Sovereign of the Ashes

Chapter 470: Klopp

“Long time no see, Klopp.”

Dressed in a pristine white tulle dress and mage robe, Bev approached a middle-aged knight.

The knight walked out of the palace to receive Bev. Behind him stood a formidable assembly of dozens of knights and mages, each of Rank Four or above.

Klopp, the middle-aged knight, served as the nominal governor of the Western Archipelago.

All the three hundred divine towers and over eight hundred orders of the knights in the archipelago were under his command.

Though not yet among the overlords, Klopp’s strength surpassed that of many newly emerged overlords in the Magus World.

His experiences, connections, and reputation made him the singular force capable of overseeing everything in the Western Archipelago.

Behind every nominal governor was a real governor. In this case, the one who truly controlled the Western Archipelago was a peak Rank Seven soul overmage—Lady Bev.

The vast territory was not built through her own efforts, but rather inherited from her father.

“Indeed, Miss Bev.” Klopp nodded slightly in greeting to the female mage.

He continued to address Bev with the formal title that had been in use for over a hundred thousand years.

At this, Bev smiled in amusement and said, “I’m too old to be called a ‘miss’ now.”

Her amused remark significantly lightened the atmosphere.

Then, at Klopp’s invitation, the group entered the palace’s main hall.

Bev visited the Western Archipelago this time for two reasons—she needed to address longstanding official matters and observe the upcoming opening of the Knight Continent.

Although Bev had delegated the management of the Western Archipelago's affairs to Klopp, the knight still reported to her periodically as she was the true successor of the archipelago.

Moreover, certain matters and decisions still required Bev’s signature or her magic seal.

Klopp’s meticulous approach to management had been consistent for hundreds of thousands of years, ever since the tenure of Bev’s father.

Over the years, many once-familiar faces had aged or disappeared, yet some things remained unchanged.

This was the enduring dedication of the elders and also the legacy of certain values and beliefs.

Although Bev said she was old, the knight was even older than her.

Klopp had only managed to maintain the appearance of a middle-aged man due to his peak Rank Six life level.

However, his physical condition was more precarious than it seemed.

Without becoming an overlord, transcending his current state would remain a challenge.

As soon as Bev entered the main hall, a series of official documents and magic contracts were promptly laid before her.

The knights and mages behind Klopp were each responsible for specific aspects of the Western Archipelago’s affairs.

While they were not necessarily the strongest in the archipelago, they were its most essential members.

Their presence ensured the stable operation of every facet of the archipelago.

This also included the foreign, allied, and vassal planes under the governance of the Magus World, which they managed effectively, ensuring proper resource allocation.

Similar groups also existed in the Marmett Union Alliance and Steel City, aiding Bev in managing her extensive forces.

As the ultimate decision-maker, Bev guided the overarching direction of the civilization.

Klopp, serving as middle management, was responsible for the entire Western Archipelago.

Meanwhile, the knights and mages gathered in the main hall handled the distribution and scheduling of specific tasks as part of the lower management.

They ensured that policies cascading from the top were implemented across every divine tower, the order of the knights, and even each island within the archipelago.

Dealing with official business could be monotonous, but Bev was able to address the most significant batch of official matters within a relatively short time.

This efficiency was made possible due to her extensive experience and the fact that the Western Archipelago was one of the least troublesome forces under her command.

The knights and mages gathered in the opulent hall began to retreat one by one.

By the time Bev set down the magic quill, she found herself alone with Klopp in the vast hall.

“Sir Klopp, when do you intend to ascend to an overlord?” Bev asked, fixing her gaze on the peak Rank Six knight before her.

At her question, a complex mix of emotions flickered across Klopp’s face—guilt, gratitude, and sadness, along with an indescribable feeling lurking beneath them all.

Perhaps the prospect of becoming an overlord held little appeal for him.

After centuries of life and the departure of many friends and comrades, Klopp had lost the vigor that fueled other knights and mages in the Magus World.

Although Sein’s grandmaster, Lady Feylis, was also a leading Rank Six figure in the central Magus World, she was considered a novice compared to Klopp, given his profound experience.

When Klopp was already making his mark, contributing significantly to the Western Archipelago and the broader Magus World as a Rank Four knight, Feylis was probably not even born yet.

She had only risen to prominence in the last hundred thousand years, thus becoming one of the new elite in the Magus World.

In contrast, Klopp’s legacy stretched back four to five hundred thousand years.

The middle-aged knight remained silent in response to Bev’s question.

Bev chose her words carefully, not wanting to unduly pressure the former subordinate of her father.

“The Western Archipelago now needs an overlord to oversee it, doesn’t it? I believe neither of us wants to see this longstanding major force, which is also a legacy left by my father, decline, right?”

The female mage continued, “Steel City’s latest statistics show over a thousand divine knights and divine mages[1]. They will soon rival our numbers.”

“I’m not saying you haven’t done enough over the years, Sir Klopp. I simply hope to see the Western Archipelago flourish even further in the future," Bev explained.

As a capable and intelligent mage, Bev knew what words would resonate with the peak Rank Six knight.

Perhaps many things no longer mattered to Klopp as he grew older, but his commitment to the Western Archipelago remained unshakeable.

This responsibility was entrusted to him by the only Rank Nine being in Magus World’s history before departing the Astral Realm.

Klopp took a deep breath and his aura was noticeably different from before.

He bowed to Bev, who was seated before him, and declared, “I will make a concerted effort to elevate myself into an overlord soon!”

1. Translator’s Note: Divine knights and divine mages refer to those who are Rank Four to Rank Six ☜