Sovereign of the Ashes

Upon Sein’s return to the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, the first group of mages to depart from the Viridian Venom Flame World had already arrived.

Given the smaller number of mages from the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring and the preferential treatment Lorianne received from her seniors, all the mages from her divine tower managed to join the first three fleets of space fortresses returning to the Magus World.

The return of nearly two hundred full-fledged mages injected life into the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring again.

Under normal circumstances, it was rare to see so many full-fledged mages within the divine tower academy.

In the recent two months, magic initiates had not only witnessed the presence of numerous high-ranking mages, but those with certain connections within the academy also gained access to an abundance of lower-tier materials and specimens from the Viridian Venom Flame World, including specimens of pyro elemental creatures below Rank One.

The victory in the Viridian Venom Flame World had benefited the participating divine towers and all war mages, extending even to the magic initiates at the lower echelons of these towers.

This explained the strong desire among many to affiliate with a divine tower, especially the more prestigious ones, as the resources and insights available greatly exceeded what smaller mage councils could offer.

Accustomed to the resources from the Viridian Venom Flame World, Sein largely steered clear of the last two months’ excitement within the tower, opting instead for brief interactions with a few mages he had met during the interplanar war.

In contrast, Selina took advantage of this period to explore the commercial area frequently, seeking out novelties.

While Sein had returned with a huge collection of spoils, they were modest compared to the collective haul amassed by the divine tower mages, given that he had not explored at least two-thirds of the Viridian Venom Flame World.

Therefore, Selina’s descriptions of what she observed in the commercial area, shared over dinner, also sparked Sein’s interest.

She mentioned about a mage selling an unusual batch of pyro elemental creature cubs that had become quite popular,

Many magic initiates, eager to satisfy their curiosity about otherworldly planes, were willing to spend a small fortune to acquire a pyro elemental creature as a pet.

The mage selling pyro elemental creature cubs claimed that those creatures would be as powerful as an intermediate-level magic beast once fully matured.

Selina was initially keen on raising one but later decided against it, concerned it might bother Sein.

Furthermore, keeping a pet could distract her from her studies, and she would also need to allocate resources for its upkeep.

Besides, the significantly different environmental conditions between the Magus World and the Viridian Venom Flame World raised doubts about the creatures’ ability to adapt, with the risk they might not survive beyond a year or two.

At the dinner table, Sein remarked, “That guy’s really smart.”

He recalled a knight he met upon his arrival at the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, who sold otherworldly humanoid creatures.

What the mage did was not much different from that knight.

Both of them had merely spent some time collecting weaker otherworldly creatures to bring back to the Magus World for big profit.

Sein also realized that it was quite easy to tempt magic initiates and female mages to spend their magicoins.

Noticing Selina’s interest in keeping a pyro elemental creature pet, Sein revealed, “I’ve actually brought back some living specimens from the Viridian Venom Flame World.”

“They won’t arrive in the Magus World for a few more months. When they do, you can choose one. It’s a gift to you,” he offered.

“Thanks, Sein,” Selina responded with a sweet smile.

Sein set aside his juice after dinner and asked, “Can you assist me with a small experiment tonight. I’ll review your recent studies and homework after that.”

“Sure,” Selina replied. Her cheeks flushed, perhaps at the thought of having her progress reviewed.

***

After returning to the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, Sein made time to visit Daniel and Anna.

Daniel was now a Rank One mage residing on the 13th floor of the divine tower. That made him Sein’s peer now.

With his recent promotion, Daniel appeared markedly more youthful.

They reminisced about their experiences from the regional academy war and made a promise to travel together in the future.

Sein gifted Daniel two pyro elemental creature specimens from the Viridian Venom Flame World. In return, Daniel offered Sein two vials of Laurent Water as gifts.

Laurent Water was a highly sought-after potion among magic initiates aspiring to ascend to Rank One, often beyond the reach of mere financial means.

As the apprentice of a divine tower master, Sein naturally did not lack such potions.

Understanding Daniel’s wish to pass the two potions to Selina, Sein graciously accepted them without objection.

Mages often adhered to the principle of equivalent exchange, as excessive sentimentality were deemed inappropriate. Besides, exchanging gifts of nearly equal value served as a means to strengthen connections among them.

After visiting Daniel, Sein headed over to find Anna.

As a full-fledged mage, Sein could not simply visit Anna without a good reason, given she was a magic initiate and not his peer.

Hence, he justified his visit with the intention of meeting Empyrean, the dean of the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring Academy.

Empyrean was among the first of the divine tower mages to return. He welcomed Sein to his residence, along with his wife, Lady Seraphine, and their apprentices, Anna included.

Sein's connection to Empyrean went back to their collaborative effort against the Red Bladed Lizard King in the Viridian Venom Flame World.

Despite Sein’s modest role as a Rank One mage in that battle, the shared experience served as an excellent icebreaker.

Dean Empyrean likely extended his hospitality to Sein partly because of his status as the tower master's apprentice, while Sein saw it as an opportunity to reconnect with Anna.

Coming from a wealthy family, Anna was well-regarded by her mentor.

After failing to advance as a full-fledged mage, the once confident and lively female magic initiate had grown more reflective.

When Sein encouraged Anna to keep striving, she smiled and assured him, “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely catch up to you and Daniel and become a Rank One mage!”

Anna stood out among her peers for her exceptional potential and talent.

Her previous failure was largely due to impatience. With adequate preparation and patience, her prospects for success were significantly brighter.

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