"I am not perfect... no one of us is," Nova said, her voice quieter now, stripped of all the authority and sharpness people associated with her. It was not a declaration. It was an admission.. one that seemed to weigh heavily on her even as she spoke it.

She swallowed lightly, her gaze still fixed on Razeal, searching, almost pleading without fully breaking yet. "It’s just... tell me... anywhere in your heart.. even if it’s just a fraction... if there’s still a part of you that asks for me... that needs me... that still has feelings for me... then just let it out." Her voice faltered slightly in the middle, not because she didn’t know what to say but because saying it like this stripped her of everything she had always hidden behind. "I just need one chance. I know it will hurt you... I know it will be painful for you to even consider it... but we both need it. I know we do."

She took a shallow breath, trying to steady herself, but the words kept coming because if she stopped now, she knew she wouldn’t be able to continue again. "Situations... mistakes... everything that happened... they can be looked over. They can be understood. They can be forgiven." Her eyes did not leave his, even as her voice softened further. "All you have to do is ask yourself one thing... is this bond between us more important... or what that mistake did?" Her fingers trembled slightly at her sides.

"I know you know..." she added, her tone breaking just a little, "That it wasn’t what I wanted. I was stupid... I was arrogant... I was insane to do what I did."

There was no attempt to defend herself now. No excuses layered beneath her words. Just raw acknowledgment.

And then

Her body moved.

Before anyone could process it fully, Nova dropped to her knees.

The sound of her knees hitting the hard stone floor echoed sharply in the space, far louder than it should have been, as if the world itself had paused just to register it. The impact was not gentle. It was not controlled. It was real and it hurt. But she did not react to the pain.

She stayed there.

On her knees.

Looking up at him.

"But now.. I begg you Brother..." her voice came out softer now, but far heavier than before. "Please.. Just give me one chance." Her posture was no longer composed. No longer proud. No longer the person the world knew her as.

"To prove to you..." she continued, her eyes unwavering despite the tears threatening to form, "...that I will never disappoint you like this again."

That was it.

No more defenses. No more pride. Just... everything laid bare.

And at that moment

At her sudden collapse to her knees, the air itself seemed to still, as if the world had momentarily forgotten how to breathe. Razeal’s eyes flickered.. just for a fraction of a second but in that fleeting moment, something deep and unreadable passed through them.

He looked down at Nova, really looked at her, and what he saw did not align with the image carved into his mind over years. Gone was that unshakable, prideful girl who once stirred chaos across the empire like it was nothing more than a passing breeze.

Gone was the terrifying presence who commanded fear without effort, whose mere appearance could force even the strongest figures the so-called "big shots" to their knees in a mix of reverence, dread and fear.

The cruel, merciless.. The so-called "purple storm" of the Virelan family. The one whispered about as ruthless, unpredictable, dangerous beyond reason. And that was the Nova everyone knew. That was the Nova even he had always believed in. But the person before him now... she looked nothing like that person. it was not her. She looked fragile. Small.. Almost breakable.

Just a girl... kneeling on the ground... asking for one chance.

And that

That was far more unsettling than anything else she could have done

Riven, still in the form of an old man, watched silently from the side, his usual amused composure replaced with something closer to genuine surprise also. Even he who had seen had not expected this. His eyes now full of interest and amusement lingered on her, then briefly shifted to Razeal, observing and actually filled with quiet of curiosity.. but he said nothing.

Nearby, Nancy and Areon, who had just moments ago been caught in their own emotional exchange, both fell silent too. Their attention shifted entirely to the scene unfolding in front of them, their expressions changing from concern to disbelief.

They knew who Nova Virelan was.

Everyone did.

Afterall she was not just another noble or just any another powerful individual. She was someone whose reputation had reached even the highest levels of influence. Even their own mother Arabella, a duchess feared and respected across the empire, a woman known for her own terrifying presence.. Literally called craziest duke in whole of Empires history.. And one with that kind of tittle had warned them about Nova. Not casually, not as a passing mention, but seriously and very Carefully.

And that alone said everything.

Because if someone like Arabella.. someone who herself was called one kf the most dangerous person in the world.. felt the need to warn her own children about another person, then that person was not someone to be mess with.. Like just how crazy one need to be to be warned by someone like that?

And.. That was Nova’s image.

That was who she was.

And now

Seeing her like this...

On her knees...?

Begging...?

It did not align with anything they knew.

It actually did not make sense.

And that was exactly why it felt so heavy.

Sofia and Maria stood silently as well, both watching, both understanding that this was not something they could interfere with. But their thoughts moved differently.

Sofia specifically... was not looking at the situation.

She was looking at Nova.

At her eyes.

And what she saw there...

Made something shift inside her.

Because there was no deception in them. No manipulation. No hidden intent.

Only regret, Only guilt and Only love.

It was raw in a way that could not be faked.

Sofia frowned slightly, her chest tightening faintly as she continued to watch. She did not particularly like Nova as how she found out to get to know her..

But this

This was not someone trying to hurt Razeal.

This was someone who had already broken herself long before coming here.

And for reasons she could not fully explain.

She wanted him to forgive her.

Not because she cared about her or it was

Right or wrong thing. Not because it would fix everything. But because she could see it clearly now

Both of them were still tied to each other in ways neither of them could simply cut off.

And if they did..

They would not become free. They would just remain incomplete.

She wanted razeal to be lil better maybe? And maybe nova can help? And she could understand nova.. Maybe it really wasn’t that big of fault from her side.. its just.. Just a bug bad luck kind of situation maybe if she have to call it.

Sofia lowered her gaze slightly, exhaling quietly, keeping those thoughts to herself. This was not her place to interfere. The decision was his.

Only his.

But still

She hoped something better for him could happen.

Nova remained on her knees, her posture no longer carrying even a trace of the authority that once defined her, yet there was something unshakably firm in the way she held herself there, as if kneeling was not an act of surrender but a decision she had already committed to without hesitation.

She slowly lifted her face again to look at Razeal, her eyes meeting his with a quiet intensity that did not beg for sympathy but demanded to be understood. "And I am not asking you to forgive me for free," she said, her voice steady despite the storm running beneath it, every word measured yet heavy with intent.

"I am ready for whatever price you want... for me to earn that forgiveness, brother."

Her fingers pressed slightly against the ground beneath her, grounding herself as she continued, her gaze never leaving him.

"Punish me... torture me... I won’t resist." There was no flinch in her expression, no hesitation in her tone, as if she had already accepted every possible outcome long before speaking it aloud. "I would be happy to comply... whatever you want."

A faint tremor passed through her breathing, but her voice did not break. Instead, it deepened, carrying something more dangerous now.. not desperation, but resolve pushed to its limit. "I am ready to do anything for you. Just say the word."

There was a brief pause just long enough for the weight of those words to settle.. before she continued, her eyes locked into his with an unwavering intensity. "I would burn the empire down to ashes if that’s what you want."

The air around them seemed to still at that sentence alone.

"And if you want me to kill Selena..." Her voice stopped.

Not because she could not say it.. but because she understood what it meant.

A long silence followed, stretching uncomfortably, her gaze never leaving his as she stood on the edge of something even she had not imagined herself saying.

"...or even mother..." Her breath hitched, just barely.

"...I would."

"If that is really what it would take... to make it up to you."

Those words did not come out loud. They did not need to. The quiet certainty in them carried far more weight than any raised voice could have.

Silence followed.

Not just around them but inside everyone present.

"I am ready," Nova said again, softer now, but no less firm. "Just give me one chance."

Her pupils trembled slightly as she looked up at him, her heartbeat pounding so loudly in her chest that it almost drowned out everything else. Each second stretched longer than the last as she waited, not knowing if she was waiting for judgment... or rejection.

Razeal looked down at her. And for a moment, neither of them spoke.

The space between them grew heavy, suffocating, filled with everything that had been said and everything that had not. Around them, no one moved. No one interrupted. Even the faintest shift felt like it would break something fragile and irreversible.

Everyone watched.

Sofia raised both of her eyebrows in shock.. Totally unprepared for something like this.

Maria’s eyes remained sharp, unblinking, taking in every detail of both of them.

Nancy and Areon stood still, their earlier emotions suspended entirely, their attention fixed on what would come next..

Even Riven, who rarely allowed anything to unsettle him, stood silent in his disguise, observing with a rare seriousness.

Afterall those were some big words and statements coming out of this girls mouth. To go that farr? Not to say about possibility of doing so.. Just saying takes too much from one.

It was very commendable or maybe stupid?

And then

"No." Razeal just shook his head.

The word was simple but it carried finality.

No anger. No hesitation. No softness.

Just pure refusal.

And ag that.. Nova’s breath faltered slightly, though she did not lower her gaze.

"But why...?" she asked, her voice softer now, not breaking, but strained under the weight of everything she had already laid bare. "I know you understand me... I know you love me... at least some part of your heart still does... I know that’s also what you want."

There was confusion in her words now, not because she didn’t understand the situationzz but because she couldn’t understand him. She had given everything. Said everything. Removed every barrier she had ever stood behind. And still.. he refused? She doesn’t know what more she can offer him just to forgive him? To give one chance? Just one mistake shouldn’t end everything.. Right? Thats just so.. wrong.. She didn’t know.

The pain hit her.

Deep. Sharp.

But she did not let it show.

No tears came. Even though she had long crossed the point where they should have.

She simply did not allow them.

Her eyes remained on him, steady, refusing to break, as if even blinking now would mean losing something she could not afford to lose. But inside her heart was tearing apart with every second that passed, every word he did not say, every step he did not take toward her.

"I just don’t want to," Razeal said. His voice was calm controlled and almost detached.

"And I don’t need to explain why." A brief pause followed, but he continued anyway, as if something inside him insisted on finishing what he had started.

"Maybe because... mercy on the guilty is cruelty to the innocent."

His eyes did not soften.

"And cruelty to myself," he added quietly, "is the last thing I would do." There was no anger in his tone. No bitterness laid openly. Just something colder. Something final.

Then he looked at her more directly.

"I mean... put yourself in my place," he said, his voice steady, his expression unchanged. "If everything that happened to me... happened to you... even though most of it you don’t even know..."

A small pause.

"And I was standing where you are right now... would you forgive me?"

His gaze held hers.

"For doing exactly what you did?"

He was trying to sound firm.

Trying to hold that distance.

Trying to make it sound like the answer didn’t matter.

But the fact that he asked

Meant it did.

Nova looked at him.

Truly looked at him.

And for a brief moment she saw through it.

The control.

The restraint.

The way he was holding himself together so tightly that even a single crack might break everything.

And a faint smile appeared on her lips.

Not out of happiness.

Not out of relief.

But out of understanding.

Because she knew.. this was not easy for him either.

She lowered her gaze for a moment, thinking. Not hesitating. Not doubting. Just... genuinely considering his question, even though she already knew her answer.

Then she looked back at him.

"I would have," she said quietly.

The small smile remained on her face.

Soft.. Unforced and totally Honest.

But.. Razeal’s expression did not change.

"You’re lying," he said immediately. His tone flat. Certain. "And you know that."

He didn’t believe her. Not even for a second.

But Nova just shook her head slowly.

"No... I’m not." Her voice was calm now.

Steady amd Stronger than ever before not louder, but clearer.

"Believe me," she said, holding his gaze without wavering. "I really would have." Her eyes did not flicker.

Did not hesitate. Did not even retreat.

"You know why?" she asked softly.

A brief pause followed not forced, not dramatic, just enough to let the moment settle.

"Because I love you more than myself."

She did not look away after saying it. She did not soften it, did not try to make it easier to accept or hide behind gentler words. She let it remain exactly as it was raw, direct, and unprotected so that he could see it clearly, not just hear it. There was no performance in her expression, no attempt to gain sympathy, only the simple truth she had carried all this time finally spoken without restraint, standing there on her knees, with nothing left between them except what she had just laid bare.

Razeal kept his gaze on Nova for a few seconds longer, his eyes fixed on hers as if trying to pull something out of them anything that could confirm or deny what she had just said but there was nothing he could decisively grasp, no crack, no hesitation, no inconsistency he could latch onto and call it a lie, and that uncertainty only irritated him more than a clear answer ever could. His jaw tightened faintly before he clicked his tongue under his breath, turning his head slightly to the side as if dismissing the entire matter rather than allowing himself to sink deeper into it.

While Nova, still kneeling just moments ago, watched that small reaction closely and a faint, quiet smile touched her lips not one of relief, not one of victory, but one that carried understanding, because she knew exactly what that reaction meant and how much he was trying not to think about it.

And Razeal, not wanting to linger even a second more in that space, shifted his attention away entirely, forcing his mind back into something practical, something that did not involve emotions or past wounds, and so he looked toward Nancy instead, his voice returning to its usual controlled steadiness as he asked, "Are you done?"

Nancy, who had been standing beside Areon, turned her head slightly at his question, her gaze flickering briefly toward her brother before returning to Razeal

There was a moment of hesitation there not because she was unsure, but because she understood what "done" actually meant in this situation before she finally nodded. "Yes." Her voice was quieter than usual, but firm enough to carry her decision.

"Good," Razeal replied simply, as if that was all he needed, no more, no less. "Then I guess it’s time to send these invited and uninvited people back." His tone carried a faint edge of indifference, but it was deliberate controlled as he turned his gaze toward Riven, who stood there still wearing that old man disguise, watching everything unfold with an amused calm that never quite left him, and upon meeting Razeal’s eyes, Riven simply smiled, as if this entire situation was nothing more than an interesting turn in a game he was already enjoying.

Nova, who had remained silent throughout this exchange, understood immediately what Razeal meant, and a quiet sadness settled into her expression, not loud, not dramatic, just a subtle shift in her eyes and the faint downturn of her lips as the reality of his decision became clearer than ever.. he wasn’t just rejecting her, he was refusing even the possibility of letting her stay close, refusing even the space where something could be repaired and that realization hurt more than anything he had said so far, yet even then, she did not let it break her composure

She did not cry, did not plead again, did not reach out, she simply accepted it as it was and slowly pushed herself up from the ground, rising to her feet with quiet control, her movements steady even if her heart was anything but.

"Hey."

Areon’s voice broke through the tension, pulling Razeal’s attention toward him as he turned his head slightly, his expression neutral as he waited for what he had to say.

Areon stood there beside Nancy, his posture straight, but there was something genuine in his expression now, something far removed from the hostility and humiliation that had once defined his interactions with Razeal, and after a brief pause, he nodded slightly. "Thank you... for saving my sister. Both times."

The words were simple, but they carried weight acknowledgment, gratitude, and something else beneath it that he himself hadn’t fully sorted out yet.

Razeal looked at him for a moment before giving a small nod in return, accepting it without making it a bigger moment than it needed to be. "Well," he said, his tone casual, but his eyes sharp, "one piece of advice for you also.. be careful about the people around you now and in future... and also who you gonna choose to keep around from now on."

Areon frowned slightly at that, not fully understanding what Razeal meant, but something in the way he said it made him take it seriously regardless, and so he nodded again. "I’ll keep that in mind."

His grip on Nancy’s hand tightened unconsciously as he said that, his thoughts pulling in multiple directions at once.

Afterall this was the same person who had manipulated him before, humiliated him in front of the empire, poisoned him, dragged him through situations he would rather forget entirely and yet, this same person had also saved Nancy, not once, but twice, and that fact outweighed everything else in a way he couldn’t ignore, leaving him in a strange position where resentment had no place to stay anymore, replaced instead by something complicated but undeniably respectful.

After a moment, he turned his full attention back to Nancy, his expression softening slightly as he spoke. "Take care of yourself." His voice lowered, more personal now. "I don’t know why you can’t come back... or why you want to go with him... but I trust you."

Nancy looked at him, her eyes softening in response, even as a faint sadness lingered behind them.

"I’ll tell mother," Areon added, his tone steady, though there was a hint of reluctance there, as if he already knew that conversation wouldn’t be simple.

"Thanks," Nancy replied quietly, nodding once.

There was so much more she wanted to say to warn him, to explain everything she now knew, to tell him the truth about Riven, about what was happening behind the scenes.. but she couldn’t..

She understood that clearly now, understood the limitations placed on her and the consequences of crossing them, and so she kept those words locked inside, choosing silence not because she wanted to, but because she had to, because at this point, caution was not optional anymore, not after realizing exactly who and what Riven was atleast, not after understanding just how dangerous everything had become; even before, when she didn’t know his true identity, he had been dangerous enough, but now... now it was something else entirely, something that changed the scale of everything, and she knew she had to move carefully, not just for herself, but for everyone connected to her.

With that, she slowly stepped back, gently pulling her hand free from Areon’s grasp after he gave it one last tight squeeze, a silent exchange of reassurance and reluctance passing between them, before she turned and walked toward Razeal and the others, her steps steady despite the weight of everything she was leaving behind, and when she reached them, she stopped beside Razeal, taking her place without saying anything further.

Areon watched her go.

And he didn’t try to stop her.

He knew he couldn’t. But that didn’t make it easier.

There was a heaviness in his chest as he stood there, his eyes following her until she came to a stop beside Razeal, and only then did his gaze shift, lifting to meet Razeal’s once again, and for a brief moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Areon took a small breath.

"Please..." he said, his voice quieter now, stripped of everything unnecessary, carrying only what mattered. "Protect her for me."

It wasn’t a demand.

It wasn’t even a request in the usual sense.

It was something in between something that came from understanding that, right now, the person standing in front of him was the only one capable of doing exactly that.

Razeal turned his gaze toward Areon when he heard those words, and for a brief moment there was a flicker of something almost like surprise in his eyes, as if he hadn’t expected that kind of request to come from him after everything that had happened between them, but he didn’t question it, didn’t comment on it, he simply gave a small, acknowledging nod, accepting the weight behind those words without turning it into something bigger than it needed to be, and then his attention shifted again, this time toward Riven, his eyes meeting the disguised figure with a quiet, clear signal that didn’t need to be spoken aloud.

Riven understood immediately.

There was a faint smile on his lips as he lifted his hand slowly, almost lazily, as if what he was about to do required no effort at all, and with a subtle motion of his fingers, he began to rotate his wrist through the air, the space around his hand distorting faintly before settling into something far more precise, and then, just like that, a portal formed behind Areon and Nova, its surface rippling softly with a controlled, unnatural stillness that didn’t belong to anything ordinary.

The sudden appearance of it made both of them react instantly.

——