Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix

'She seems to have calmed down since the battle, but her alternate state is very volatile to things she hates.' Asura thought back to the small rat that appeared during her last mood.

Xavida then used her vanishing dragon's breath to melt the rat and the entire area to ensure they were all dead...

Yet when she returned to her usual self, she became sweeter and more loving. Now half asleep while hugging his chest tight, her drool dribbling down Asura's robe.

'The base seems to be strange. It feels like someone has been here. But the barrier isn't broken.'

Asura grasped Xavida's soft buttocks, making sure she didn't fall.

Her body was almost floppy, and she was accompanied by her quiet snoring as he lands at the second watch post, safely placing Xavida on the bed.

"I'm hesitant to leave you alone, but I must check the other platforms, little Xavi."

His gentle words pleased her as the dragons stretched out and released a lovely sound. Before, he kissed her forehead and stroked her horns.

A moment later, his figure faded, leaving the strongest barrier activated in her room.

***

⁜ Lorem POV

The argent light of the moon shone upon Lorem's worried face. She waited in the same spot for so long dust started settling on her black knight mantle and hat.

'Why isn't he here at such a late time? The monsters become stronger at night, and the assassins could strike anytime!'

Lorem waited for Asura, her feelings towards him given time to settle. She wasn't as extremely obsessive or under his spell as Lucretia.

He was not Sura, the boy she had hoped to meet and waited for, but he had never returned. She accepted that the similarities were just that.

'He seems considerably stronger than before... How is he improving so fast?'

Suddenly, the sound of someone approaching echoed ever so quietly. Thanks to her experience and enhanced senses, she knew he used the dark element to hide.

'Slowly, that's it. If I were an enemy, you shouldn't rush to meet me. Good boy.'

Asura's movements seemed visible to her as if he wasn't even hiding as she stepped forward, cloaked by the darkness as the moon hid behind a pillar of wood.

From the moment they learned about the prince, she felt uneasy.

'I have to know...'

The next moment, she attacked, not trying to hurt or damage him. But to teach him a lesson about dealing with the existence of absolute power.

Lorem's hand reached Asura because she lowered her strength when dealing with her students. She misjudged because of his recent changes, allowing him to grab her wrist.

'Huh!? What happened?' Lorem found her arm locked by Asura, twisting before throwing her into a tree trunk.

But her free arm grasped his body, pulling him together as they collapsed onto the ground; suddenly, her eyes widened as she saw a figure—nostalgic, an old friend and rival—before a powerful suction came from Asura's palm.

Asura and Lorem instantly suffered before losing consciousness as the figure became more visible with the moonlight, her face one of sorrow and a bitter smile on her lips.

It was Helia. "At least you might realise this time you always were a slow girl, Lor."

The entire world became dark for Lorem; her mind and body felt the pleasant release of her curse being taken, a pleasure that she didn't understand. Helia's words sounded distant, like whispers. The pressure of losing her curse and pleasure built up, almost instantly bringing Lorem to an unbelievable climax as she lost all sense of reality from the foreign feelings.

"Ahhhhh!"

Before falling unconscious, Lorem's mind registered Helia's last words.

"Thank you for waiting for him even after all these years, Lor..."

⁜ Lorem POV (The Distant past)

The Black Dragon Kingdom Zur'tek was a neutral kingdom between the Scarlet Imperium and the Abyssal Phoenix Empire.

Lorem's body suddenly awakened, her eyes opening wide upon the familiar scent of roasted pine nuts and various meats sizzling while she leaned against a huge brown tree...

A nostalgic scene, the area just outside of the Royal Academy's campus.

'I would rest her with Helia and Sura so often...' Lorem recognised the surroundings and wondered why she awoke here. 'Wait, Helia!? Sura! Where are they!'

She stood up and looked around, searching for her two childhood friends, but only silence greeted her.

"That's right... they are dead. Even waiting several thousand years... They never returned. Is this the nightmare version of my memories, or the dream?"

Her body moved towards the vendor, and it felt strange because they were so lively and greeted her as she passed.

"Oh, princess, would you like your favourite wrap today? A secret from the royal guard, hahaha!"

Lorem couldn't remember this memory, but her body answered instinctively. "Sure, I'll take two wraps. Make them large ones." She smiled hugely as she thought, 'One for me and Sura! He loves these things but is always so frugal.'

She realised this scene was like a dream but was also a memory of hers. Everyone acted the same way she remembered them, but it felt like a dream.

'Did I see Helia because of this dream? She looked as arrogant and beautiful as ever.'

Lorem snorted before looking at her thick, red hair, which was messy and combed back. She revealed her cute face, which was covered with a pair of thick, black-rimmed glasses.

She paid for the wraps, saying goodbye to the kind vendor before walking towards the academy gates.

Her steps became slower as she felt an unusual feeling in her stomach.

'It's now... The moment our lives changed forever.'

"News just in: the imperial guard has failed to destroy the huge asteroid approaching our beloved planet. The Abyssal and Crimson Phoenix queens have also been wounded in the battle, and the King of Zur'tek has perished."

"The ramifications of this valiant loss mean leaving his only son, Sura, to take the throne... Please stay tuned for guidance on what to do in these trying times."

Lorem's body stopped, her eyes watching the news. Tears were building up in her eyes, dripping slowly while she grasped the wraps, almost crushing them.

'This moment, we still believed it was a battle we could win, that their forces were just as damaged... Sura becoming the crown prince as well... Meant our marriage was no longer shunned.'

She remembered everything happening in this instant, clearly.

The news revealed that the asteroid was heading towards Zur'tek, the neutral kingdom between the Scarlet Imperium and the Abyssal Phoenix Empire.

But in reality, this asteroid was merely their vanguard, or scout... and the other kingdoms and countries would use Sura's weak rule to force him to act, causing the entire kingdom to be destroyed.

'Sura was never the same after that... He began searching for any method possible to get revenge.'

Lorem knew Sura blamed himself for not becoming stronger, his father dying, and the kingdom's destruction.

Everyone in Zur'tek trusted the Royal family to defend them from the asteroid.

As the last family of dragons to exist in the world, the black dragons of Zur'tek fought against the enemy until the last whelp, despite being bitter enemies.

In this battle, Sura lost his right eye and ability to reproduce.

"Lorem~ you waited?"

When she heard his name, she felt her legs tremble in the same voice as him, a slightly weaker figure... but the two males overlapped too much to call it a coincidence.

Why else have this dream when touching him?

After all these years, Lorem was still a girl who liked to dream about fated love stories. She dreamed Sura would survive and return to marry her, become king, and save the people together.

'If I am honest, I have loved him for thousands of years... Even now, his stupid smile drives me crazy.'

"Mmm..." Her lips quivered, and she had the desire to throw her fears, troubles, and feelings away from reality at this boy... "I waited so long, and you never came back! Idiot!"

Lorem couldn't hold back, her tears dripping down her cheeks before punching Sura's shoulder.

"Ouch... Sorry, Lor, I was busy being told how to be king."

"Idiot! You left me for thousands of years, and I never stopped waiting for you!"

The dream-like image of Sura stopped momentarily, as if truly realising Lorem's feelings, before he embraced her tightly. His warm body pressed against her while stroking her head. "Lor, I failed you..."

"Shut up, idiot Sura!"

"Is it hard without me?"

"Mmm..."

"Are you lonely with me gone?"

"Nnn!"

"Did you cry a lot?"

"...Mmm..."

Sura's hand caressed Lorem's chin before lifting her head. His fingertips pressed against her tear-filled eyes, wiping away every drop.

"I see; that was wrong of me to forget the crybaby Lorem."

'This is just a dream... Yet it feels like my heart and chest are lighter. That heavy weight is slowly vanishing.' Lorem closed her eyes, enjoying Sura's embrace before his next words...

"Is being a royal knight tedious?"

Lorem opened her eyes, seeing Sura's handsome smile, a scar across his missing right eye, and messy raven hair. "Not really; the pay is good, and the king is fair unless it comes to his damn son."

"Do you have any friends?"

"Mmm... Lucretia, she is strange but fun."

"Anyone else?"

"...No..."

Lorem noticed Sura's smile widening as his thumb wiped the last of her tears before wiping her lips gently. "Good, I don't enjoy sharing Lor, anyway."

She felt the situation too strange. Why did the dream change this time? Not in a thousand years or more had she dreamt of Sura changing, or had he asked about her current life... Usually, they trained or enjoyed a happy picnic.

"You are acting weird..."

"How about we eat your wraps and go to the library? There is something I want you to see."

Lorem nodded before Sura took her hand, holding her closer than usual. Their shoulders bumped against each other as Sura walked faster, his actions odd, excited.

"Come on, Lor; hurry up."

"Idiot... Just give me a few seconds."

'Why is he faster than me!? This is before he became a subject...' Lorem felt confused by the dream's sudden changes but didn't dislike it.

She liked Sura acting spoiled rather than the shy and dull man he became after his father's death.

'Maybe this is my subconsciousness telling me to move on? Or just twisting Sura into my ideal man. Is it mating season?'

Lorem didn't worry anymore and enjoyed herself.

Sitting on a bench under a giant tree near the library entrance, they ate their wraps.

The dream felt so real, her eyes closing to smell the fresh grass, flowers and food... 'Amazing, this dream feels like reality.'

Lorem enjoyed Sura's company and the delicious wraps as they finished before entering the library. It was massive, filled with bookshelves and students studying or reading various subjects.

'Wow... The library is fuller than I remember.' Lorem looked around before Sura led her through several bookshelves until arriving at the far corner.

Several students sat around this section, but Sura didn't hesitate to move them away. "Hey, this area is reserved for us." His stern voice caused everyone to run away before Sura pulled Lorem inside, closing the door behind them.

"Eh? What are we doing? Sura!?"

"Shhh, Lor, this is a library."

Lorem glared at Sura before looking around the bookshelf area. It had a small couch, a desk, and some chairs.

The pair sat on the small couch—because she was a little taller than most other girls and had large buttocks and thick thighs. She almost sat on Sura's body. It was a tight fit.

Yet Lorem felt she never wanted to leave this dream.

"So what now...?" Lorem asked.

Sura didn't speak. His hand moved identically to Asura before they fell, grasping her chest as she let out a moan.

Once again, the feeling of something heavy was removed from her body. "I'm sorry, Lorem. I cannot get rid of all your burdens and pain yet... Can you wait just a little longer?"

Lorem felt speechless from Sura's hands, kneading her breasts before his hot breath whispered into her ear. "Can you wait just a little longer...? Lor?"

"...Mmm... I can wait thousands of years for you, idiot Sura."

"Wrong~ that's not right anymore. Look properly and stop being so slow." A voice sounded from behind the door. Lorem could swear it was Helliana, her rival, but she felt the dream becoming hazy...

"Helia!? Wait, Sura! No... Don't leave me again!"

"Lorem~ it's okay. Open your eyes and look carefully."

Her vision darkened, tears building in her eyes as she heard his voice fading further.

Using her last determination to remember this strange Sura that made her feel things she hadn't before.

Only to see the man peering down back at her with raven hair, crimson eyes, and a charming smile that made her want to beat him up...

However, the first person she met upon waking gave the red phoenix another shock.