to your demand.”