Ashes Burn, the Pioneer

The Flesh Lord's remains?

Cultists among the Empire's highest ranks?

Even Wolf's expression changed at Famiu's words.

As the Empire's prime minister, he knew secrets hidden from ordinary people. He also knew exactly what the Flesh Lord represented. But according to rumor, that indescribable monster had been sealed away long ago.

How had it awakened again?

Unless...

A possibility occurred to Wolf, and horror flashed through his eyes as he looked at Famiu.

As if answering his unspoken suspicion, Famiu's gentle voice rang through the office. Yet the words she spoke seemed to stir some indescribable power. The entire room suddenly turned bitterly cold.

"Your guess is correct, Prime Minister. According to the latest report from the Guardian Knights Order, which guards the forbidden grounds, the Evil God's seal has weakened for reasons unknown. And as a fellow Crown Tier who inherited the Caster Family's Star of Disintegration spell and can sense fluctuations in the Stellar Core, you should know better than I do that its aura is changing. Isn't that right?"

Wolf's gaze turned dangerous, but Famiu seemed not to notice his killing intent. She kept her composed smile. "As far as I know, the last time the Stellar Core changed like this was a thousand years ago. Its transformation caused divine power to fade, and countless gods fell or withdrew. Even the Evil Gods were no exception."

"As magic itself changed, an entirely new system of magic took its place."

"And no account of the Age of Divine Concealment could omit the Star Duke, Allen Caster. With astonishing power and resolve, and in partnership with the Empire's most brilliant emperor, he created the Mage Soldiers. For centuries, no other race has uncovered the source of their power, much less managed to reproduce them."

"Thanks to you and His