Sovereign of the Ashes

Chapter 633: Cover

However, the topic of marriage and children did not seem to directly impact her.

Sein looked at his young mentor with a mix of confusion and bewilderment.

In response to Sein’s gaze, Lorianne remained composed.

Unlike before, when she would have scolded him with a playful poke of her slender finger, she now spoke calmly.

“Those law enforcement knights from the Order of the Dark Sword—they haven’t wronged you, have they?”

“What exactly have you been doing in the Western Archipelago for the past few decades?” she asked.

Without giving Sein a chance to respond, she continued, "Instead of simply traveling, you went to Blackhaven in the Western Archipelago to find an old friend, didn’t you? It makes sense now why you were so adamant about traveling when I suggested you settle down for a while.”

“I thought that if the people you met in the underground world hadn’t been promoted to Rank One by now, they would have been nearing the end of their lifespans by then. Yet, I didn’t expect this to happen,” Lorianne said, shaking her head.

Her words weighed heavily on Sein. He and Lorianne shared a deep bond, one that likely surpassed even his connection with Morsidor.

After all, Morsidor had been his mentor for only a few years, while Lorianne had guided him for several decades.

Sein was reluctant to deceive his mentor.

Since Lorianne had already uncovered the truth, it seemed pointless to continue hiding anything.

After a moment of silence, Sein lowered his head and admitted, “Yes, Master Lorianne.”

At that moment, Sein felt he had disappointed her. Yet, he had no regrets.

It was impossible for him to let go of some people and some matters, no matter how much time had passed.

“Hmph.” Lorianne simply snorted in response.

Seeing Sein’s guilty and troubled expression, Lorianne chose not to press the matter further.

The atmosphere fell into a heavy silence until Lorianne finally broke it with another question.

“What’s that girl\'s name? She must be pretty talented to be able to participate in the trial on the Knight Continent,” Lorianne remarked.

When the Order of the Dark Sword’s law enforcement knights came to the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring to look for Sein, they had concrete evidence.

An elemental photo showing Sein fighting alongside a black-robed female mage was sufficient to substantiate their claims.

This photo was reportedly extracted from the memories of a knight from the Ylli Knight Alliance.

Such evidence, presented to Rank Four mages like Lorianne, was unlikely to be forged.

Fortunately, it was merely a photo, not as incriminating as catching Sein in the act. Otherwise, even with Lorianne and Feylis\' capabilities, it would have been difficult to save him.

Sein answered his mentor’s question honestly, “Her name is Leena. She’s my wife.”

He did not elaborate on how Leena had sheltered him in Mystralora City or their time together.

Calling her his “wife” had conveyed enough.

Lorianne’s irritation was evident upon hearing this.

However, she quickly composed herself. Known for her calm demeanor, Lorianne was not one to show her anger easily.

If her mentor, Feylis, or other seniors had been present, their reaction might have been more severe.

Although Sein had a good impression of Feylis, her strictness was beyond imagining; she was a fiercely protective and dignified grand mage.

In contrast, Lorianne was not as uncompromising as her mentor, Feylis. When Sein referred to Leena as his “wife”, she understood that her apprentice had clearly conveyed his stance.

It was not Lorianne’s nature to forcibly separate the couple.

Taking a deep breath, she remarked in a gentle tone, "Being targeted by the Ylli Knight Alliance’s law enforcement knights is certainly problematic."

“I won’t interfere in your personal matters, but I must advise you that associating with black mages is unwise. Given that the Summer Guardian had given you a wisp of planar light in the past, it’s clear that you aren’t inherently a bad person. The Summer Guardian is never wrong in her judgment.”

Lorianne’s frown deepened slightly as she continued, “Even if you struggle to forget about her, there are ways to salvage the situation. A marriage with House Ernst could serve as a cover.”

Lorianne left an implication unspoken—even if Sein were caught having an “affair” with a certain female black mage after his marriage to House Ernst, Lorianne and Feylis would still have grounds to defend him.

Lorianne’s care for Sein was evident; she was doing all she could to fulfill her role as a mentor.

Relationships were all about give and take. While Sein was traveling in Magus World, he had not forgotten to seek opportunities for his mentor and the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, as a way to repay her care and dedication.

Sein was perceptive and understood Lorianne’s intention about finding a “cover” almost immediately.

He looked up at her, and though he remained silent, his eyes conveyed a great deal.

After a long pause, Sein lowered his head. With a conflicted look, he replied, “I understand.”

Lorianne understood Sein’s feelings. Despite never experiencing love herself, she remembered her own youthful, naive, and impulsive feelings.

While she had ultimately given up the more sensual aspects of life to dedicate herself to exploring deeper truths like most powerful grand mages, she understood how precious those feelings were to Sein, especially since she had only recently been promoted to Rank Four.

Hence, she did not pressure Sein but instead presented him with the reality of his situation and offered the best advice she could.

After a prolonged silence, Sein decided to take his leave since Lorianne looked like she had nothing more to say.

Before leaving her quarters, Sein cast one last, appreciative glance at his mentor and offered a deep bow, expressing his gratitude for her support over the years.

However, his gesture unsettled Lorianne. She suddenly wondered if she was about to lose her apprentice.

“You’re not planning to leave Divine Tower of Verdant Spring to join a black tower, are you?” she asked, concern evident in her voice.

She was worried that Sein might act recklessly and impulsively.

Sein was momentarily taken aback by the question. After a brief pause, he shook his head and replied, “No.”

Lorianne sighed in relief.

He then asked, “Can I bring her here to meet you, Master Lorianne?”

Sein and Leena had made significant progress in their interplanar spatial research over the past two years, with several successful teleportations of living beings.

This meant Leena could now come directly to Sein, and he could use the Undead World as a transit to secretly travel to Blackhaven.

Lorianne’s eyes lit up as she said, “Sure, I don’t mind.”

After all, she was extremely curious about the woman who had captured her apprentice’s interest.