Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix

"Hurry, stack the rocks and use the magic tool to affix them! We have no time!"

"Quick! Get the wall repaired!"

Garret stood on the edge of the fort's citadel. Beside him, a handful of the knights that once supported him are now replaced by their sons either by blood or marriage.

"Glade... How is my boy doing? Are they going to send him to the south?"

"My Lord, the academy plans to send out the entire five thousand-student base to help quash the southern revolts and invasion, along with several royal knights. I know our beloved futurLordrd will soar in this battle."

"I understand... Then, send that official document to the capital using the teleportation sigil inscribed for me. From now on, the Phoenix Glade will become his. So let us old men fight to our last breath to give him something to protect."

"Also, Glade, you can call me brother. Isn't your daughter going to wed my son? Haha. Don't be so stiff. Treat this as our last official battle before we retire and become old men who enjoy raising our new children and their weddings."

"My Lor... My brother!"

'My dear son, I can only pray we survive this battle. I fear the future you shall face aLordrd will be bleak and filled with sorrow... So let your old man burn a path so you can soar into the skies and become the light for our people.'

Garret's eyes watched the distant hilltop... then the entire world shook, the movement of their army so colossal it quaked the entire fort.

Not only did the monster kingdoms send more troops this time, but the cult of the fallen sun sent over two thousand crusaders.

"This battle will be fun. Let's help them repair the wall!"

"Yes, my lord!"

"Yes, Brother!"

"Let us go!"

*****

At the Silvara Royal Academy, Lorem stood on the large pedestal and read more names.

However, the moment she read the next name, her voice stopped, and she looked into the crowd of students, gazing at Asura with worried eyes before shaking her head and reading the name aloud.

"Asura Fenix will join Unit 9, led by the princess and the royal knight, Cynthia."

Cynthia was a former Valkyrie who asked to become the knight who would serve Vela. She belonged to one of the youngest royal knight squads; many considered her combat power among the highest levels.

A Stage Eight Swordmaster with the wind and fire element.

'But I am sure she died... There wasn't mention of her, nor do I remember many of the royal knights surviving, especially the younger ones.'

"Bella Ruse, Simone Cheff, Akkrum Sveta will also join Unit 9."

Asura felt a moment of uneasiness because this battle didn't happen in his memories. It was something completely new, and being split from his most precious people in the heat of battle caused his worries to skyrocket.

'I don't belong in the past, and the future has changed. Does this mean I am supposed to change what happens?'

"Unit 10, the Slayer Unit..."

In unit 10, they chose most of the older and elite students.

Asura stopped listening because everyone he cared for had already got their names called out. His focus now became on how to spend the last night he had with Mu Xue, Xavida, and Lucia.

The meeting lasted several hours, and because the first five units would be meeting first because they would depart tomorrow afternoon using the teleportation circle to shorten their travel time, Asura felt a little frustrated.

'My time with them keeps shrinking...'

He felt annoyed because the vanguard was comprised of Lucia, Mux Xue, and Xavida's groups. Not him!

Asura felt worried because of his current state with Lucia and how they spoke of their feelings, yet they confirmed nothing.

He also felt strange that Verana's name didn't get called for the units, and her private guards seemed to have left.

"Excuse me, Lord Fenix?"

A woman in black armour and red hair approached him from the corner of the academy. In her hands was a black envelope with the official Drakkur signature, colour, and Verana's seal...

"This is?"

"The Lady received orders from the queen to lead an army to support Wolfsheim as the demon empire is building a second fleet to attack the north coast."

"!?"

"She... didn't wish to tell you face to face because you would worry about her and your people. Yet, she decided on this because she saw no reason to hide it from you. Please don't blame her too much. My Lady already has so much on her mind, and the moment she received the order, her group rushed out, sending mercenaries from her pocket money to support your father's troops in the east."

'I wouldn't blame her, not anymore... The reason for her leaving, I can imagine it, isn't good. The fact she sent help to my father...'

"How many? I don't think she could do that so easily."

"The Lady spent a sizeable chunk of her funds and hired close to one thousand troops from the eastern nobles, using the fact if your father falls, their lands would soon become next."

'Huu... So this is war. Seeing those I care for depart and go to their deaths, how ironic is it that I can do nothing but wait or fight a battle apart from them?'

"Thank you very much. But where is she now?"

"She ordered me to remain silent... but she is there... the place you both treasure."

The place he treasured? He instantly knew the location she spoke of.

"Thank you. If you are going to leave, please keep safe..."

Asura then rushed towards the library; he found the academy's atmosphere changed, various people's loud cheering or laughter replaced by low discussion and a glum silence...

The usual lively and pure silence within the library had transformed into a peaceful sadness.

The old librarian didn't sit in his usual spot, and the dust surrounding his books was now clean...

Then, in the back room, as usual with her long black hair and faint red tint, Verana waited for him in her lovely black dress.

"Ah... you found me, Asura?"

"You even cleaned up..."

"Haha, this is our sanctuary after all... I did want to leave this place filled with the scent of the books and my perfume."

"Verana, can't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

He sat beside her, their hands clasping together naturally, intertwining their fingers as both observed the other.

"That you are leaving, not because of the order from the queen, but because of your sister."

"So you noticed, or did Mother tell you in bed?"

"Don't tease me!"

"Haha..."

Verana's eyes were like gems, and the dim candles made her seem more sensual than usual as she leaned closer to Asura, letting her heat sink into him. Their eyes were now locked as the distance between them diminished.

"Don't go, let your sister fight."

"If I do that, what would happen to my prestige? Will my mother forgive it?"

"..."

Asura understood her feelings, but this wasn't the time to care; he wouldn't let her go alone; while they all went to the south, he would never let her go north alone!

"Send her. You are not leaving my side."

"Asura..."

He could see her happiness so clearly as she narrowed her eyes into a crescent shape with loose brows and a captivating smile, which couldn't help but loosen her cheeks in a beaming grin. Her joyful and reddened cheeks conveyed the pure love she held for Asura.

"I can't..."

"Verana!"

"Haha... This is the first time you raised your voice to me. So cute!"

She touched his face, brushing his black hair away.

Her hand cupped his cheeks and drew him closer before kissing his forehead lightly. If this was the past to him in their first life, Verana might have been able to win this confrontation, but the moment he heard about the battles and being separated by units...

Asura finally let go of his resistance and doubts.

He then took out the parchment he had written on earlier and placed it on the table before looking into Verana's eyes.

"You will not leave my side, Verana. Even if we die."

Verana read the words on the parchment, a sign that only the two could read. She would later wear the symbol on her left finger. These documents were something she always dreamt of seeing.

However, unlike the dreams she had dreamt for so long, Asura gave this to her when she was about to depart...

She then burst into tears as Asura took out a black ring inlaid with the Drakkur crest and another ring with The Fenix crest before switching them... his finger taking the Drakkur's ring and hers taking the Fenix.

"I asked your mother before we left... If something like this happens, you see it according to that form, right? Now, be a good wife."

"Asura..."

Verana felt a burning heat inside her, like someone had just thrown her into a boiling pit of molten fire. She hugged Asura tightly, wanting to feel every part of his body and letting herself sink into his embrace.

She tried to speak but could only repeat his name like a broken music box... Her entire chest felt filled with joy, and she struggled to breathe.

"Verana..."

"Wu!?..."

Asura pulled her into his lap, her nose pressed against him as they gazed into each other's eyes. He no longer resisted and stopped himself without fear. What would happen would happen, and he would not lose her again!

"Take responsibility for making me like this..."

"My husband has the temperament of a child... Haha, Asura, Asura... let me love you."

"Can you even?"

"Husband! Hehe... Do you remember what we did back then?"

"I do, but this time it's for real. Right?"

"Of course."

"So you are leaving in the morning, I think not right?"

Verana's eyes closed, her cheeks pure red as she embraced a state of embarrassment that she long dreamt of. Both happiness and her worries converged before she nodded.

"Okay, I will let my sister go north... even if that means I lose my favour. Can you accept me even as a common girl?"

"Idiot... I spent a decade with you while being a mere doll."

"Asura... I love you."

"Me too..."

"Husband~!"

"What?"

"Hehe... it just feels nice to say it for the first time with my lips..."

Both sat together, his arms wrapped around her and his lips embracing hers as she felt his tongue enter her mouth. The two moved in rhythm before separating lightly.

"You better use tonight and... treat those girls well... Mu Xue is lonely, and Xavida will probably cause trouble. I can wait, you know?"

"I think I understand a little of what you mean. So be it... Haha."

"Then, husband... Shall we begin?"

Verana's hands caressed his face as she slipped off his lap before guiding him towards the exit. Her eyes never once showed any upset about him needing to spend the night with another woman.

He knew Verana would just make him pay once those two left, and they were alone because their past was too deep to be easily damaged anymore.

"Let's go home and enjoy a meal with everyone."

"Mmmm, let's go, my husband."