Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix - Chapter 452

Chapter 452: The Spider Preys on the Phoenix?

Asura spent hours trying to help the arachne with his knowledge of dealing with the empire. He noticed the skill and wisdom of Shizuka could match the queen of Silvara in some parts and felt a sense of admiration.

Rasha also resembled her mother with royal duties, helping with the paperwork and dealing with guests no matter how unwelcome.

‘It seems they will hold a ball of friendship and reconciliation in three days.’ Asura worried that the empire might try something again, but this wasn’t his kingdom, so he could only offer help as his troops and wisdom.

“Prince Asura, do you have a moment?” Shizuka’s stern but pretty voice echoed as the meeting ended, with most people not leaving the royal chambers.

“Of course I do, Queen Shizuka.”

Shizuka watched Asura and felt his manners and etiquette changed since they met. It made her feel a little lonely, but she understood why he no longer treated her like a friend. They both had a level of status, and because his nation held so much power. The crown prince of Silvara was at the same level as her in the minds of the other guests.

The pair sat on the comfortable sofa in the private chambers of the queen, different from where the meeting took place.

‘Because this room doesn’t have the secret ledges and entrances, it is one of the only places you might get some peace and privacy in this city.’ Asura thought while taking a sip of the sweet herbal tea that Shizuka herself brewed for him.

“Would you be willing to take my daughter to the ball as her escort?” A simple question and her gaze carried no ulterior motive or thoughts. He understood that for their kingdom to recover, she needed a strong tie to Silvara or another Kingdom to resist the Empire’s fierce blame.

Asura nodded with no hesitation. “Of course I will, and please don’t worry. We will keep her safe.” He needed to remain close to this queen because of their agreement and her offering the magic stones from the second mine at a lower price as long as they remained allies and he helped her with the empire.

“Thank you.” Shizuka lowered her head, and Asura saw that she still trusted him to keep Rasha safe.

‘It is the least I can do after the Empire used your people as an excuse to harm Silvara, their plot was probably going to be worse for us if we didn’t step in.’

“Ah… also, tonight it seemed that Rasha wished to see you tonight. So, if you could meet her and discuss what she wanted, I would be grateful.”

“Tonight? I don’t mind at all. I would have seen her anyway. After all, we are friends.” He smiled.

“I’m happy that you think so, Prince Asura.” Her beautiful smile appeared as she gazed into his eyes. Yet her eight eyes, with their slight amethyst shade, seemed to have different feelings the moment he said friend. It seemed her spider legs began to tap the ground in a nervous and worried fashion.

‘What is she worried about…’

Shizuka rose and poured herself more tea. “Well, it seems our meeting has ended, and I have a few other things to attend to now. So please have a rest in my chambers until tonight. My daughter will come here at night to see you, so just make yourself comfortable.”

“I couldn’t…” He tried to refuse but noticed that he felt a little sleepy. The scent of the tea contained an odd scent… yet it was like the scent of Shizuka herself. “W-wha…” Asura soon fell onto his side and began to sleep with a light snore, not that she planned to force him to do anything.

Shizuka skittered towards him, “Asura… you silly boy, why work yourself to the limit and take no rest… even a simple sleeping aid made you crash.” The scent of the drink came from Shizuka’s garden. It was a tea that helped those who were exhausted both physically and magically to rest healthily and safely. It only worked on those who were overworked and were neither a poison nor a drug.

“Don’t be angry with me, but all your wives asked me to let you rest… No one can enter this room, so please sleep well. Beautiful Prince.”

***

Several hours passed, and the light sky turned red before the sun faded over the horizon.

Asura still lay in the queen’s bed, his eyes closed tight while wrapped in her blanket. He became more relaxed while enveloped in the mixed scent of Shizuka and Rasha. It seemed almost picturesque for the two arachne watching his face from the side of the bed, both small and lovely, while Rasha wore an almost transparent and pretty black dress.

“Mother… is he okay? Should we wake him?” Rasha’s voice was quiet yet echoed as she placed down a tray of food beside the bed.

Shizuka gently ran her fingers through Rasha’s hair and kissed her forehead. “No, he needed this rest and will wake naturally soon enough—tonight, you must let him know your feelings. The banquet in three days, depending on your choice, will affect our kingdom forever.”

“But mother… I am not doing this for our kingdom. It’s because I’ve fallen for him…” She spoke with a hint of sadness in her voice and looked at the still-sleeping Asura with a shy gaze.

“I know, my beautiful daughter.” Shizuka’s hand reached up, stroking Rasha’s head and cheek as if she were a baby. “I will deal with everything, so just follow your heart. You don’t have to sacrifice yourself for the kingdom or your mother.”

“Mother, I don’t think I can do this… I want him so much… but I also want him to choose me because he feels the same way. Not because he worries about the benefits, or merits.”

Shizuka never realised how much her daughter thought of these things and could only hug her tight, stroking her hair to calm her down.

“Rasha, Asura is a man who will love you only if he loves you. He is not the type to sleep with someone and abandon them for small benefits. The reason I believe this is that he cares for his people and has sacrificed everything for them, even his health. Should he accept you, then he will give his heart to you and will never betray you.”

‘Ah…’

The lovely face of Rasha turned bright red, close to the glistening colour of her ruby eyes as she gazed down, stroking Asura’s cheek. “Okay, mother… I will do my best when he wakes up.”

Little did the two know Asura was awake since they entered the room; he could just perfectly remain sleeping thanks to the monoliths and his past lives, teaching him how to breathe and imitate R.E.M. sleeping while being fully aware.

‘Shizuka is an excellent mother… Rasha cared for me more than I realised. To think she was worried I might think it was for Silvara. I should listen to her feelings and make sure, that I also follow my heart.’

Asura was planning to refuse her originally, to take a long time and instead help her kingdom grow to a level where it could protect itself from outsiders.

However, the time he spent with her and the arachne made him realise he didn’t want to do that, and… He, too, began to feel differently about Rasha.

“Okay, then I will go now. Rasha, try not to disturb him and wait for him to wake. You don’t need to rush, only be honest. Maybe he felt the confession earlier was at the behest of the elder. This time with your own words, capture his heart.”

“Nn!”

The shuffling and tapping of spider legs against the soft carpet echoed in the silent room filled only with the two people’s breathing, one a little uneven, the other calm and asleep.

It wasn’t long before Asura heard Rasha’s voice speak to him with a hint of shyness and nervousness. “My Prince, I hope you are enjoying your rest and not uncomfortable?”

He could feel her hand reach down to check the temperature on his forehead and cheek. Then she began to ruffle his pillows, somehow using her spider legs to adjust them making Asura feel so comfortable he almost fell asleep again.

‘This girl… she is a little pervert but now, how gentle and loving can she be?’ He thought, his mind imagining the sweet scene of a caring lover.

“I am not sure if you can hear me, but I hope that you can… I wanted to apologise to you for what happened, or will happen in the future and how it may have affected you. I am grateful if you could still see my mother as a friend and accept her alliance…”

Asura’s heart began to beat faster, the soft voice filled with worry, fear and expectation before he heard the soft echo of clothes sliding along the skin before hitting the ground. “Because… Rasha cannot lie to herself anymore, she is a wicked woman who lusts after another woman’s husband.”

The small and pretty ruby eyes seemed to glisten and turn misty as she leaned over him. “Even if I am not like mother or Yufa, I want to be a woman to stand beside you. I want to be your wife, Asura.”

‘No, maybe even your lover or mistress is fine… just let me stay close to you, even to watch you from afar, like Lady Ignis.’

“I am not as smart as my mother and sister, but I will be loyal to you… I will give you everything I have and be a good to you. So please… accept me.”

He could feel the quilt lifting as her smooth, warm hands slipped across his body before slipping into the bed, a silky sensation as he felt her legs, hips and chest pressing against him. Rasha had undressed him earlier.

Now he was only wearing his elegant silk boxers, and felt every inch of her body directly.

‘This girl… she really is daring!?’

“I will make sure to satisfy you and keep you happy. I will be your lover until the end.” She said, her voice sounding like she was on the verge of crying but also swearing a pledge to him.

He was about to open his eyes and confront her before he felt her face come close to his neck; warm breath blew against his cheeks, the scent of vanilla and peaches filling his nose before a sudden pain jolted him awake.

“Aguh?!”

Asura could feel her injecting something into his body, a liquid… some strange venom. He opened his eyes and saw Rasha’s fangs penetrating his neck—they had sunk deep into his flesh while pumping venom into his bloodstream as it rushed towards his two hearts. “R-Rasha… what are you…”

His eyes saw the entire room filled with a beautiful array of glistening webbing.

The webbing sealed the pair on the bed, with her webbing now covering the entire bed. Asura would need to use magic or a sword to escape.

‘Ah… he woke up…’