Rise of the Lustful Evil Monarch (Re)

Third Person's POV

His breath caught in his throat as his heart flooded with hope. It was real, and he could feel that she meant it.

He didn't have to wait years, and he didn't have to do it alone, as it was finally happening.

Emotion surged within him again, but this time, it was pure and unadulterated joy.

His lips trembled as he tried to speak and thank her, but words were still hard to find.

Seeing the look in his eyes, Nyx started patting his back gently while a smirk laced her face, and she suddenly teased to lighten the mood.

"When are you going to stop crying, hmm? What would people say if they saw this strong, brave young man weeping like a little girl?"

The jab was light, playful, but it worked.

Ethan laughed in a quiet and breathy voice, his voice still hoarse.

As he wiped his face, the tears left faint trails on his cheeks, and then, with a smile full of gratitude, he leaned into her and whispered with quiet gratitude,

"Thank you, Master… thank you…"

Nyx clicked her tongue and replied with faux irritation, though her eyes gleamed with fondness.

"What nonsense are you whispering? Is there any need to thank your Master for something so small?"

He shook his head, as a slow and grateful smile spread on his face.

Her laughter rang through the air like a soft bell—bright, warm, and for once, entirely free.

She suddenly paused mid-sentence, and just as Ethan opened his mouth to speak again, she launched herself upward with a thunderous boom.

A black streak tore through the sky and left behind a sonic ripple that echoed faintly in his ears.

Like a shadow-hued jet, she streaked through the clouds and carried him back toward the Sanctum realm at an impossible speed.

In no time, they were at the edge of the Sanctum realm once more.

She descended with a graceful sweep of her wings and landed softly before the familiar hut, and still holding him close, she embraced him tightly for one final time.

Her voice, though steady, was lined with emotion.

"Prepare yourself, sweetie. We are going to your home in a week from now, but for now, you will have to enroll in this Sanctum as if you delay past this week, the opportunity will vanish, and who knows when it will come again."

She cupped his cheek as her tone grew lighter but no less serious.

"You have the vampire primogenitor's relic with you, don't you? I already discussed the details with Altheria."

At her words, Ethan raised his hand and flashed a playful smile as he showed her the red-veined circlet wound around his wrist.

The strange artifact gleamed faintly under the filtered light, and it gleamed as if it were a living object as a pulsing red rhythm moving beneath its surface.

Nyx's dark golden eyes immediately locked onto it, and curiosity sparkled across her face as she reached out and touched it lightly.

And the moment her fingers met the circlet, it softened under her touch and turned pliant and rubbery like a living worm.

Understanding lit her expression, and she nodded slowly to herself.

With a soft chuckle and a final peck on his lips, she gave him a teasing wink.

Then, in the blink of an eye, she shot into the sky as her figure streaked like a black comet piercing the heavens, and vanished into the distance without another word.

Standing there silently, Ethan watched until even the last ripple of her aura disappeared beyond the clouds, and only then did he turn back toward the way he had come from.

He moved across the dense jungle, and after about half an hour, he reached the humble and dilapidated inn outside the town.

As he stepped inside, he expected to see the same dark-haired innkeeper and his girls waiting for him, but the interior was oddly quiet.

Instead, he spotted only one person, the little fox maid girl with the shiny chocolate-colored hair.

She was bent over as she carefully scrubbed the table with an old cloth, her back to him.

Her ass was raised up, and he could vaguely see the outline of her panties and her stockings, which stretched down from her white skirt till below.

As he continued looking, the sunlight filtered in through the wooden windows, giving her hair and her whole self a soft and golden sheen.

After enjoying such a tempting display, he glanced around, but the mysterious manager was nowhere in sight.

His brow furrowed in confusion, and as the fox girl finally seemed to sense his presence, her hand paused mid-swipe, and her ears twitched as she slowly turned around.

The moment she saw who it was, her breath hitched and her entire face flushed a vivid red, while her large blue eyes widened in alarm.

"I-It's you, young lord…"

Her voice was barely more than a squeak, and her cheeks flared with color.

Ethan's expression softened at the sight, though he almost laughed on seeing the over-bashful nature of this girl.

Her flustered innocence was unexpectedly refreshing, and a smile curled at the corner of his lips as he walked toward her.

Despite his slow, relaxed gait, the girl instinctively took a small step back.

But it wasn't fear, but was something else, i.e, a mix of surprise and nervous anticipation.

He closed the gap between them and leaned in.

With a playful glint in his eye, he pinched her soft cheeks gently between his fingers.

Her reaction to his action was quite cute as her brown tail fluffed up behind her, and started swishing in confusion, while her delicate fox ears flicked with her every heartbeat.

Her expression turned dazed, and swirls of bewilderment spun in her eyes like ripples in water.

Amused by her reaction, Ethan let go and dropped into the nearby chair with a calm sigh as he waited and gave her time to collect herself.