Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix - Chapter 302

Chapter 302: Lorem’s Return! Lucia’s Affection!

Lorem and Lucia slowly shuffled towards the gates of Silvara, their faces dark. The beautiful white walls illuminated by the darkness of night and shimmering stars showed a vast difference between the two knights wearing dirty, broken armour and damaged clothes.

“I cannot believe we got attacked by those damn rats!” Lorem complained while examining the ends of her hair, checking for split ends.

“The rats don’t even speak about those damn frogs and lizards! I thought we would be home two days ago. What if more women have taken Asura’s heart?” Lucia sighed heavily.

“Do you really think he can take that many women into his heart at once? It seems like a fair stretch, considering that he can barely keep up with just the ones from before. Though he seemed to have changed the past few nights before we left.”

“His eyes felt more affectionate and caring. It felt like we truly became his most important people.”

The pair of women thought back to Asura’s gaze at them before the pair departed, the beautiful but dangerous smile that always reminded them of their place in Asura’s heart.

They didn’t feel insecure as they had gotten used to this unfamiliar sensation, slowly accepting it into their lives and wondering how they lived without it before.

However, after the battle together, Lorem noticed his change. With his gentle touch and affectionate gaze, she realised it was the doubt and second thoughts that were melting away, that he was Asura and only Asura.

Lorem shook her head slightly and refocused her vision, glancing back at the city, her home.

“Halt! Who goes there!” A guard holding a large golden shield with a white border and spear shouted.

“Royal knight Lorem and Lucia have returned from the southern mission to accept a task from the Queen,” Lorem responded, sighing heavily. “Open the gate.”

“Hm?” The guards lowered their weapons and peeked through the small window at the top of the gate. “I must contact the palace to confirm!”

“Oh, come on…” Lucia complained.

After several minutes of waiting, the gates finally opened with a loud bang. High-rise towers, luxurious houses, and high-end shops filled the familiar streets of the city while rich families walked around.

After the attack, the late night caused by Asura and Vela building the citadel’s walls and cathedral seemed to have given the city a new breath of life.

The nights of Silvara that used to end transformed with some merchants considering it a safe idea to avoid any night attacks from monsters having someone on guard and at the store from morning, noon and night.

“Do we have to visit the Queen today?” Lorem complained, looking down at her clothes.

“It is already late at night. I just want to see Asura and sleep.”

The pair turned at a corner and looked down the main street leading towards the palace. Couples strolled down the streets, or vendors sold hot food in the middle of the night to make some profit. Light chatter, some quiet laughter, and music filled the serene night, but something felt different.

“This is Silvara? After the sword fell?” Lorem’s eyes widened.

She felt a vibrance or rather a resilience hidden beneath the surface, from the people’s smiles to the vendors making strange food after the gates were closed.

“It’s a lot busier at night. But do you think the Queen will even be up this late at night?” Lucia shrugged her shoulders, looking up at the castle.

Lorem sighed, scratching the back of her head. “We should probably just rest at the barracks tonight and go to the palace in the morning.”

“Excuse me, why is the city still so bright at night?” Lorem asked a merchant, tossing several silver onto the desk and buying two large bowls of their strange stew.

“Oh? You don’t know, miss?” The merchant tilted his head, almost dropping his cooking utensils.

“Haha, you missed the wonderful evening. The prince and princess rebuilt both the spirit and soul of our city. Can you see, though the sword broke, now it emits a beautiful white light at night, soothing and said to heal people’s injuries when they walk at night? Then, during the day, a fierce black glow that empowers people’s confidence and makes business successful!”

Lorem’s eyes opened. She looked at the former blue sword and noticed a gentle white light, the feeling of warmth and a serene atmosphere coming from the broken blade. ‘Wow… it’s true—my sore back and bloody wounds are healing.’

“This is the grace of Asura Phoenix, who swore to become our sword. From the moment he spoke and spread those words, the sword lit once more.”

Lucia glanced at Lorem, crossing her arms under her breasts.

“Wha…” Lorem mumbled, “Asura did?”

“Ah? Of course. He and the princess saved us from darkness and the bleak loss; in a single night, their love and solemn vow restored the cathedral and tower and caused the rebirth of our guardian sword.”

‘Our Guardian Sword… This warmth and the soft white glow. It feels like… the cold glow of the blade has touched my soul… like it’s become a part of me. It is nothing like the dark blade that turned my skin black and blood red. It’s so soft and gentle… and…’

Lorem remembered she had changed from the moment she gave herself to Asura, and the sword made her feel his presence as if Asura were kissing her neck, holding her close and protecting her.

“Alright, thanks.” Lucia felt strange, seeing Lorem in such a daze with a wide smile, accepting the two meals from the vendor.

“Enjoy, it’s the same recipe as the prince used!”

The pair walked down the street in silence, their eyes glued to the gentle white glow. They listened to the music and small talks between people while glancing at the enormous cathedral in the distance, where a black light pulsed out from the centre and penetrated the large black blade.

‘I know that light… it’s his passion and lust, affection and pure love… formed into a protective veil that allowed me to change. Now, it is changing everyone in the city. I feel jealous yet happy.’

“I want to see Asura!” Lorem suddenly blurted out while eating the food.

“Yeah, me too, but first we have to report to the Queen, you know? Besides, if we stay all night, we will fall behind on training,” Lucia answered in a monotone voice. “But… I think we are done.”

“Let’s go see the queen! I want to see him even a second faster.”

Lucia looked at Lorem, rolling her eyes. The two knights in tattered clothes didn’t stand out, thanks to the recent attack, but both girls completely cleaned the bowls and left nothing else.

Lorem stopped in front of a massive wooden gate with large black-and-white-painted wooden doors with an emblem of the kingdom embedded in the middle. Two guards stood at either side of the entrance, holding their weapons and paying attention to their surroundings.

“Halt! Who goes—” the guard looked at the pair’s dirty clothes and pointed his lance at them, “—go to the barracks.”

“Eh, why!?” Lucia asked before Lorem nodded with a wry smile. “Because we look horrible.”

“Proceed.”

Lorem rolled her eyes as Lucia pushed open the gate.

They passed a large fountain and beautiful garden in the centre of the courtyard, surrounded by four white walls and a black tower in each corner. At the end of the garden stood another black-and-white door with three guards instead of two.

This time, the guards were Valkyrie and part of the Third Unit who guard the palace and knight areas.

“Halt!” The Valkyrie stopped the pair in front of the doors. “This area is off-limits to people without authorisation.”

“Mara, why do you ask if you know it’s me?”

“Ah!? Lady Lorem! Forgive me. I thought you were a vagrant.”

“You cheeky little girl!.” Lorem covered Mara’s mouth, a playful smirk on her face. “I’ve returned for an important matter. Please inform the queen of my arrival while we get changed.”

“Right away!” Mara opened the barracks doors before she rushed off towards the palace doors and passed several Valkyrie, who shot her strange gazes.

The pair entered the barracks and headed directly towards their dormitories on the second floor, passing several Valkyrie cleaning, training, or chatting amongst themselves. They received a few strange glances from the girls, but no one bothered to ask, as they figured the pair had just returned from a mission and wanted to wash off the dirt and sweat.

“Lucia, make sure you don’t take too long, or I’ll go alone!”

“Mm~ I won’t.”

Lorem took off her armour and inspected the surface for damage.

She deliberately threw her dirty, bloody, and torn clothes and underwear onto the floor in front of the door, knowing it was the garbage bin where someone would take them away.

Lorem found a towel on the side of the bed, then wrapped it around her body and walked over to the shower room on the opposite side of the hall.

“Asura, how much have you grown in a few weeks?” Lorem mumbled.