Even Tharuk, who had lived for many years and met countless people, couldn’t help but look at Nova differently ,for the first time...He felt that this young man truly meant every word he had just spoken.

After a few moments of silence, Tharuk smiled.

"Our tribe has carried a deep hatred toward humans because of what happened in the past. Rieka must’ve already told you about it. If she also told you about your father, then the reason should be obvious."

He looked at Nova with a different gaze than before.

"You are only the second human, after Duke Theodore, who has made me realize that a race itself is never evil. Only the individuals who belong to that race can be."

A faint smile appeared on the old Beastfolk’s face. "If you’re willing to stake your own soul for the sake of my precious granddaughter, then I’m happy she found someone like you to spend her life with."

Nova and Rieka smiled upon hearing those words. They both understood what Tharuk meant.

He had accepted their relationship.

"I’ll allow her to go with you," Tharuk said with a warm smile.

In truth, even if Nova hadn’t gone as far as pledging his soul, Tharuk would’ve still allowed it. He had only wanted to test the young man’s character.

After hearing Nova’s earlier words, he had found the answer he was looking for.

"Thank you, sir," Nova said respectfully.

Tharuk chuckled.

"From now on... call me Grandpa."

Rieka’s eyes immediately filled with tears. Unable to hold back her emotions any longer, she tightly held Nova’s hand while trying not to cry.

Around them, the Beastfolk continued whispering among themselves. Some were deeply moved by Nova’s words, while others still looked at him with distrust simply because he was human.

And honestly...That was a perfectly natural reaction from a race that had long considered humans their enemies.

"Let me remind you of one more thing," Tharuk said before leaving. "A man with your talent will eventually find more partners. I know Rieka won’t stop you, but consider this my warning."

His expression turned serious.

"No matter what happens in the future, make her your first wife. Never let her feel neglected or left behind."

Nova smiled as he held Rieka’s hand.

"You don’t have to worry about that, Grandpa. Rieka will always be my first priority."

"Good."

Tharuk nodded in satisfaction.

"Now go spend some time together. You won’t be returning to your village tonight, and Rieka has already told me about your situation. I’ll have a room prepared for you and send some food over later."

With that, Tharuk left with the other Beastfolk, leaving the two of them alone.

Since the moon had already risen high into the sky and a cool breeze drifted through the forest, Nova and Rieka decided to take a walk together. The night was peaceful and enchanting.

Nova led her to a quiet river deep within the forest. They sat down on the thick grass, soft as a cushion, while countless night-blooming flowers surrounded them, filling the air with a gentle fragrance.

"I didn’t expect your grandpa to agree so easily," Nova said with a smile.

He gently pulled Rieka onto his lap and began brushing her fluffy tail with his fingers. The touch made her body tremble slightly, as it was one of her most sensitive spots.

"I... I already knew he would agree after meeting you," Rieka said with a soft smile as she rested her head against his chest. "He saw what kind of person you really are."

Nova continued gently stroking her tail before speaking. "I owe you an explanation, don’t I?"

"Hmm..."

Rieka softly nodded, enjoying the warmth of being so close to him. "You’ve probably guessed it already from everything that’s happened..."

Nova looked into her eyes.

"I’m the Slaughter Monarch."

Rieka slowly lifted her head to meet his gaze. She wrapped her legs around his waist while Nova held her gently by the waist. Surprisingly, she didn’t look shocked at all.

Nova noticed her calm expression.

"What gave me away?"

Rieka smiled.

"The way you talked... and the timing. Right after you left me and Asia, those strange shadow beasts suddenly appeared. I started suspecting you back then."

She laughed softly. "Though... I wasn’t completely sure." Nova couldn’t help but chuckle.

"So, darling..."Rieka looked at him with sparkling eyes. "You’re really so strong now... that you can even fight those enormous demonic beasts?"

"You already know most of my secrets," Nova said softly as he continued brushing Rieka’s fluffy tail. "But there are still a few things I gained recently that I haven’t told you."

Leaning against each other beneath the moonlit sky, Nova began explaining everything from the beginning.

He told her how his system was different from anything that existed in this world, how he could obtain strange and powerful skills through the Gacha Wheel, and how his class, the Slaughter Monarch, allowed him to raise the enemies he killed as Deadborn to fight under his command. He even told her about Liya and how she had guided him ever since he awakened.

For the first time, Nova held nothing back.

Every question Rieka asked was answered honestly. Every doubt she had disappeared one by one as he patiently explained everything. He wanted her to understand the person she had chosen to spend her life with

. More than anything, he wanted her to trust him completely. If they were going to walk the same path together in the future, then there couldn’t be secrets between them.

There was...only one. The truth that he wasn’t originally from this world, that he had transmigrated into Astrae.

Nova quietly kept that part to himself. Telling her wouldn’t change anything between them. It wouldn’t make him love her more, nor would it make her love him any less. It would only leave her with questions he himself couldn’t answer.

So, for the first time since arriving in this world...Nova decided to bury that secret deep within his heart and carry it with him to the very end.

After hearing everything, Rieka remained silent for a few moments as she processed everything Nova had just told her. It was simply too much information to take in at once.

She had never imagined his system would be so unique or that he carried such an unbelievable class. Yet despite learning all of his secrets, the way she looked at him didn’t change in the slightest.

After a brief silence, she finally looked into his eyes and asked, "Do you think others will find out that you’re the Slaughter Monarch?"

Nova gently shook his head.

"No. It’s not possible. That disguise came from the System Store. It isn’t something the ordinary warriors of this world can see through."

Rieka nodded before asking another question. "Will you continue being the Slaughter Monarch?"

"Yes," Nova answered without hesitation. "That will be my second identity. Through it, I can fight powerful enemies with my full strength without exposing who I really am. It’ll also allow me to grow stronger much faster."

Rieka quietly listened before gently brushing her lips against his.

"I don’t mind you being the Slaughter Monarch," she said softly. "But I don’t want you to endanger your life every time you fight... so you have to be very careful."

Nova nodded with a smile before suddenly picking Rieka up in his arms and put her on the ground again.

"I have something for you."

Rieka tilted her head curiously as Nova reached into his inventory and took out a beautiful spatial storge ring. The ring itself was exquisitely crafted, with a brilliant crimson ruby embedded at its center, making it look both elegant and noble.

After obtaining it from the Gacha Wheel, Nova had learned its true value. The storage space inside was enormous—large enough to rival the size of an entire city.

Such a spatial treasure was unimaginably rare. In this world, an item with that much storage space would easily be worth billions, perhaps even trillions, of platinum coins.

Nova showed the ring to Rieka before patiently explaining what it was and how valuable it truly was.

"It may be an incredibly expensive treasure," he said with a gentle smile, "but I want you to wear it... at least until the day I can give you something even more priceless."

As he spoke, Nova gently held out Rieka’s hand and carefully slid the ring onto her finger.

Rieka jumped into Nova’s arms and gave him a deep, passionate kiss that lasted a full long minute, their tongues intertwining and playing with each other.

"With this, you are officially mine. With your grandfather’s agreement, I’ll take you to my village tomorrow. We will meet my parents. Father must have already gone to the village." Said Nova with a warm smile on his face.

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[A/N]

I know the story has been a bit slow so far, but don’t worry—the pace is about to pick up. Thanks for your patience, and enjoy the journey!

Thanks for reading...