Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix - Chapter 375

Chapter 375: Meeting the Countryside Genius Once Again!

Asura found the first days back at the academy to be quite soothing. There wasn’t much difficulty in learning what they missed or catching up. He wasn’t sure if it was because of all his changes, but once the teacher mentioned topics Asura could remember that detail with perfection.

Thankfully, this kind of benefit didn’t seem to be his alone, as Xavida and Mu Xue also admitted to feeling the same thing. Also, once they were reminded of past information. That it became completely clear to them, and now they didn’t have any trouble remembering.

‘Well, now I don’t have to worry about the exams. Though it feels like I’m cheating.’

Lorem’s replacement turned out to be another female teacher. She wasn’t anyone special and just a simple mother of two.

This led to lessons becoming quite boring, though Asura wanted to do better as a student. He came to understand just how much he’d changed.

‘In this life, I am not the same as my previous life…’

So he found himself waiting for the time for physical training and the time to meet Amalia and Vela to train, becoming more and more appealing.

***

Two hours after their first lessons finished, Asura, Mu Xue and Xavida were walking down the hallway towards the cafeteria.

Despite their home being only a short distance away, the group agreed to eat at the academy and enjoy the time they had as students to the limit.

“Hey, Mu Xue, can you tell Asura? He kept putting his foot on my back during the lesson!” The lovely dragoness skipped away from Asura while pulling out her tongue.

‘Well, it was so boring, I ended up teasing her a little…’

Mu Xue giggled, turning back to look at Asura while shaking her head. “Don’t worry, he’s just being a boy. They like to tease the girls they like when bored. So be happy. He didn’t even speak to me until the lesson ended.”

“I’m right here, you know…” Asura sighed, dashing forward and snagging her waist with his arm while covering her mouth. “That hurts, Xue’er. I was giving you such a loving and ardent gaze!”

Xavida walked beside them, trying to avoid the duo who’d entered their stupid couple mode, as she termed it. But Asura extended his other hand, drawing the dragon girl closer before saying, “Don’t walk alone. Stay near your beloved husband, and let me protect you from the horde of horny males!”

“You’re the horny male!” Both girls shouted as they finally reached the cafeteria.

As it was the first time they came, the hallway and room looked quite interesting. On his previous stay, Asura would eat with Mu Xue who prepared their meals from home. So when they entered and found the chaos of hundreds of students rushing to the dinner counters, Asura felt like a new battle started.

“Are we going to fight in that crowd?” Xavida whined before Mu Xue pointed at an empty table. “We should sit there.”

Now, looking around, Asura found several long tables spread throughout the entire room, surrounded by others already enjoying their lunch. Thanks to Mu Xue’s eyes, they soon found a table and sat down, with the two girls looking at Ryuji for his decision.

“Please, darling, I am hungry. You must feed me and the babies!” Xavida acted like a weak girl.

On the other hand, Mu Xue coughed and looked away. “My dear, I am quite hungry. Could you fetch some food?”

“This husband will feed the two beautiful wives.” Asura walked through the crowd, with many others surprised to find a freshman being this confident. After ten minutes, he returned with six different dishes, and the trio started eating while talking about their lessons.

“I don’t think the tests will be hard. I can remember all the stupid things about natural magic and compound magic now, hehe.” Xavida gave a wide grin with spaghetti sauce around her lips.

Asura wiped it clean before patting the blushing dragoness’ head. “Yes, though, why are compound magic and natural magic considered classes of their own and not types of magic?”

Mu Xue shrugged while nibbling on her salad. “Can we not talk about stuff from lessons while eating? I hate theory.”

“Oh? You do?” He never knew that the smart and proper Mu Xue didn’t actually like studying theory—it made him realise all the times he asked her to help him study probably made her quite angry.

However, her expression changed to an excited and serious tone when talking about practical combat. “I can’t wait for the afternoon practice ~ it’s been so long since we fought against other students. I wonder if they stand a chance now.'” Mu Xue shared his passion. However, Asura knew they would probably be against teachers because the academy knew their new strength.

He wasn’t stupid enough to believe they would let them fight normal first-year students.

Soon after, once everyone had eaten. Asura helped Xavida carry the dirty dishes before making their way outside the busy cafeteria. To be honest, the food wasn’t too bad and quite cheap; while leaving the cafeteria, Asura saw a small woman arguing with a group of what seemed to be nobles, causing him to lift his eyebrows.

“Heh, you all lost to me in the practical and theoretical exams. Now, you blame me for cheating because I am just a commoner? Know your place; it’s not my fault you are all useless trash that ate your parents’ expensive food and wasted it like animals!”

‘Isn’t that foul-mouthed girl Cil Mavis?’

He would recognise that pink fluffy hair and those squirrel-like cheeks anywhere. So he approached and saw what the conflict was.

“Asura? Where are you going?” Mu Xue asked while Xavida ate a sugar doughnut, which she got on the way out with a lovely smile on her face.

“Hey, Cil, why are you causing trouble again?” Asura joked before her sharp eyes like a herbivore being threatened to its limits and snapping back before she realised it was Asura, and her enormous eyes softened.

“Ah… Asura, hmm. These losers are just jealous because they lost against a commoner. A bunch of entitled assholes!”

“Watch your words! We are from noble families! Eh!? Your Highness!”

“Greetings, Your Highness.”

“Forgive our rudeness, Your Highness.”

The nobles began to greet Asura, who scratched his cheek. Honestly, because the class didn’t make a big deal out of it, he almost forgot. However, the nobles looked at him a little differently after he returned.

‘I thought it was because of my power. I guess it was just me deceiving myself.’

It made Asura understand the position of royal families compared to nobles. Because he was just an early candidate before, now he held the actual title and was a prince. The difference between his two lives changed everything significantly.

“So, why are you guys ganging up on Cil? You do realise she’s extremely powerful right?” Asura patted her soft pink hair, ruffling it up to show his relationship with her to give the nobles some space to back off.

Thankfully, they seemed to get the memo and quietly excused themselves before running away with their tails tucked between their legs. Cil glared at them before pouting and then turning on Asura with a little yelp. “Why let them go! I could have taught them a lesson!”

“Haha, please don’t be so angry, little squirrel; why not play with Xavida and eat doughnuts together?” Asura invited his adorable friend with the last doughnut she had as Xavida looked around with her cheeks bulging like a hamster.

“I only have one!” Her eyes pleaded, but Asura just took it and handed it to Cil.

Cil lowered her shoulders and nodded, taking the doughnut while stepping beside Xavida, and both of them, a squirrel and a chipmunk, enjoyed the pastry together.

“Well, Lunch is almost over, so maybe we should head to the training yard?” Mu Xue interrupted.

Asura nodded, seeing his darling companions happy, eating and playing while walking away. ‘If nothing unexpected happens, then today might just become fun.’

Mu Xue poked his back. She then nudged her head towards the pink-haired Cil and Xavida, who seemed to discuss the intricacies of the doughnuts together.

It made Asura feel a strange sense of delight. Xavida didn’t make friends easily because of her outer visage, but Cil seemed to be oblivious to all her actions and just slipped through the gaps as the two got into a heated debate about what filling would taste the best.

‘Today does feel a bit strange… Nothing unexpected happened. Well, whatever. Let’s train!’

Following the brief detour, Asura was happy that his return to the academy wasn’t as dull as he thought. But there was an announcement about two new transfer students who would be coming in the next few days, which made him feel unsettled.

However, right now, his body just itched for a good fight. Asura wanted to find the peak of his current existence, pushing through his limits and advancing beyond. ‘Just thinking about the pure joy fighting brings to me scares me slightly… Yet I can’t stop it.’

The group arrived at the huge training yard; more than seventy students stood ready, some sitting on the well-maintained grass while others were on the stone steps. Asura noticed that Ignis and several Valkyrie stood in their combat outfits while heading towards the training yard from the palace side.

Along with them were Vela and Amalia, walking together in their uniforms.

“Ah, it’s Vela!”

“Amalia looks cute in the uniform. I guess since her master is in the Glade, she has to follow the rules now, fufu.” Mu Xue added.

Asura cracked his neck because the gaze that Vela gave him was one of competition, and despite her current state, she carried her sword. The fire in her eyes let him know she planned to fight him.

‘It reminds me of how we met properly for the first time. Does she really think she stands a chance?’

It wasn’t like Asura underestimated Vela; her talent was likely to surpass most knights and even her mother someday, but when compared to his current state. He felt comfortable that he could defeat her without using magic or his forms.

Vela stepped in front; her platinum hair and amber eyes shone with the sun, highlighting her appearance. Though Amalia didn’t seem too amused, her eyes squinting as she pulled out her tongue.

“Asura, I have come to challenge you to a duel of swordsmanship.” Vela’s serious tone and her face caused Asura’s chest to throb. He felt her current state was unbelievably beautiful.

“I accept.” Despite the feelings he had before, he wanted to accept and face her seriousness with his sincere effort. He didn’t know how the battle would go, but he wouldn’t hold back nor use anything but his swordsmanship.