Sovereign of the Ashes

Chapter 468: Old Acquaintances

At the beginning of the journey, Sein flew close to Zorro.

They were from the same faction and harbored only very few secrets from each other. Besides, Sein had already confided half of his own to Zorro.

Since Sein was an unfamiliar face and Zorro’s junior, others naturally assumed he was just another recently promoted Rank One black mage.

Given Zorro’s lack of combat prowess, it made sense for the pair to stick close together to look out for each other.

Their mutual support was a rare sight in Blackhaven and sent a clear message—meddling with them was a bad idea.

Even without the formidable presence of Lady Jeanne, no full-fledged mage would likely risk provoking two black mages of equal standing without a good cause.

Mid-flight, Liliana, who had previously only exchanged brief pleasantries, approached them of her own accord.

She sought Sein, having heard of his impressive defeat of Bhabaluka.

Although rumors suggested Sein’s victory was aided by the powers of his magic beast, in Blackhaven, strength reigned supreme—the source of power was irrelevant.

In this region, respect was reserved for only the mightiest.

Once a popular figure at the Black Magic Academy in Mystralora City, Liliana now maintained a low profile. Nevertheless, her mentor’s reputation alone ensured she was still highly regarded.

Noticing Liliana’s intention to converse with Sein, Zorro tactfully moved away to afford them some privacy.

Zorro knew about his junior’s relationships with both Leena and Faye at the Black Magic Academy, leading him to mistakenly assume that Liliana was another of Sein’s past conquests.

Given the circumstances, Zorro felt it inappropriate to remain nearby.

However, his assumption was incorrect; Sein had never been romantically involved with Liliana.

Even Sein was perplexed by Liliana’s sudden approach.

Liliana made no comment about Zorro’s departure.

Once she ensured they were unobserved, she communicated telepathically with Sein. “I heard you have a ranked magic beast in the form of a gray-feathered owl. Why didn’t you bring it along?”

The gray-feathered owl, of the same species as Sev, was kept by Martin in large numbers.

“It’s unwell, so I’ve left it to rest in a dimensional bag[1],” Sein replied.

Liliana nodded understandingly without pressing further, likely surmising that Sev might have been injured during Sein’s recent battle with Bhabaluka.

After a pause, she continued, her tone tinged with surprise, “I didn’t realize you had been promoted to Rank One and managed to breed a ranked magic beast like the gray-feathered owl.”

“You must have been through a lot after escaping Gloomhaven, right?” she asked.

Sein maintained his silence in response to Liliana’s probing.

He had previously told Martin that after he escaped from Gloomhaven, he ventured to the southern coast, where he dedicated over thirty years to refining his skills before finally achieving Rank One.

After his promotion to Rank One, he promptly traveled to the Western Archipelago to reunite with his seniors.

He admitted that Sev was one of the owls he had rescued from the academy, and it had also subsequently elevated to a ranked magic beast during their time on the southern coast.

Sein’s account was riddled with flaws and gaps.

Fortunately, Martin did not probe further.

Such reticence was typical among black mages, who invariably harbored their own secrets and obscure dealings.

Hence, it was normal for Sein to withhold certain details.

As a mage who had been isolated on the southern coast yet achieved Rank One within just thirty years, he must have experienced unusual events and unique circumstances.

Liliana, also a newly promoted Rank One mage, was extremely intrigued by Sein’s rapid rise.

Her approach could have been at Lady Jeanne’s order or driven by her own competitive nature.

How could Sein be stronger than me?—this question probably reflected Liliana’s most honest thought.

Despite both being Rank One black mages, Liliana knew she could not have defeated Bhabaluka on her own.

Moreover, Liliana had also learned from her mentor about some of Leena’s achievements and her search for Sein.

These revelations fueled Liliana’s jealousy, who was once a proud prodigy.

Sein had little interest in discerning Liliana’s true intentions. Throughout their conversation, he maintained an aloof demeanor.

Noticing his indifference, Liliana ceased her inquiries.

Just as she was about to leave, Sein unexpectedly spoke up, asking a question that seemed trivial compared to her earlier inquiries.

“Liliana, besides you, me, and Zorro, who else from the Black Magic Academy in Mystralora City has attained Rank One?” he asked.

Liliana paused, then replied with a smile, “Quite a few, actually. Michael and Sheila[2] have both reached Rank One, though they don’t usually stay on Mordoron Island.”

“There are several other initiates who were stronger than us, but many did not manage to leave Mystralora City. Not long ago, I heard Stenson was also promoted to Rank One. I wonder if they’ll be traveling south this time,” Liliana mentioned.

Sein vaguely remembered the names Liliana mentioned. These initiates, now promoted to Rank One, had been among the best at the Black Magic Academy.

Among the names, Stenson's struck Sein the most.

“Stenson? Isn’t he the one... who was involved with Marlon?” Sein mused.

“Oh, you knew about that too? And yes, they’re still together! I heard Stenson is currently gathering resources for Marlon to advance to full-fledged mage. He even argued with his mentor over it,” Liliana shared.

Her penchant for gathering information made her a repository of the island’s gossip.

Sein was only curious about Stenson and Marlon since they used to be his neighbors.

He still recalled his own experiences with the pair in the Yellow Sand World. He had once clashed fiercely with these two initiates—a confrontation that nearly cost him his life.

However, their relationship had mellowed over time.

The pair were indeed remarkable mages.

Sein technically still owed them a favor, a debt incurred from his early days of escaping the Yellow Sand World.

1. Translator’s Note: Dimensional bag here is another name for spatial equipment that could fit living creatures, in this case, the space piccolo. ☜

2. Translator’s Note: Here’s a quick recap—Michael, also known as the Harbinger of Death, was a senior initiate who fought Leena during the assessment in the Black Magic Academy. Sheila was never properly introduced, but she was another senior initiate who ranked among the top three in the same assessment, alongside Faye and Liliana. ☜