Nova continued, "There have been civil wars in the Clover Kingdom before — and every single one of them started because more than one heir awakened Light Magic in the same generation. In the cases where two brothers awakened it, both were considered potential rulers, and the kingdom split right down the middle. Armies marched, nobles chose sides, and the throne turned into a battlefield."
Hermione swallowed, visibly shaken.
"But," Nova went on, "when the two Light Magic users were a brother and a sister, things didn't escalate. The brother became the ruler, and the sister usually married into a powerful family and founded a new royal branch. No war, no division — just expansion of the royal bloodline."
Hermione nodded slowly, the pieces clicking together in her mind. Then her eyes widened as another realization struck her.
"Wait—so that's why the King proposed Princess Seraphina's hand in marriage to you," she said, voice rising with dawning clarity. "It wasn't just because you impressed him. It was political."
Nova blinked. "Political how?"
Hermione leaned forward, her tone gaining speed as the logic unfolded. "Because once you marry her… your family — the Ashbournes — becomes directly tied to the royal bloodline. You wouldn't just be a noble; your house would effectively become a new royal branch. Like the Silva family. Or the Vermillions."
Harry's eyes widened. "Oh. Bloody hell."
Hermione continued, gesturing sharply now. "And that's why the noble houses challenged you. The marriage is their only chance to elevate their lineage into the royal tier. They've been waiting generations for a princess with Light Magic to appear. They wanted to secure that connection."
She pointed directly at Nova.
"Then you appeared. Out of absolutely nowhere. With a four-leaf grimoire. Multiple elements. Light Magic. And suddenly the King is offering you the princess."
Nova snapped his fingers at her, "Bingo."
Harry dragged a hand down his face. "Mate, you're basically a walking political earthquake."
Hermione huffed. "Earthquake? He's a one-man royal crisis."
Nova groaned. "Look, I genuinely wasn't trying to steal anyone's princess. I was just… existing."
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Well, your existence caused four noble houses to lose their minds."
Nova shrugged. "Yeah. And I already beat two of them."
Harry blinked at him — once, twice — like his brain needed extra seconds to catch up.
"Right. So that actually happened. You beat two noble heirs."
Nova nodded.
Harry took a long breath, shoulders tight. Hermione watched him carefully, as if even she wasn't sure how he'd react to the next part.
"And now," Harry said slowly, "the last battle is a two-versus-two match… and you want me to fight beside you."
Nova smiled widely, "Yup! It's going to be very exciting," he said, leaning back like this was a casual afternoon discussion. "Student fighting alongside teacher… helping him win a princess's hand in marriage."
Harry choked. Hermione slapped her forehead.
Nova blinked once. "What? It sounds cool."
Hermione stared at him. "Nova, absolutely NOTHING about that sentence was cool."
Nova shrugged, still relaxed. "Disagree. I'd give it at least an eight out of ten in dramatic flair."
Harry rubbed his temple. "You're unbelievable."
Nova leaned forward, eyes bright, the kind that said he was having fun even when he shouldn't be.
"Harry, listen. I already beat two of them without breaking a sweat."
He snapped his fingers sharply. "Boom. Boom. Next."
Hermione narrowed her eyes. "You did not say 'boom boom' during the fights."
"Oh I absolutely did."
Nova smirked. "Just… in my head."
Harry tried not to laugh, and failed.
Nova continued, still impossibly confident, still perfectly at ease. "And this last match? A two-versus-two? That's just the nobles trying to make things look dramatic so they don't cry when I win again."
Hermione pointed at him accusingly. "You're going to start a riot one day."
"Probably," Nova said cheerfully, "but I'll look good doing it."
Harry sighed. "You really think we can win?"
Nova tapped Harry's chest with two fingers — light, confident, unshakable.
"I know we can. I could do it alone, but… where's the fun in that? And besides—"
he flashed a grin, " you are strong. Afterall you are my student."
Harry blinked, stunned for a second.
Nova threw his arm around Harry's shoulders, pulling him close with zero hesitation.
"Of course! I want someone badass at my side. Someone reliable. Someone who won't run. Someone who punches first and asks questions after."
Harry blinked. "Nova… that's literally you."
Nova clicked his tongue. "Exactly. Why wouldn't I want a second one?"
Hermione burst out laughing despite herself.
Nova smirked, tilting his head.
"So… what do you say, Harry? Ready to stand beside me and show this kingdom why they should've never let us team up?"
Harry stared at him — at the confidence, the energy, the effortless belief Nova had in him.
Slowly… a small, growing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Hermione watched him with breath held.
Harry didn't break eye contact.
Not with Nova's grin, not with Hermione's anxious stare, not with the weight of what he was agreeing to.
His chest rose once—slow, steady—and then he nodded. A clear, solid acceptance.
"Alright," Harry said, voice steadying as he stood a little taller. "I'll fight beside you."
Hermione let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, her hand falling from his arm as relief washed over her face.
Nova's grin exploded across his face like fireworks. "There it is! Finally!"
He grabbed Harry's shoulders with both hands, shaking him once with unrestrained excitement.
"My student," Nova announced dramatically, "has officially joined the battlefield. Clover Kingdom is NOT ready."
Harry rolled his eyes, but he couldn't hide the small smile pulling at his mouth. "Don't make a big scene out of it."
"Oh please," Nova scoffed. "I'm going to make a huge scene out of it. The kind historians write about with unnecessary sparkles."
Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose. "Nova… please don't sparkle in front of the nobles."
"No promises," Nova said proudly.
Harry laughed again, more relaxed than he had been in hours. "Mate, you're unbelievable."
Nova threw an arm over his shoulders, confident as ever," And now you get to be unbelievable too. You and me? We're going to make those noble heirs regret waking up tomorrow."
Harry smirked. "Let's give them hell then."
Hermione stared at the two of them — one completely insane, the other willingly stepping into insanity — and shook her head with a soft, fond sigh.
"Great," she muttered, "you're both going to make me gray before I'm eighteen."
Nova winked. "Don't worry, Hermione. We'll win quickly."
Harry raised a brow. "Quickly?"
Nova snapped his fingers with a playful spark. "Boom. Boom. Done."
Hermione groaned loudly. "Stop saying boom!"
Nova's laugh faded into a sly smile as he leaned forward, studying Harry first and then Hermione with far too much interest. Both of them stiffened, instantly sensing trouble.
Nova's grin turned almost predatory in its mischief, and Hermione's shoulders tightened while Harry instinctively braced himself.
"You know," Nova began casually, as if discussing the weather, "there are going to be plenty of beautiful girls in the audience tomorrow. And I can already imagine it — Harry fighting beside me, looking all heroic, defeating two powerful heirs back-to-back. It wouldn't be surprising if someone out there had her heart bloom the moment she saw him."
Harry nearly tripped over his own breath, trying to protest, but Hermione reacted faster. Her head snapped up, her expression sharp in a way she clearly hadn't intended.
There was a flicker in her eyes — quick, heated, unmistakably irritated — before she schooled her face into something neutral.
"That's absurd," Hermione said abruptly, her tone firmer than necessary. "Girls don't just fall for someone because they watched him fight. Real admiration takes more than theatrics and adrenaline."
She spoke with a strange urgency, as if she needed to shut down the idea before it grew legs and ran away.
Nova raised an eyebrow at her tone, visibly delighted. "Oh? Really? Because it sounded like you didn't like that possibility at all."
Hermione's response was immediate and a bit too sharp. "I didn't say that. I'm simply pointing out how unrealistic it is. People don't form serious attachments based on a single moment of excitement."
Her expression didn't match her words; her posture had gone stiff, and she avoided looking directly at Harry.
Nova's grin widened as if he'd found the most entertaining thing in the world. "Interesting," he said slowly, leaning back with the confidence of someone who knew exactly what he was doing. "You sound almost… concerned about Harry attracting attention."
Hermione flushed instantly. "I'm not concerned. Why would I be concerned? It has nothing to do with me."
She said it quickly — too quickly — and her crossed arms and averted gaze betrayed more than she intended.
Nova shook his head with amused disbelief. "If jealousy had a flavor, Hermione, I swear I can taste it in the air right now."
Hermione turned sharply toward him, cheeks burning. "I am not jealous," she insisted, but the irritation in her eyes only confirmed everything she was trying to deny.
Harry, equally red, sank slightly in his seat, trying not to make the moment worse. The last thing he expected was Hermione's reaction, and it showed in the way he kept glancing at her, as though surprised by every second that passed.
Nova let the moment simmer just long enough before flashing an infuriatingly satisfied smile. "Relax, Hermione. I'm only teasing. But honestly… if you ask me, the last thing Harry needs to worry about is the audience. Someone already cares plenty."
Hermione stiffened again, Harry nearly choked, and Nova leaned back, arms crossed behind his head like he hadn't just lit an emotional firework between them.