Chapter 290: Maria’s Urgent Matter 2

"Oh, although that was important too, as I needed to prove to you that I know your secret." She paused briefly before continuing in a solemn tone.

"There’s something else you need to know, and it’s extremely important because your life is in danger."

Nova’s expression barely changed, although he was slightly surprised. As far as he knew, everyone had already accepted that he wasn’t the Slaughter Monarch. So, who could still be targeting him?

"Tell me, do you mean that my life as Nova Valencrest is in danger, or that the Slaughter Monarch’s life is in danger?" Nova asked, wanting to confirm something first.

Inside the System Space, all three women were equally curious. Who could be bold enough to target Nova even after he had proven that he wasn’t the Slaughter Monarch?

"No, not the Slaughter Monarch. Your life, Nova Valencrest, is in danger," Maria replied, her voice filled with concern.

Nova frowned slightly but remained calm.

"How do you know that? And how exactly is my life in danger?"

Maria understood his questions. At this point, there was no reason to hide anything from him. She didn’t want to deceive Nova in the first place, and she also wanted to get closer to him.

Moreover, she remembered the warning the Goddess of Light had given her. Never make Nova Valencrest your enemy, or you will regret it.

Although Maria had never intended to do anything against him, those words had left a deep impression on her. That was also why she had kept his secret after discovering the truth.

Maria hesitated before asking, "Do you think I’m deceiving you?"

Nova answered without hesitation.

"No. I can tell when you’re lying to me. And if you had any ill intentions toward me, I would have known by now. You’d already be dead for knowing my secret if I considered you an enemy."

Maria chuckled at his blunt response and began walking toward him. The distance between them was already small, but she continued approaching until she was standing right in front of him.

Inside the System Space, Nyxara was on the verge of rushing out, but Liya stopped her.

"Let me out! I’ll kill that bitch! I knew she was trying to seduce my husband!" Nyxara exclaimed furiously.

{Calm down, woman. Nova can handle this himself. If you go out now, Caelan might detect your demonic aura, even from this distance, despite your Sovereign-level aura suppression.} Liya warned her.

"Yes, Princess, calm down," Velena added as she pulled Nyxara back.

Meanwhile, Maria stopped directly in front of Nova, pressing her body against his.

In the next instant, Nova disappeared from her sight and reappeared behind her. He casually sat down on a nearby chair.

"I’m not in the mood for games, Maria. Stop wasting my time and get to the point," Nova said impatiently.

Maria sighed. "Why are you so cold toward me? You already have so many wives. Why not let me try my luck too?" she teased.

Nova didn’t respond. Maria smiled before continuing, "All right, I’ll tell you. But since I already know your secret—that you’re the Slaughter Monarch—I want you to include me in your group."

She paused briefly before adding with a playful smile, "I’m not asking you to make me your wife, but I want to become your ally. Of course, I wouldn’t mind becoming your wife either, if you wanted that."

{What a sly woman!} Liya commented.

"More like shameless," Nyxara muttered angrily.

Velena remained silent. "Why do you want to become my ally? Is it because your Goddess told you to?" Nova asked curiously.

"Hmm... No, she didn’t. This is my own decision. I can sense that something much bigger is unfolding in this world, and I want to stand alongside you when it happens," Maria explained.

"Of course, our partnership will remain a secret between us. I’m planning to take control of the entire Light temple Order."

She continued confidently, "The Order is currently under the Human Emperor’s influence, but I’ve already spoken with him. Even without his permission, I have the authority to take control of it as the High Priestess."

"If you agree to partner with me, you’ll have another army at your disposal in case of an emergency. And within the entire Order, no one can disregard my authority."

Nova pondered her proposal for a moment before answering.

"All right. I agree to your terms." Maria’s smile widened, and she practically jumped with happiness. "Good decision!"

"Hmm. Now tell me what you know," Nova said.

"I heard it from my mother," Maria said, her face twisting with disgust.

Nova was confused. How could she have learned something like that from her own mother? Just as he was about to ask, Maria noticed his expression and sighed.

"I know what you’re thinking. Sigh... I did want to bring this matter up, but even thinking about it makes me sick. Sometimes, I feel like killing my own mother."

Nova said nothing and continued listening. Maria looked at him and said, "Look at that painting behind you."

Nova turned around and glanced at the painting resting on the shelf. It depicted a mature woman who bore a striking resemblance to Maria. She had golden eyes and brown hair.

Standing beside her was a man with blond hair and blue eyes. Between them stood a little girl, around then years old, with blond hair and golden eyes.

Nova immediately recognized the little girl as Maria herself.

"That’s my mother, Alara, and my father, Ethan Everhart, the son of Caelan Everhart. And that’s me, their daughter—or at least, that’s what everyone believes."

Nova thought of something, but he decided it would be better to let her finish before drawing any conclusions.

"My father died when I was ten years old. This painting was made before his death. Nobody knows how he died, not even my mother. The circumstances surrounding his death were confusing, and eventually, nobody seemed to care about him anymore."

She paused briefly before continuing.

"My mother was never close to my father, even before his death. After he died, she seemed happier. She even began secretly meeting someone at night."

"I was young, but I wasn’t stupid. The way she spoke about Grandfather Caelan, how her expression always changed whenever anything related to him came up, and how she sometimes behaved rather intimately with him in public..."

She clenched her fists as she recalled those memories.

"People never suspected anything because they thought it was simply a close family bond. But I had my own suspicions. That’s why I left the Imperial Castle when I turned eighteen."

"After being away for so many years, I finally returned following the awakening of my Divine Bloodline.

I didn’t want to come back, but the accident during the tournament brought me here. Then, on the night I arrived, the Human Emperor summoned both my mother and me."

"At first, they questioned me about my relationship with the Slaughter Monarch because your wife Nyxara, demon princess had saved me that day."

"Of course, I denied everything. Then they told me something that wasn’t entirely unexpected. I had already suspected it at some point, but I was also afraid to learn the truth."

Nova had already guessed what she was about to say, but he didn’t dare interrupt her. This was an extremely sensitive matter, and he knew better than to speak carelessly.

Inside the System Space, Nyxara, Liya, and Velena exchanged glances, waiting anxiously for Maria to reveal the truth.

Maria’s eyes grew blurry as tears began streaming down her cheeks. Nova didn’t know how to comfort her. He stood up, approached her, and gently wiped away her tears.

"You can take your time.

No one will ever learn about this from me. I promise," he assured her softly. Maria sniffled, struggling to speak.

**

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