Nova lifted his hand casually and snapped his fingers. The clone beside him dissolved into a cloud of grey smoke, dispersing in seconds like it had never existed. The sudden disappearance made the room feel emptier and sharper at the same time.
Harry flinched on instinct, shoulders tensing as his hand twitched near his wand. Hermione sucked in a sharp breath, eyes widening as she scanned the spot where the clone had stood. Celise stiffened for half a heartbeat before forcing herself to relax.
Harry exhaled slowly, staring at the fading smoke. "That was… unsettling," he muttered, then frowned. "I can feel it now. Now I can sense your soul. Unlike that soul-less clone, now i feel less creeped out."
Nova just smiled at him and then he stepped aside and gestured between them. "Celise, meet Harry James Potter. He's my student—and the one who'll be my partner in the final battle."
Harry straightened immediately, clearly flustered by the formal introduction. He offered Celise a shy smile, rubbing the back of his neck. "H-hello."
Celise studied him for a moment, as then smiled. "It's nice to finally meet you, Harry."
Nova turned slightly and pointed toward the girl beside him. "And this is Hermione Jean Granger. She's also my student," he added with a smirk, "and extremely knowledge-hungry."
Hermione rolled her eyes without missing a beat. "I prefer 'intellectually curious,'" she said dryly, before turning to Celise and smiling warmly. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
Nova's arm slid around Celise's waist, pulling her into his side without hesitation. "And this," he said, tone firm and unapologetic, "is Celise—soon-to-be Ashbourne. She controls all my business affairs in this kingdom."
Celise felt heat rush to her cheeks at the open claim, but she steadied herself quickly. She smiled at both teens, voice calm and welcoming. "Hello, both of you. If you need anything while you're here, don't hesitate to ask me."
Harry and Hermione nodded together, both smiling back.
Then Hermione blinked, her brow furrowing. She looked from Celise to Nova, then back again. "Wait," she said slowly, suspicion creeping into her voice. "You're… going to marry her?"
Nova raised an eyebrow and nodded once. "Yes."
Hermione stared for a second, then continued, "Then what about the princess? The one Harry is helping you fight for in the duel?"
Nova's lips curved into an easy, unapologetic smile. "I'm going to marry her too."
The silence that followed was thick.
Harry's mouth opened, then closed. He looked genuinely lost. "You can… do that?"
Hermione crossed her arms, disbelief written all over her face. "You're talking about marrying more than one woman. Just like that."
Nova shrugged. "That's because you're judging it by your world's rules."
He stepped forward slightly, his tone turning explanatory rather than defensive. "In this world, marrying more than one wife or keeping concubines isn't rare—especially among nobles and those with power. Status, alliances, bloodlines, and mana compatibility matter more than romantic exclusivity."
Harry frowned, processing. "So… people don't get protest about it?"
"They do," Nova said bluntly. "But anger doesn't change reality. Power sets norms here, not ideals."
Celise spoke then, her voice calm but firm. "Women, especially nobles, here grow up understanding this. It's not about affection being divided—it's about security, legacy, and position. Refusing to accept it doesn't change how the world works."
Hermione looked conflicted, lips pressed thin as she absorbed that. "That's… very different from what we're used to."
Nova nodded. "Exactly. Different world, different rules. You'll learn that quickly if you plan to survive here."
Harry glanced between Nova and Celise, then let out a quiet breath. "I guess… as long as everyone involved chooses it."
Nova's expression softened just a fraction. "Choice is the only thing that matters. Anything forced is just slavery with a prettier name."
The room settled after that, the tension easing into something quieter and heavier, like the calm before a storm.
That calm didn't last.
A knock echoed against the door, firm and professional. "Lord Ashbourne," a man called from the other side, "the match will begin in five minutes. Please follow me to the arena with your partner."
Nova smiled and turned toward Harry. Harry's shoulders stiffened immediately, nerves written all over his face, but he didn't look away. He met Nova's gaze, swallowed once, and nodded.
Nova's smile widened slightly. He turned toward the door. "Give us a second."
"Yes, my lord," the Magic Knight attendant replied without hesitation.
As the footsteps outside retreated, Celise stepped closer, her expression steady despite the weight of the moment. "Good luck," she said simply, her voice calm but sincere.
Hermione nodded as well, though she looked conflicted. "Yeah… good luck. Both of you."
Then she hesitated. A flicker of frustration crossed her face, followed by something resigned. She muttered under her breath, "Fuck it. It doesn't matter anyway. Besides, this bastard is already sleeping with my mother."
She shot Nova a sharp, irritated glare, then suddenly stepped forward, grabbed Harry by the front of his robes, and kissed him square on the lips.
Harry froze for half a second, eyes wide, before relaxing slightly into it. When she pulled back, his face was burning red.
Nova, who had heard every word, blinked in surprise. How does she know? he thought, genuinely startled. We were careful whenever Hermione was around.
He barely had time to process it before Celise wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his attention back to her. She kissed him softly, not rushed, not hesitant. When she pulled back, their foreheads rested together, eyes locked.
"Win this battle," she said quietly, "so you can win the Princess's hand."
Nova smiled at her, softer than before. He lingered for a moment, then reluctantly stepped back, turned, and headed for the door.
Behind him, Hermione cleared her throat, still flushed. "Take care," she said, trying—and failing—to sound casual.
Harry smiled at her. He leaned down, kissed her forehead gently, then turned and followed Nova out of the room.
As the door closed behind them, Celise turned to Hermione, noting the lingering blush on her face. She smiled knowingly. "Come on," she said, slipping into her composed tone. "Let's go watch the battle."
Hermione nodded, took a steadying breath, and followed her outside.
-----
Nova walked through the corridor leading toward the coliseum gates, Harry keeping pace beside him. The closer they got, the louder the noise became—voices stacking over one another, cheers and shouts blending into a heavy, pulsing wave of anticipation that pressed against the air itself.
Harry flexed his fingers once, then let out a slow breath. He didn't speak, but Nova could feel the tension rolling off him. This wasn't a classroom or a controlled sparring room. This was public, political, and very real.
Torches lined the stone walls, their flames flickering wildly as if reacting to the mana saturating the area. The shifting light cast long, distorted shadows across the corridor, stretching Nova's silhouette across the floor and walls as they approached the end.
The gatekeeper straightened the moment he saw them. Without a word, he pressed his palm against a rune-etched panel embedded in the wall. Mana flared briefly, and the massive iron doors ahead began to groan open.
Sunlight and sound exploded inward.
The roar of the crowd hit them like a physical force, hot and overwhelming. Thousands of voices rose as one, shaking the very stone beneath their feet.
Nova stepped forward first, boots striking the arena floor with calm certainty. Harry followed half a step behind, squinting against the brightness, his heart pounding as the sheer scale of the coliseum fully revealed itself.
The moment Nova emerged into the open, the arena erupted.
Cheers surged from every direction, mixed with gasps, whispers, and outright shouting as eyes locked onto him. Harry felt it then—the weight of being seen. Not as a student, not as a boy, but as someone standing beside a man the entire kingdom was watching.
Across the arena, another gate began to open with deliberate timing.
Two figures stepped out.
Veynor Velnir walked forward first, posture rigid, expression sharp and calculating. His presence was cold and precise, mana pulsing faintly around him like cut gemstones catching light.
Beside him came Kael Lorin, broader in build, movements relaxed but dangerous in the way of someone completely confident in their strength. His gaze swept the arena once before settling on Nova—and then briefly, dismissively, on Harry.
The noise in the coliseum shifted, excitement sharpening as the audience realized exactly who had entered the field.
Harry swallowed, eyes narrowing as he studied the two men ahead.
"This is it," he murmured under his breath.
Nova didn't look back. His voice was steady, grounded. "Stay close. Watch everything. And don't doubt yourself."
Harry nodded, jaw tightening.
The battlefield was set.