Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix

"It seems the effects of dual cultivating are too strong after I awakened to Azoth's power."

Asura watched the princess sleeping in her light blue silk pyjamas with a small blanket covering her body while she gently snored. He shook his head, his softened eyes lingering on her figure, and he smiled bitterly.

Celine's attachment to him seemed intense because of her situation and the stress of competing with her siblings. He didn't want to rush things because there was already so much on his plate.

However, if she asked him to help her, he would.

"I have to leave soon. Will she be angry if I don't wake her up?"

A moment later, another person suddenly entered the small cave, a place that needed the royal key of the Elven family. However, the brunette that entered was the half-elf Spica. Asura only knew her name thanks to Celine speaking about her and seeing her the first time he met the princess and kidnapped her.

"The kidnapper!? Why are you naked?" The Elven girl stuttered when she saw Asura's appearance.

"I could ask you the same." He looked at the long white dress she was wearing, the hem of which was quite short and reached past her thighs.

Spica turned bright red from embarrassment as she stared at the male before her in disbelief. She pointed at Asura while holding her sword, the small golden ring on her index finger glittering with a blue gemstone.

"You! You're not allowed to do something so shameful to myself or Celine! Get away from her right now!"

"I'm not near her and we've already done everything needed while naked," Asura said. He didn't really know why, but whenever elves spoke to him with arrogance or a superior tone, he just loved to tease them.

"T-that's even worse!"

Spica didn't seem to think that he was being sarcastic and instead accepted his words at face value. Her expression became more wrathful as her anger grew, yet her pointed ears and cheeks were bright red as she took a few steps forward with her sword pointed at him.

"Dangerous woman."

The words sounded from behind Spica. Her eyes widened, and she looked to her left and right because Asura's figure had vanished, and only the towel he wore remained on the floor.

Before she could react, Asura grappled her from behind, grabbing both her wrists with a single hand and preventing her from moving the sword.

"A mongrel dares to put his hands on me?!" She exclaimed, her skin paling at how powerful the grip on her arms was.

"This is an Elven Stage Eight?"

Spica's eyes widened while her lips opened, her face bright red as she felt his bare muscles touching her back. Because being the princess's maid and knight meant contact with males was impossible and banned.

"Y-You, release me!" She tried to move her body and push him off with her strength.

"As soon as you calm down." Asura sighed, unamused at the commotion. He wasn't trying to harm the girl, so he just used enough strength to prevent her from struggling. "I haven't broken her purity yet, so don't be so mad. Her body is weak, and I have been helping her improve."

Asura only revealed the truth because he knew this woman seemed to adore Celine, and her concern always put the princess first.

"So relax and put the sword down before you do something stupid and hurt yourself."

"Shameful!" Spica bit her lip.

"If you still insist, I will kiss you, then defile you. Can you still serve by Celine's side, then?" Asura leaned closer and whispered into her ear. His right hand was gripping her wrists, slid under her silky hair and started caressing her smooth neck. Although he had no desire and the words were just a threat, they seemed to work as she lowered her guard, and Spica shivered.

"Even if your words are lies... a man's touch on my body is unbearable!" She struggled more intensely, her heartbeat racing.

"I see, forgive me." Asura let her go.

Spica couldn't believe it; she was actually stunned. A moment later, she turned around and pointed the sword at him again.

"Don't misunderstand! I will not lose to some mongrel's hands! If you are innocent of raping Celine, then prove it!"

Asura sighed and shook his head. He was silent, wondering how to fix the situation, when Celine whispered his name in her sleep.

"Ah, Asura, it's too big to fit. It'll split..."

He covered her mouth, worried she would continue with more of these strange sentences and reveal everything. However, Spica's eyes were wide open like saucers, her face bright red from the position she had seen Celine in.

"D-Did you dare do such things to Her Highness?!" Spica shouted.

"Shh! You'll wake her up!" Asura whispered. He sighed and sat down cross-legged in front of Spica with his palms above his knees and his eyes closed. "It's a little hard to explain, but if you need an explanation, ask the princess to train with you when she wakes up."

"Hurry and get dressed!"

"Ah, I forgot." Asura got up and put on his clothes.

"This is... this is..." Spica stuttered, unable to hide her shock at how calmly this man could act as if his own naked body or actions meant nothing to him.

"Princess, I have to go," Asura said as he knelt beside Celine and kissed her forehead.

The young princess frowned and wrapped her arms around Asura's neck.

"I want to cuddle more..."

"I'll come back soon, okay?" he whispered and gently separated himself from her arms. "Be good."

"Celine is always good..." The sleepy princess mumbled and fell asleep again.

"Let's go outside so as not to wake her up," Asura said, leading Spica outside the small cave. He showed the fact he also owned a key, causing Spica's eyes to widen, and she looked at him with less ferocity.

"How did you get a royal key?"

"Celine insisted I take it."

"The princess insisted? Why? Also, don't call her by that name!" Spica questioned.

"I'll call her whatever I wish as the future king of Silvara."

Spica was about to say something, but the words caught in her throat, and she couldn't find any to refute him.

"What is Silvara? I have never heard of such a kingdom!"

"We live to the east of your continent, the place where the devils fell. Now humans, demons and various races exist there, except the elves that fled."

"I don't believe it. The continent east of here is uninhabited; no intelligent life can survive on it. "

Asura chuckled and shook his head.

"You wouldn't know. We thought the same about you savages with no logical thought. That's how humans get taught about elves. Although I'm not a human."

Spica gulped, feeling a chill down her back at his cold words. She observed his face. While his handsome features were charming, there was a menacing aura to him she never noticed before.

"Is the name Azoth known in your kingdom's history?" Asura asked. He felt Spica could tell him, while the princess might become distant if he asked her.

"Azoth?! The destroyer of worlds!? How do you know that name?!"

Asura took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose.

"Destroyer of worlds? From what I saw, it was the elves that destroyed his world. He was in love with the Elven queen, too."

"Blasphemy! The Queen sacrificed herself, never able to bear a child or feel emotions to defeat the devil!" Spica seemed furious at what Asura said.

A twang of pain resounded in Asura's chest; his memories of his previous life were a blur.

He realised now that Azoth had controlled the transferred memories because of his pride and love for this Queen. Most of the time, his actions were for her and Muru.

"I'm sorry. It was wrong of me to assume such a thing."

Asura sat down on the grass and sighed, feeling a headache coming.

Spica looked at him with uncertainty in her eyes.

He tried to act cool, but with the racing of both his hearts, the pain spread like wildfire, stabbing his insides, while he felt agony like his brain boiled as images and thoughts, feelings and regrets formed from the shattered memories and images.

He couldn't remember anything, but his heart ached, and he felt guilty at the same time.

"Damn, it's coming again..." Asura muttered.

The brunette saw his pale face and thought he was playing some kind of trick.

Until she saw his eyes shed tears of blood, the thick red identical to his iris colour made her chest feel strange. She wanted to comfort him, but the aura around Asura repelled any of her half-hearted sympathy.

He got up and started walking towards the edge of the rocks.

"I've stayed longer than intended. Tell Celine I'll see her when I can."

Asura didn't wait for an answer. His black wings expanded, flapping enough to cause gale-force winds as he shot into the sky, leaving Spica alone in the darkness.

"So, he is likely related to Azoth... Aunt Phelia's true love."

The voice of the princess whispered in the dark cave, her hand grasping a pendant given to her by her great aunt, the martyr of their race who gave her mother the right to the throne five thousand years ago.

****

Meanwhile, back in Silvara, Asura awakened to find the day had passed, but two new women inhabited his bed the moment he appeared.

One was the scarlet-haired beauty, Lorem hugging his pillow, now lay atop his left arm, and on his right, Xavida, whose silvery pink hair cascaded over Asura's chest as she rolled into his embrace the moment he appeared as if she sensed him.

Her naked body was soft and warm, making him feel nostalgic as he remembered when they slept together before in the mansion. Her smooth scales rubbed against him, creating a soft, silky sensation.

"I'm back."

"Welcome back..." Xavida mumbled, half-asleep, not having slept in a proper bed for so long or feeling safe to let her guard down until Asura came.

Lorem didn't seem to mind while she was sleeping with his pillow, immersed in his scent, before the curtains opened. Mu Xue walked inside carrying a small tray with various dishes on top, Verana standing behind her as the two dressed similarly again.

"Traditional wives today?" Asura chuckled.

Mu Xue and Verana giggled as they smiled. Both had white silk dresses that covered their bodies, and Verana and Mu Xue tied their hair in low ponytails.

They laid a tray on the large table by his bedside and helped Xavida sit up while Lorem moved at the scent of food.

"Did you see that cheeky princess again?" Verana asked while scooping some food onto a spoon before bringing it to Asura's lips after blowing on it with a brilliant smile.

"I did, and I'm feeling awful for reasons I can't even explain."

Asura ate the food since Verana was offering it. He realised the two were competing together; although their relationship wasn't all friendly, both were at least peaceful in their competition because he asked them to work together.

"Ah, I should stop training for a while."

"Why? Don't tell me you want to copulate every day because that won't do!" Mu Xue giggled, but Ausra knew she would love that. He couldn't help but smile wryly.

"Because we leave for battle in the morning, right?"

"Hmm, does this mean you can't spend the night with us?" Verana asked while handing the warm tea to Mu Xue, allowing her to serve Asura at the same time.

However, both girls pouted upon seeing his serious face.

"Don't pout. I can sleep with you two."

"We're happy to share your bed, husband." Mu Xue and Verana winked at each other, and it seemed they were playing him.

"Let's eat together and sleep with all five of us. Where is Lucia? Tomorrow and the next few days will be exhausting. I want to spend the last relaxed night with all of you."

Asura felt a slight excitement at the thought of going into battle once more.