Sovereign of the Ashes

Chapter 373: In His Memories

As expected, Marie’s former residence was the Divine Tower of Dawn’s initiate dormitory.

Since Marie and the other black magic initiates arrived at the Divine Tower of Dawn as part of the same cohort, the tower opted to house them together for convenience.

Not every magic initiate enjoyed the privilege of being assigned an individual building for accommodation like Sein did upon commencing his studies at the divine tower.

The living conditions provided to initiates at the Divine Tower of Dawn were commendably comfortable, with each initiate allocated their own reasonably sized room.

Yet, about a dozen such rooms were grouped together on the same floor.

Since Marie became an apprentice to Master Monroe, a Rank One apothecary, her room had seen minimal use, mainly storing some of her clothing and low-grade magical materials.

Due to her occasional visits, the tower did not repurpose her space.

As evening approached, many initiates were making their way back to their dormitories.

The dormitories at the Divine Tower of Dawn were well-structured. The floor where Marie stayed was occupied by female magic initiates, though male initiates were occasionally seen as well.

Given that the Divine Tower of Dawn did not prohibit romantic relationships, it was common for female initiates to have their partners visit their rooms.

Upon entering the dormitory, even Sein, who might be considered somewhat oblivious, began to grasp the intention of Marie’s invitation.

Sein was momentarily at a loss for words.

He felt inclined to decline, as he had never envisioned his relationship with Marie progressing beyond friendship.

Yet, confronted with the melancholy of their looming farewell and Marie’s strained smile, Sein found it impossible to refuse without causing her pain.

Thus, he accompanied Marie to the entrance of her former residence.

The wooden door swung open to reveal a two-room apartment measuring seventy to eighty square meters.

The bedrooms were quite small, but Sein noticed that Marie had repurposed them into a laboratory and an alchemy room.

Having ventured into the field of apothecary himself, Sein was aware that the investment in equipment and materials was comparable to that of alchemy.

He could not help but ponder whether his apothecary knowledge measured up to Marie’s current expertise.

There was a big bed in the long living room.

Mages were all good at making use of their resources. Having converted her bedrooms into workspaces, Marie could only relegate the living area to a resting area.

Aside from the big bed, the living room was sparsely furnished.

However, Sein’s gaze was drawn to a few items of clothing hanging outside the window.

Among them was a pair of adorable pink bras, leading Sein to blush unexpectedly at the view.

Marie, on the other hand, was even more embarrassed, having forgotten about the laundry.

Fortunately, the windows here were always kept shut and covered by teal-patterned curtains, keeping her intimate wear out of sight.

Marie hastily collected her laundry.

Sein could not help but acknowledge that the young girl, who once barely reached his chin, had grown considerably.

Perhaps “grown” was not quite the appropriate term, considering Marie was now a woman in her forties, fully matured.

Moreover, her figure had developed over the years, particularly in areas that were less pronounced back then.

Among the women Sein had slept with, Scarlet the female knight, had the best figure, followed by Leena, who often frequented his dreams.

While Marie’s figure might not rival the female knight, she certainly matched Leena in allure.

Despite being in her late forties, Marie’s meticulous care for herself, aided by various skincare potions, left her face remarkably smooth, save for the faintest lines near her eyes.

At the end of the day, potions were not elixirs. Given Marie’s capabilities as an initiate, crafting potions that could grant eternal youth was beyond her reach.

As Marie busied herself with her laundry, Sein could not help but admire her figure from behind.

It was clear why so many of the Divine Tower of Dawn’s male initiates were enamored with Marie. Her amiable nature, striking appearance, and exceptional skills in apothecary made her an ideal companion.

Marie seemed to have sensed Sein’s gaze on her due to his intense mental focus as a Rank One mage. It felt almost like hands were caressing her back.

She could have finished her task quickly but the distraction slowed her movements.

Overwhelmed by Marie’s unintentionally enticing demeanor, Sein could no longer suppress his urges.

He closed the distance between them, enveloping her in an embrace that caused her body to burn and a flush to creep over her cheeks.

With Sein’s magic, the door shut abruptly behind them.

The room dimmed slightly, adding a layer of enchantment to the atmosphere.

As Sein gently caressed Marie’s skin, he whispered, “Sure you won’t regret this?”

Marie rested her head against Sein’s shoulder and replied, “I won’t. I’ve been dreaming of this moment for decades.”

“Oh?” Sein was slightly taken aback by his obliviousness toward Marie’s feelings over the years.

“I’ve already thought of handing myself over to you when I was fourteen,” she added.

Black magic initiates in Mystralora City matured early. By the age of fourteen, they were already aware of such matters.

Up to this moment, Sein remained unsure of the exact position he held in Marie’s heart.

For Marie, Sein often occupied her thoughts at night during her younger years in Mystralora City or later in the Divine Tower of Dawn.

Although Sein might not live up to the idealized version of himself in Marie’s mind, his significant impact during her formative years made it hard for her to forget him.

Sein felt the same way toward Leena. Despite being apart for nearly three decades, Sein still could not forget about her.

After hearing Marie’s confession, Sein naturally could not reject her.

He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the big bed.

At that moment, Marie braced herself for what was to come. She clung to him, her body trembling slightly.

Her display of vulnerability reminded Sein of the Marie in his memories, a stark contrast to the woman she had become. It seemed like some things never changed.

Sein’s gaze softened and his movements became gentler as they ventured into the night.