Julius is a powerful 6th class magician, worshipped and feared in equal parts, but mostly he's just a merchant. It's his bad luck that he meets a little noble boy called Diedrik - previously known as the world's only 9th class magician and renowned for taking on gods in fist fights before he was finally torn down.
Julius is fascinated by this new, shiny thing but it doesn't take long until he realises this reincarnation isn't much better than the last. Cults are pouring into the kingdom, the empress is solidifying her power by snatching up magicians, and Julius has been dragged into the thick of it by a boy who thinks of nothing but revenge.
Diedrik did always appreciate talent, if only this one would talk less.