Sovereign of the Ashes

Selina prepared a lavish dinner that night.

While Sein knew his way well in the kitchen, his culinary skills were still slightly inferior to Selina’s.

The girl had dedicated a lot of effort and time into mastering various recipes from a young age.

Sein had initially offered to assist Selina with the cooking, but she declined, insisting on preparing his welcome-back meal herself.

Yielding to Selina’s insistence, Sein returned to his work in the warehouse. It was not until an hour later, when Selina called out to him from outside, that he paused.

Her call evoked nostalgic memories, transporting Sein back to a time over a decade ago, when she would call him for dinner from outside his laboratory just like this.

Arriving on the 702nd floor of the divine tower, Sein was greeted by a table full of delicious food.

Selina had definitely invested a lot of time in improving her culinary skills during Sein’s absence, as evidenced by the array of colorful and novel dishes laid out before him.

Appreciating Selina’s efforts, Sein retrieved a golden space ring from his robe.

It was a space ring he crafted himself, but the true value lay in its contents.

“I’ve brought you some presents from the Viridian Venom Flame World. You can check them out after dinner,” Sein offered warmly.

The space ring held a variety of resource ores and specimens from the Viridian Venom Flame World.

The path Selina had chosen herself in the realm of magic was very similar to Sein. They both mainly harnessed the pyro and lumen elemental energies, and were alchemists.

For Selina, who was still a magic initiate, these gifts from Sein were nothing short of a treasure trove.

Sein did not have access to such a diverse collection of otherworldly specimens when he was still a magic initiate.

He believed that those and the pyro-attribute ores could significantly advance her alchemical pursuits.

Accepting the golden ring from Sein, Selina’s cheeks flushed with emotion.

At the age of thirty-three, Selina had grown into a graceful and mature-looking lady.

During Sein’s absence from the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring Academy, a number of male initiates had expressed their admiration for Selina, only to be met with her indifferent rejection.

To the outsiders, Selina appeared as a reserved, aloof female magic initiate.

Protected by Sein’s formidable reputation and the backing of several Quasi Mages Sein had befriended during his time as a magic initiate, Selina was untouchable within the academy.

Living in the divine tower all year round, her background and origins were beyond the imagination of ordinary magic initiates.

Yet, it was only in Sein’s presence that Selina shed her aloof facade, transforming into a girl who craved approval and acknowledgement.

After several compliments on her cooking, Sein inquired about Selina’s progress in recent years over their dinner.

Selina had become Quasi Mage two years prior, at the age of thirty-one, marking her progression as notably swift within the academy.

This rapid advancement was not due to her talent, but largely the resources Sein had left for her and the superior experimental facilities at her disposal on the top floors of the divine tower.

Moreover, her hands-on experience with Sein’s experiments had been invaluable learning opportunities.

However, Selina’s growth had notably decelerated since becoming a Quasi Mage.

The stagnation was not just in her mana and focus levels, but also in her lack of a clear path forward.

“I had hoped to explore the mysteries of higher truths by studying the most powerful spells available to an initiate, or perhaps even a ranked magic spell. However, over the last six months, my progress has been minimal. Surprisingly, I’ve found more success in exploring the simpler enigmas of magic,” she replied.

“Which magic spell did you pick?” Sein asked.

“Scalding Ray,” Selina replied.

Scalding Ray was one of the most powerful spells that magic initiates could master. It was also an enhanced version of the Scorching Ray, an intermediate magic spell.

Theoretically, Selina had made a good choice in picking a powerful spell for her research. Yet not everyone possessed Sein’s unique blend of talent and circumstance.

“The construction of a tower hinges on the strength of its foundation. Despite my advancement to Rank One, I’ve increasingly realized my shortcomings in basic magical knowledge over the years,” Sein admitted.

“It seems you might be encountering a similar challenge. For now, set aside your work on the Scalding Ray spell and devote some time to reinforcing your foundational knowledge,” he suggested.

“I’ll compile a list of essential magic books for you. I’ve read them during my days as a magic initiate, they should serve you well,” Sein offered as he skillfully cut out a piece of meat from the roast before him.

“All right,” Selina heeded his advice.

Her interest was piqued not just by the content of the books, but by the fact that Sein had once poured over them himself.

Sein’s mastery of the Solar Eye spell as a magic initiate, his possession of a Solar Eye and his swift rise to a phenomenal initiate was no mere coincidence.

It was the culmination of countless hours spent in study and experiments, a dedication to learning that was unmatched within the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring Academy.

Yet, Sein acknowledged a growing awareness of his own limitations and gaps in knowledge after being promoted to Rank One.

The more he read, the more he understood, and the more acutely aware he became of his own limitations and ignorance.

Conversely, mages who believed they had unraveled the mysteries of magic upon reaching Rank One, and became intoxicated with their newfound power, were bound to witness a decline in their capacity and potential for further advancement.

Such blindness and arrogance were profoundly detrimental to any mage, embodying the true essence of “ignorance”.

For a mage renowned for their pursuit of knowledge and truth to be branded as “ignorant” would be both a dreadful and inconceivable outcome.

Taking a sip of the fruit juice Selina had prepared, savoring its familiar sweetness, Sein outlined the study plan he had envisioned for her.

Selina, in turn, felt a profound sense of relief and security in Sein’s guidance.

To the world, she might appear as a cold and aloof magic initiate, but in truth, Selina yearned for nothing more than finding solace and protection within Sein’s embrace.

She was not a strong-minded mage that everyone perceived her to be.

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