Becoming the Demon Lord: Taming the Demon Queen Begins

Dreaming of Fried Chicken

The spiritual energy from the Rainbow Fowl flowed steadily into Azura's body, healing the injuries she had sustained from the lightning tribulation.

As her body gradually recovered, Azura finally opened her eyes.

"Huh?"

She stared in mild confusion at the large piece of fried chicken in her mouth.

"What was I just doing? I think I got knocked out by the lightning, and then…"

The aroma of the fried chicken filled the air.

"Whatever!"

Faced with such an irresistibly delicious smell, Azura had no intention of thinking about anything else.

After swallowing a mouthful of saliva, she immediately began devouring the chicken with gusto.

Wings, drumsticks, breast, even the tail…

Slurp~

Before long, her fingers and lips were glistening with oil, and all that remained in front of her was a pile of bare chicken bones.

Only then did she reluctantly wipe her mouth.

After all, she had the natural advantage of being a dragon—no matter how much she ate, she'd never gain weight!

Feeling smug, Azura lifted her head, but her expression quickly turned awkward.

She had been so focused on enjoying the fried chicken that she completely forgot to check her surroundings.

It was only now that she realized Timothy and the Sea Serpent women had been watching her the entire time.

It was like a public humiliation for the Dragon King!

Timothy didn't seem to care, but there was no way she could lose face in front of the Sea Serpent women.

"Ahem, this was just an accident, an accident! I don't usually act like a kid who's obsessed with food," Azura coughed, trying to assert her dignity as a dragon.

But she couldn't help but notice the look of disdain on Timothy's face, as if he didn't take her seriously at all.

The Sea Serpent women nearby couldn't hold back their laughter, covering their mouths with their sleeves as they giggled.

She was the Ocean Dragon King, for crying out loud! She had a prestigious status among the dragons!

Azura fumed internally. "Damn it, I'm the Dragon King! At least give me a little respect in front of others!"

But just as she was about to finish her sentence, she suddenly felt Timothy's hand gently rest on top of her head.

"After eating that chicken, how do you feel? Has your body recovered?"

For some reason, Timothy's voice sounded especially gentle today.

Azura took a moment to check her body, and sure enough, she felt as if she had been bathed in holy water—refreshed and completely healed.

The scars left by the lightning tribulation had vanished, and even her shaky progress toward the Ocean's Gate realm had stabilized.

"Wait, I've already reached Ocean's Gate!"

It wasn't until now that Azura remembered the most important thing.

She recalled how, when Timothy had first taken her away from the Shrine of the Oceanic Dragon, he had promised the old dragon that he could help her reach Ocean's Gate within a year.

She hadn't expected to get there so quickly.

Reaching Ocean's Gate had always been Azura's goal, something she had longed for.

But for some reason, this time, she couldn't feel the same joy she usually would.

By now, she and Timothy had been bound by their contract for… one, two, five, four…

Azura started counting on her fingers, but her head began to spin.

She couldn't quite keep track, but she knew that most of the year had already passed.

'After a year, will I really leave Timothy and return to the Shrine of the Oceanic Dragon to become the Ocean Dragon King?'

Thinking about this, Azura felt a small pang of sadness.

Looking down at the scattered chicken bones on the table, Azura could still smell the rich aroma of fried chicken lingering in the room.

Without Timothy, there wouldn't be any more delicious Golden Scale Dragon Carp or fried chicken to enjoy.

And besides…

"Wait, what am I even thinking?!"

Snapping back to reality, Azura was startled by her own thoughts.

"Hmph, I'm the mighty Dragon King! Once this contract is over, there's no way I'll keep being some human's pet. When I return to the Shrine of the Oceanic Dragon as the Dragon King, I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want. That'll be true freedom!"

She tried to convince herself, lifting her head slightly in an attempt to appear indifferent.

But as she felt the warmth of Timothy's hand resting on her head, her gaze softened, and her mind wandered.

All those things she had just told herself? Completely forgotten.

She couldn't help but recall the moment during her tribulation when Timothy had stepped in, swiftly killing two old dragons that had been lurking, waiting to strike. His intervention had given her the confidence to face the heavenly tribulation head-on, leading to her eventual victory.

Under the warmth of his hand, Azura felt an unexpected sense of peace.

It was as if, with this hand protecting her, nothing could ever harm her.

Suddenly, Azura dove into Timothy's chest, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist, her face snuggling deeply into him.

"Ahem, what's gotten into you?"

Timothy was caught off guard by the sudden gesture. It was the first time he'd seen the usually carefree Azura act like this.

"Nothing, I just felt like hugging you."

"Why don't you go hug some fried chicken then?"

"I already ate all the chicken."

Timothy pretended to be shocked. "Hiss~ Don't tell me you're planning to eat me next?"

"As if!"

Azura, who had been trying to show some affection, was now completely flustered by his teasing. "Ugh, I'm the Dragon King, and I'm hugging you! How dare you act like I'm bothering you!"

"Dragon King? Have you forgotten who's the master and who's the pet here?" Timothy teased.

Azura wasn't about to back down. "So what if I'm the pet? Who says pets can't fight back? Even subordinates can kiss their bosses!"

Timothy smirked. "Oh yeah? Then go ahead, kiss me."

"You think I won't? Watch me!"

Azura stood on her tiptoes, but quickly realized that no matter how much she stretched, she could barely reach Timothy's waist, let alone his face.

No matter how hard she tried, it was hopeless.

"You're bullying a 200-year-old kid! This is too much, way too much!"

Feeling utterly defeated, Azura's eyes welled up with tears as she hugged Timothy even tighter, her frustration evident.

After crossing the Ocean's Gate, the tips of her hair had taken on a faint blue hue, softly draping down like a dense forest, offering a sense of safety and comfort.

Gradually, the defiant tears in Azura's eyes began to fade.

Still holding onto Timothy's waist, she turned her head slightly, resting it gently against him.

It was still so warm. Still so comforting.
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She closed her eyes softly, feeling Timothy's hand once again rest on hers.

Then, he gently ruffled her hair.

That soft, soothing sensation felt really nice.

In the quiet of the small cabin, everything seemed to fall into a peaceful silence.

The tips of her hair subtly deepened into a more beautiful shade of blue, and Azura slowly relaxed, her body easing into a state of calm.

A sweet smile unknowingly crept onto her lips.

It was as if today had made her even happier than eating ten Golden Scale Dragon Carps.