Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix

'I have grown fond of this city...'

Asura thought to himself as their Stage Four monster mounts prepared to depart from Bhalgrim City. He was in awe of the beautiful black walls, which gave each person a sense of comfort and protection as their serpentine guardians watched over their lands.

The Duchess and her private forces stood atop the walls, watching Verana and him depart.

"I will forgive you for sleeping with my mother this time, however." Verana's hand squeezed Asura's wrist, and her lips curled into a pout with furrowed brows before muttering. "Next time, you cannot hide or run away in secret!"

Her eyes shimmered like blood jewels as she gazed back. Asura didn't feel intimidated by Verana. Instead, he felt her look exceptionally cute today, with her fair skin shining with a faint touch of makeup and curls of black eyeliner at the corner of her narrow eyes.

"You look really beautiful today. Did you change your makeup?"

Asura's hand brushed her long, silken black hair behind her pointed ear, feeling the gentle movements of the carriage. Her black and silver dress carried a touch of Silverian royalty with silken designs on her chest in the shape of her family crest.

Two serpents entwined with red eyes.

Verana's pout faded away as her cheeks flushed with his unexpected compliment. He noticed that despite remembering the past Verana, who was strong on offence when flirting. However, concerning defence, she became a fair maiden with a defence value of zero.

"I..." She couldn't bring herself to tease Asura today, burying her face in his neck with a soft smile. "Idiot, don't tease me. I'll bite you!"

Her sweet and pleasant scent radiated against him as she gazed at her back at Bhalgrim City, which became a small dot on the horizon. The military could not accompany them beyond the Western mountain ranges and into the Lost Lands because the threat levels were too dangerous.

A single Stage Five monster or above could destroy an entire force if it secretly attacked. Yet the western route arrived at Silvara within a day. Thus, Asura and Verana chose this route; with the high-speed transport and high-ranking monsters guiding them, there would be no issues.

Not to mention, Asura's body emitted the pheromones and scents of a high-level dragon and phoenix that he hadn't realised. Helliana was the same. She slept on his shoulder quietly, sometimes spitting small flames at Verana, who came too close to her.

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****

"Are these the lost lands?" Asura asked, his eyes widening at the sudden change in geography. The beautiful green mountains became dark, musky, and filled with rot. He felt like they had somehow arrived in a bog; the trees appeared to be melting, and the ground was murky green and black, sometimes bubbling with a strange fluid oozing from the depths.

Verana shivered in his embrace, feeling uncomfortable as she looked around with concern. "Indeed... This is the reason we do not expand to the West. The Abyssal Monarch caused this scar when he lost control thousands of years ago. Nobody knows why, but their mother claims something almost happened to his beloved, and this is where he died...

Which caused the land to rot and waste away eternally, his curse-filled with despair and anguish."

'I know... I remember, but back then, it still resembled a forest and mountain.'

Asura's head turned towards where they departed, his heart feeling for Valerie, who must have hidden the truth that her previous domain existed in the south. He felt a tinge of guilt that she moved to the north because of his death as Auros.

Because the surroundings became so depressing, Verana and Asura soon closed the curtains, unable to remove the musky stench of mould and rotting wood even with the perfume she wore. They moved past the dark zone in five hours, a period of gloom and reflection before continuing until they crossed over the last mountain range and descended into the vast forests of Silvara.

"I can hear birds! Can you feel the fresh air?!" Verana seemed to feel the same way; she became more vocal when they reached the Forjan forest north of the capital. The warm sun poured on their faces.

"It is no wonder this is the capital's territory," Asura responded with a smile. He removed the curtains and placed his hand on her shoulder, pulling her into his embrace as the carriage filled with the brisk scent of lemons and berries, a fruity scent from the vast forest ahead.

However, Asura felt surprised by the variety of birds chirping and monkeys jumping around as they passed through the trees, sometimes stopping to fight one another for territory.

It was as if they were not on a carriage moving through a forest. Instead, they were like ghosts or spirits flying through and able to enjoy the natural views.

"Asura, look, those two monkeys are doing naughty things!" Verana's innocent voice sounded again, and her finger pointed ahead them.

Asura's gaze moved to the two monkeys in front. His eyes widened when he realised that what appeared to be 'play fighting' was truly a passionate mating session. He couldn't help but cough and curl his lips upwards; his heartfelt uplifted about how innocent this girl seemed, and he could only find it endearing.

'Perhaps she hasn't matured enough, or I simply have a soft spot for this personality.'

Asura cared little; instead, he rested his chin on her head, smelling the delicate fragrance of her hair and kissing the back of her ear softly, then enjoying as her body trembled, and she lifted her head with a sour face, her lips puckered, and eyes fixated on him with her nose twitching slightly.

"S-stop teasing me!"

"Why should I? I'm not teasing you."

Asura didn't allow Verana to complain. His mouth devoured hers as they entered the city of Silvara. He used his thumb to draw circles around her soft skin, causing her eyes to close tight, unable to argue or fight as she fell to his actions. His tongue intertwined with hers while stroking her back with his fingertips, aware their carriage came close to his mansion abode.

"Stop being a tease, you kissing demon. We've arrived."

Verana's eyes remained shut, only slightly to watch him with her narrowed eyes despite being a trembling mess. She had a slightly grumpy look that Asura found adorable. "It looks like we've arrived in the city we first met."

Asura could already see the magnificent white walls that extended across the lands from the distant past. The outer areas comprised residential complexes. Unlike the Duchess' Bhalgrim City, which separated the area for nobles and commoners, Silvara was mixed, creating a bustling, prosperous community where anyone could live their life in happiness and peace.

"What do you mean?"

He pointed to the academy in the distance before kissing the tip of her nose. "Well, first, let's find you a room in the mansion. I think there might be a spare."

'Thank god the others will still be training right now...'

Asura decided he'd deal with their reactions when he had to.

If Verana already moved in before they returned, he wouldn't have to worry about them complaining to her but to him instead.

****

"Welcome home, Lord Asura." One of the man maids greeted him. Her uniform bore the royal family emblem and showed she was Vela's maid.

"It's nice to be home."

Asura waved to the maid with a smile, unaware of how charming he had become after his rebirth. Like a flash of sunlight piercing the void, he had hastened the young maid's heart.

Then, placing his hand on Verana's lower back with a sly smile, he said, "This is Lady Verana Drakkur. She'll be living together from now on, so please do me a favour and confirm she has everything she needs."

The maid didn't feel offended because she knew Verana's arrival well before today. Valerie and the queen were close, more than most people understood.

Because the royal family held the Drakkur family in high regard, when she arrived, the maid felt it was normal to treat Verana like a princess, not to mention Asura was her future master.

"Yes, Lord Asura!"

"Thank you, Celia."

Asura called the maid's name, causing her to blush before suddenly leaving the room, almost stumbling on a golden table with fruit in a spherical bowl.

"Asura... you, when did you become able to charm any woman's panties off with a few words? Shall we go to the bedroom and get rid of your lust?" Verana's lips curled, and she hugged Asura's arm before whispering seductively in his ear.

"Now, why would I be lustful towards a demon like you?"

Asura played with her long hair, pulling it backwards until she stood on her toes with her lips pursed for a kiss...

But the door suddenly opened and a beautiful woman with silvery pink hair and soft, shimmering scales of pink and white specks across her cheeks and neck entered her arms and cheeks full of slight bruising and cuts.

"Asura?" Xavida's voice seemed nostalgic the moment he heard it, a little more adult and deeper than before... her breasts had grown, while her height was even taller, with a hint of maturity in her cheeks. "You look amazing... *Sniff* *sniff* Your scent feels clean now."

It felt ironic that this dragoness could smell his changes before anyone else did.

Asura felt a sudden sense of peace.

His spare hand pulled Xavida into his embrace, and Verana and Xavida looked at each other, sizing each other up with a bitter look, narrow eyes, noses lifted, and lips pursed.

"Xavida, this is my other fiancée, Verana Drakkur. Verana, this is my lovely dragon fiancée, Xavida Bahamot."