Aurie released an inward sigh of relief. In truth, she had no intention of activating her Dream Domain against her own allies. After all, it was something where life and death became uncertain.

Verestiaa was probably also aware that Aurie’s, with her straightforward and honest character, would not activate the Dream Domain and risk bringing harm to the innocent people nearby. Nevertheless, if there was even the slightest chance that Aurie was not bluffing, it was not a threat Verestiaa could dismiss.

"You are making things truly difficult for me, young one." Verestiaa said with a troubled sigh.

Verestiaa’s gaze fell onto Kalmesia as she narrowed her eyes and spoke sternly, "How do you expect to explain yourself to the Second Great Clan’s Grand Elder?"

"I am prepared to do what must be done." Kalmesia answered without hesitation.

"A room full of fools... Though I must be the biggest fool present since part of me is hoping that whatever it is you all are planning will help the lady open her eyes once more." Verestiaa stated as her eyes landed on Izroth.

Verestiaa was by no means an expert in the field of healing. But, she was still a trephasia, a race known for their close ties to nature, as well as a person who had stepped into the legendary realm. Therefore, she could understand a thing or two about what was taking place.

"Such a powerful gathering of life energies and... There are a few energies that feel familiar. Yet, some are ones that I have never come across before. Something strong enough to disturb the Nine Severed Room and invoke the heavenly lightning—what kind of great treasure did they bring with them?" Verestiaa thought to herself.

Suddenly, the trembling stopped as the blinding light started to recede. At the same time, the disturbance above Danaharpe quickly vanished as the heavenly lightning retreated.

When these changes happened, everyone’s focus immediately fell onto the initial source of the blinding light above the pool of liquid.

Once the light died down, it revealed Nova, levitating upright above the pool of liquid. However, when those present saw Nova, they could not hide the surprise on their faces.

Meanwhile, Izroth released a small sigh a relief as he finally stopped channeling Celestial Energy.

"Mother..." Aurie said quietly.

The next moment, Nova’s eyes slowly began to open as a powerful shockwave filled with natural energy spread outward in every direction.

The shockwaves pulsed like a heartbeat and carried with it a revitalizing aura. It was to the point that some of the plants in the room started to bloom as a result of its presence.

A few breaths of time passed before the shockwaves finally ceased.

Nova slowly descended and landed at the pool’s edge as she stood upright.

"This appearance... Young miss..." Verestiaa uttered as her voice trembled slightly.

’I can no longer sense the mark of corruption. It succeeded.’

〈System Alert: You have used x1 «Celestial Nectar of Nature’s Divine»!〉

Name: Celestial Nectar of Nature’s Divine

Rank: Unique*

Usage: Upon use, the user’s body transforms into its ideal state. This process cannot be influenced by external sources.

Special Note: A priceless treasure capable of performing miracles.

Celestial Nectar of Nature’s Divine—this was the name Izroth decided to give to the cure he created for the mark of corruption. Though, rather than calling it a cure to the mark of corruption, in reality, it was something well beyond that and approached the territory of miracles.

The Celestial Nectar of Nature’s Divine was not simply a treasure that healed. Whether one had lost all their limbs or senses, shattered their mana core, arrived at death’s door—none of it mattered. As long as they had a single breath of life left in their body, the Celestial Nectar of Nature’s Divine would essentially transform their body into the peak state of its existence!

As a result, Nova’s appearance had undergone some changes. For one, her once vibrant pink hair became a light silver. Furthermore, her physical features seemed to have become slightly more defined and refined.

One of the biggest changes, however, had to be her newfound youthful expression. There was still an air of maturity about Nova, but in human terms, she now looked to be in her early to mid twenties. Additionally, the battle scars she accumulated over the years had vanished without a trace.

But, the most notable change about Nova was the aura she unleashed. Without a doubt, it belonged to someone who had just broken through the shackles of their limit.

"Congratulations on breaking through to the peak stage of the legendary realm, Princess Novastisia! And—thank you for returning to us..." Verestiaa said as she quickly kneeled down respectfully.

Nova made a slight gesture with her hand as Verestiaa rose to her feet with a gentle gust of wind.

"Verestiaa, I have already made it clear more than once that I am no longer a princess of the Third Great Clan. Still... I am grateful for the efforts that you and the clan have gone through. You have my thanks." Nova said calmly as a light smile formed on her face.

Nova’s gaze turned toward Aurie; however, before she could even look her way, Nova felt a pair of arms wrap around her in a tight embrace. Seeing this, she could only give a helpless smile.

"Geez, what’s this? You aren’t a little kid anymore. Well, I’d almost forgotten how cute you were at that age." Nova said softly as she gently stroked the top of Aurie’s head.

"Mother... I thought I lost you..." Aurie muttered as she buried her face into Nova with her arms wrapped tightly around her.

"It’ll take a lot more than that to get rid of me." Nova said with a gentle smile.

...

Several minutes later...

Once everything calmed down, Verestiaa excused herself and left toward the building’s exit. Just as she predicted, there were some guests who arrived outside as a result of the disturbance above Danaharpe.

Since it also took place in the Noble District, Verestiaa knew that Hidden Cloud would not be able to deal with those who came seeking answers alone. Therefore, in order to let Nova, who just regained consciousness have some peace of mind for a while, Verestiaa had to personally step up.

Not to mention, there were some other headaches that she could undoubtedly have to deal with after everything that occurred. Regardless, Verestiaa’s mood remained lifted. After all, what were a few annoyances compared to Nova’s health?

"You continue to surpass my expectations. This debt, I fear that it will be difficult to repay it in your lifetime. Nonetheless, I will do my utmost to ensure it does not go unpaid. You have my thanks, Izroth." Nova said as she faced Izroth.

"I merely did what was in my power to do. Commander Aurie has always taken good care of me and those under my command. It can be seen as me paying off a debt of my own." Izroth commented in a carefree manner.

"That’s that and this and this. If I want to repay you, there’s nothing in this world that will stop me from doing so." Nova said with a large grin.

She then continued, "Not only did you remove the mark of corruption, you also helped to release the shackles that have prevented me from stepping into the peak of the legendary realm."

Stepping into the peak of the legendary realm placed Nova into a special group of individuals within the Mortal Realm.

The number of peak legendary realm existences in the Mortal Realm could be counted on one’s fingers alone—at least, that was how it appeared on the surface. Those who were more aware of the workings of the Mortal Realm knew that there were a few more hidden old monsters who had not shown themselves to the world in decades, or even centuries.

Of course, now that Nova had stepped into the peak of the legendary realm, alongside her status as one of the seven heroes and a member of the Third Great Clan, there would be even more powers vying to make connections with her. Naturally, this included also trying to get closer to those who were on good terms with her.

"Now..." Out of nowhere, the atmosphere around Nova shifted as the surrounding air became oppressive.

She then continued, "Where is that man? Where is Caius?"

War Brigade 1st High Legion High General of the 1st Core, Crimson Dragon Slayer Caius—he was the High General who participated in the raid on the Night Lord’s Crypt in order to hold off any other Night Lord that appeared. However, based on the tone of Nova’s voice and her darkened expression, she did not seem to view him favorably. Instead, there was clear anger in her voice when she mentioned his name.

"High General Caius... That day—he managed to escape." Aurie said regretfully as she tightly clenched her fists to the point of almost drawing blood.

’Niflheim mentioned that someone high up betrayed Nova during the raid on the Night Lord’s Crypt. Even though there was no concrete proof since everything was kept tightly under wraps, the number of individuals present at the Night Lord’s Crypt that day who were capable of harming Nova can be counted on one hand. High General Caius... If it’s someone of his standing, it makes sense why Nova was caught off guard. But, High General Caius’ betrayal has brought forth a terrifying wave of thoughts.’

If a well respected High General of the War Brigade was capable of betrayal on such a grand scale, the question had to be asked—how many other similar individuals were lying in wait in the shadows of Amaharpe and its allies? If a High General could not be trusted, who could?