I Have 10,000 SSS Rank Villains In My System Space

Chapter 504: Nove X Selena

Inside the towering Virelan Mansion.

Farr beyond the luxurious halls where ordinary servants worked, deep within a quiet part of the estate that only the highest-ranked maids and trusted attendants were ever allowed to enter, there stood a majestic room whose doors had barely opened in years.

It had once belonged to one of the most beloved child of the Virelan Family, one of only two people who carried the direct bloodline of the Virelan Matriarch.

Even after all these years, no one had truly claimed it. The maids continued to clean it from time to time, dusting every corner and keeping everything in place as if its owner might suddenly return one day. It was never spoken of, yet everyone understood why the room had never been given to anyone else. Today, however, the heavy doors stood slightly open, just enough to reveal that someone had quietly slipped inside.

The room remained almost exactly the same. A large bed rested against the wall, shelves filled with books that had long remained untouched, a not so much used practice sword still hanging where it had once been left, and several small decorations from years ago that the maids had never found the heart to remove.

Time had erased some things, but not everything. The room still carried a strange feeling, one that silently reminded anyone who entered that laughter had once echoed here. Sitting quietly on the cold floor with her back resting against the wall was Selena. Her knees were pulled close to her chest while her arms rested around them, her head leaning weakly against them as her empty eyes wandered slowly across the room.

She wasn’t really looking at anything anymore. She was simply remembering. Every corner reminded her of Razeal. They had spent countless days together inside this very room when they were children. They had laughed here, argued over meaningless things, played games until sunset, and talked about dreams that now felt like they belonged to another lifetime. Back then everything had felt so simple. Back then she had never imagined there would come a day when even standing in his presence would become something impossible. The silence surrounding her felt unbearably heavy. It almost seemed as though the room itself was mourning alongside her.

Ever since the day she and Celestia had publicly confessed the truth before the entire world, Selena had become like this. She barely moved. She barely ate. She barely spoke.

In fact, she hadn’t spoken a single word to anyone for days after that confession. There simply wasn’t anything left for her to say. She had done everything she possibly could. She had admitted the truth before countless people. She had accepted the shame. She had accepted the hatred that followed. She had thrown away her own reputation without hesitation because she believed that was the least she owed him.

Yet none of it had changed anything. Nothing had been fixed.

Nothing had been healed and nothing would. She knows that and..

That exact thought that no matter what she does now.

There chances of returning to the relationship they once shared no longer felt distant. It felt just.. impossible.

An impossible dream that she continued to hold onto even while knowing it would never come true. Every passing second only made that truth sink deeper into her heart, making it heavier until simply breathing felt exhausting.

Lost inside those thoughts, Selena didn’t even notice the sound of footsteps approaching.

Only when the old wooden door slowly creaked open completely did the silence inside the room finally change. Someone entered but stopped immediately after crossing the doorway.

No words came.

Only silence.

Selena remained still for several long seconds before finally reacting. Slowly she lifted her head from her arms and turned toward the entrance. Her clouded eyes met the figure standing there.

It was Nova. She stood quietly with her usual calm posture, simply looking down at Selena without speaking.

Neither of them moved. Neither of them seemed to know how to begin. It had been several days since everything had happened, and this was the first time Nova had finally come to see her.

Seeing Nova standing there, Selena slowly forced a small smile onto her face. It was weak, almost painful to look at, because it wasn’t born from happiness. It was simply an attempt to smile despite everything inside her already feeling broken.

"You came..." she whispered softly. Her normally sweet and gentle voice sounded hoarse and rough after remaining silent for so many days. Even speaking those two simple words felt unfamiliar now. Deep inside, however, Selena already believed she knew why Nova had come.

Ever since the confession, she had been waiting for this moment.

She had prepared herself for it over and over inside her mind. She didn’t want it to happen, but she had already accepted it. Slowly placing one hand against the wall, she pushed herself up. Her legs felt strangely weak after sitting there for so long, forcing her to rise little by little until she was finally standing. She lowered her eyes for a brief moment before looking back at Nova.

"So... this is it, huh..." she whispered with another fragile smile that barely stayed on her face. Sadness remained impossible to hide from her expression. Taking one quiet breath to steady herself, she nodded faintly.

"It’s fine..." she continued softly, almost as though she were convincing herself more than anyone else.

"You can do it." She paused for another second before finally saying, "I’m ready."

Nova remained silent as she watched Selena. Her purple eyes becoming far more complicated than already before.

The girl standing before her no longer looked like the cheerful Saintess everyone admired. She looked exhausted. Empty. As though she had already accepted whatever punishment the world still wished to throw at her. Seeing Selena smile while looking so broken somehow made the sight even more painful. Nova simply continued looking at her without interrupting.

"Ready... for what?" Nova finally asked in a low voice. It was much gentler than Selena had expected. She even let out a quiet sigh before finishing her words. Of course she understood exactly what Selena meant. Nova understood every thought running through Selena’s mind without needing it to be spoken aloud.

But that was exactly why she didn’t want to speak about it. She more likely was just trying to fain ignorance.

"W-What..." Selena’s lips parted slightly as she stared at Nova in complete confusion, almost unable to process what she had just heard.

"You’re... not going to kill me?" she asked quietly, her voice carrying both disbelief and uncertainty. She truly didn’t understand. Out of everyone in this world, she probably knew Nova the best. They had practically grown up together. She knew how Nova thought, how she acted, and how frighteningly straightforward she always was.

Nova never hid what was inside her heart. If she cared flr someone, she showed it. If she hated someone, she says it on face without hesitation. If she wanted to kill someone, then she meant exactly that. There was never any empty threat coming from Nova. That was exactly why, when Nova had looked her in the eyes that day and said she would kill her after the truth about Razeal was revealed to the world.

Selena had never once doubted those words. She knew she had only remained alive because Nova still needed her. As without Selena standing before the entire world and admitting the truth herself, no one could completely prove Razeal’s innocence. That was the only reason Nova had waited. Selena had accepted that fate long ago. She had already prepared herself for death.

Yet now... Nova was acting as though that conversation had never happened. Instead of drawing her weapon, she was avoiding the topic altogether. That alone felt stranger than if Nova had actually attacked her. It simply wasn’t like her. Not at all.

Nova quietly looked away, turning her head to the side as though she suddenly found the wall more interesting than Selena herself.

A faint click of her tongue escaped her lips, one filled with annoyance, though strangely it wasn’t directed at Selena. Several long seconds passed in complete silence. Selena simply watched her, unable to look away. She could clearly tell Nova was avoiding her gaze, almost as if she didn’t know how to answer. That alone surprised Selena even more. Nova had never struggled to speak her mind before. Finally, Nova let out a long, tired sigh.

Slowly, she turned back toward Selena. As their eyes met again, Selena froze for a brief moment. Those familiar royal purple eyes... they were different today.

Usually they carried an almost frightening madness, an uncontrollable violence that made people instinctively avoid looking directly into them.

But today... they were calm. Clear. There was still strength inside them, but the madness was gone. In its place was something Selena had almost never seen before. Understanding. Pain.. Regret. It was such an unfamiliar sight that for a second Selena wondered if she was imagining it.

"I know you... Selena," Nova finally said quietly. Her voice had also changed. It carried none of its usual arrogance or playful craziness.

"I... read your memories." She paused for a moment before continuing.

"I know you didn’t mean it." She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly before scratching her cheek, clearly uncomfortable with everything she was about to say. This kind of conversation simply wasn’t something Nova was good at. Fighting was easier. Threatening people was easier. Breaking things was easier. Speaking honestly like this somehow felt far more difficult than facing an army.

"What you did..." Nova continued after another small pause, "...was selfish. It was stupid. You made the worst decision possible." Selena quietly lowered her eyes, unable to deny a single word.

"But... that’s all it was." Nova’s voice softened even further.

"You never hated Razeal. You never wanted to hurt him. Everything you did... was because you were scared. Because you were desperate." She looked directly into Selena’s eyes.

"So yeah... no... I’m not going to kill you." She gave another helpless sigh before looking away again. "...I’ve changed my decision."

Selena’s breathing became unsteady. Her lips slowly pressed tightly together as if she were trying to stop them from trembling. She simply stared at Nova. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

The person standing before her didn’t feel like the Nova she had known all these years, and yet somehow... this felt even more like the real Nova than ever before. Seeing those calm eyes, hearing those understanding words... something inside Selena finally broke. Her own eyes slowly became wet. A warmth mixed together with unbearable sadness spread through her chest.

She had always known Nova cared deeply about the people she loved, even if she expressed it in the worst possible ways. She always hid everything behind violence, jokes, or madness.

But underneath all of that... her heart had always been painfully gentle. Selena had known that ever since they were children. Even now... even after everything... Nova was still trying to understand her instead of judging her. It only made Selena hate herself even more. She slowly shook her head.

"No..." Selena whispered weakly, forcing herself to speak despite the lump in her throat.

"It doesn’t matter whether I meant it or not." Tears slowly gathered at the corners of her eyes.

"I was still the reason..." She lowered her head. "...I was the reason all of this happened. If I had just..." Her voice began breaking apart. Guilt crushed every word before it could fully leave her mouth.

"Stop this nonsense."

Nova’s voice suddenly interrupted her before she could continue. It wasn’t loud, but it carried enough force to completely stop Selena’s words. Selena looked up in surprise.

"I’m not some amateur like Razeal," Nova said bluntly. "People make mistakes. I understand that." Her hands slowly clenched into fists beside her body.

"Because..." she muttered quietly, "...I made mistakes too." Her jaw tightened.

"I’m not stupid enough to pretend people are either completely good or completely evil." She let out a frustrated breath before shaking her head.

"If I can’t forgive you... even after knowing exactly why you made that mistake... then I’d become exactly like that stubborn little bastard." The last words escaped through gritted teeth. The frustration inside her voice became impossible to hide. She lowered her head slightly, her fists clenching so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"Because..." she whispered bitterly, "...he still won’t forgive me. Even after knowing everything. Even after knowing why I did what I did."

Silence settled between them again. Only this time it wasn’t empty. It was heavy.

"As for killing you..." Nova finally continued after calming herself. "...I only said that because I was angry." She slowly exhaled before lifting her head once more.

"Really angry." A small, bitter smile appeared on her face before disappearing almost immediately.

"But after spending time alone... after thinking about everything... every mistake... every choice... every single thing I did also..." She paused. "...I finally understood." Her eyes quietly met Selena’s once again.

"None of this happened because of just one person." She spoke each word slowly. "It’s everyone’s fault."

She took one slow step forward.

"It was your fault." Another step. "It was Celestia’s fault." Another. "It was Mother’s fault." Another. "It was my fault."

By now she was standing directly before Selena.

"And now..." Nova whispered, "...I think something is more important than mistakes." She looked deeply into Selena’s tear-filled eyes. "...The person themselves."

The room became completely silent.

"After seeing everything inside your memories..." Nova continued quietly, "...I realized something." Her voice softened even more.

"All you ever wanted... was that someone to love you." Selena’s body trembled. "You wanted someone to stay beside you." Nova smiled sadly.

"...And that little bastard... was that person." Her own eyes lowered for a moment. "...Everything you did... every stupid decision... every selfish choice..." She slowly shook her head.

"...It all came from wanting to keep the only person who made you feel loved." She let out a tired sigh. "That doesn’t make what you did right." She paused. "...But it does make me understand you."

Another long silence filled the room.

"And besides..." Nova suddenly muttered, trying to sound annoyed like she usually did, though the exhaustion and grief inside her voice completely ruined the act. She awkwardly rubbed the back of her head before looking away.

"...I can’t just kill someone who’s basically my little sister." She clicked her tongue as though embarrassed by her own words. "...I’m not as cold as that stubborn bastard is."

Selena simply continued looking at Nova. She didn’t speak immediately. Her eyes slowly became wetter and wetter as she kept staring at the woman before her, almost as if she were seeing someone completely different for the first time. Her lips parted slightly before curling into the faintest smile, one mixed with sadness, relief, and disbelief all at once. It trembled so badly that she could barely keep it on her face.

"Why..." she whispered, her voice already breaking apart. "...Why do you suddenly sound so... mature?" The words escaped almost on their own, making her give a tiny laugh that immediately mixed together with a sob. It wasn’t really laughter anymore. It was the sound someone made when they didn’t know whether to cry or smile. Her lips continued trembling violently while tears slowly gathered inside her eyes. She tried to stop them. She truly did.

She bit her lip. She took a slow breath. She blinked several times. But nothing worked. The emotions that had been buried deep inside her heart for so long had already begun shaking uncontrollably. Every word Nova had spoken... every bit of understanding she had shown... every sentence where she admitted Selena’s feelings instead of only her mistakes... it all struck directly at the part of Selena’s heart she had locked away.

No one had ever said those words to her before. No one had looked past her mistake. No one had tried to understand why she had done it. Everyone only judged the result. Everyone only saw the damage she had caused even she herself did.. just hate her.

But Nova... the person who loved Razeal more fiercely than almost anyone else... the person Selena had believed would hate her forever... had looked straight into her eyes and admitted that she understood her. She had forgiven her. Maybe not what she had done... but her. That difference meant everything to Selena. It was more than she had ever hoped for.

Before Selena even realized what she was doing, her vision became completely blurred by tears. Nova’s figure disappeared behind the water filling her eyes.

The next moment her body moved completely on instinct. She stepped forward almost stumbling before suddenly throwing herself against Nova, wrapping both of her arms tightly around her waist as she buried her face into Nova’s chest.

The moment she felt that warmth, everything finally broke. Loud cries escaped her mouth one after another. She cried without caring how she looked. She cried so loudly that the quiet room was instantly filled with her broken sobs. Her entire body trembled violently in Nova’s arms as years of guilt, loneliness, regret, fear, and pain poured out all at once. She didn’t say a single word. She couldn’t.

There weren’t any words capable of explaining what she was feeling anymore. Her cries alone already said everything. They revealed how desperately she had been holding herself together all this time. They revealed how much pain she had buried inside herself. They revealed just how much Nova’s understanding had saved the small part of her heart that was still alive.

Nova remained completely still for a few moments, simply looking down at the girl tightly clinging to her. Selena’s face was buried against her chest while her fingers unconsciously gripped the back of Nova’s clothes as though she were afraid Nova might disappear if she let go. Every sob shook her entire body. Every breath came out unevenly. Nova quietly sighed. Her purple eyes slowly softened, filled with a sadness that she herself didn’t know how to express.

"That dumb idiot..." she silently cursed inside her mind, thinking of Razeal. "Missing something like this..." She could clearly feel the desperation in Selena’s embrace. It wasn’t simply a hug. It was someone grabbing onto the only warmth they had been offered after freezing alone for years.

Even Nova herself felt something tighten inside her chest. She wasn’t good with emotions. She wasn’t good at comforting people. She usually solved everything with her legs or sword.

Yet... this hug somehow made even her own heart feel strangely warm. Her expression became gentler than usual, almost without her realizing it. Slowly, she raised one arm before gently wrapping it around Selena’s back. Her hand softly rested against Selena’s shoulder before she carefully rubbed it.

"It’s alright..." Nova whispered quietly, her voice softer than it had been in years. "...It’s alright."

That was all she said.

There was nothing more to say.

She simply held Selena gently while allowing her to cry as much as she wanted. The room once again became quiet except for Selena’s loud sobs echoing between the walls that had once belonged to Razeal. Time itself almost seemed to stop.

Neither of them cared how long they remained standing there. Selena continued pouring every emotion out of her heart while Nova silently stayed beside her without trying to stop her.

Several minutes later, Selena’s cries slowly began calming down. Her breathing remained uneven as she forced herself to slowly loosen her grip. Reluctantly, she stepped back little by little until she finally broke the hug. She immediately lowered her head, unable to look Nova in the eyes.

One hand quickly wiped at her wet cheeks while the other covered part of her face in embarrassment. Tears continued falling despite her efforts to stop them. She didn’t say anything. She simply stood there with her head lowered, trying desperately to compose herself after crying so openly.

Nova looked at her for a moment before letting out another exhausted sigh.

"Alright... that’s enough, you idiot."

As she spoke, she casually placed her hand on top of Selena’s head.

The familiar gesture made Selena’s body instinctively tremble. It reminded her so much of the countless times Nova had treated her like a little sister when they were younger. Slowly, Selena raised her head. Her eyes were still red and wet, her cheeks stained with tears while small sniffles escaped her every now and then. She looked up at Nova almost timidly.

"You okay now?" Nova asked while lowering her hand from Selena’s head. Although her tone sounded casual, she was quietly checking whether Selena had finally calmed down.

Selena slowly nodded.

"...Mm."

But even after answering, her head gradually lowered again, unable to completely face Nova yet.

Seeing that, Nova rubbed the back of her own neck before sighing once more.

"Alright..." she muttered. "Now we forget about that shitty mistake... all the things we messed up... whatever." She waved one hand carelessly as if trying to throw the entire past away.

"It’s done." Her expression became more serious. "Now we focus on what’s in front of us." She looked directly at Selena. "That’s the important part."

Selena quietly listened but didn’t raised her head even then.

Then Nova spoke again.

"Razeal has already gotten married."

The words landed like a hammer.

"He’s already gotten so far away from you." Nova folded her arms. "How exactly do you expect anything to change if you stay stuck back here?"

Selena’s entire body stiffened.

Her wet ears almost seemed to perk up at those words. She immediately lifted her tear-filled eyes toward Nova in surprise, completely caught off guard by the sudden change in topic.

Nova blinked.

"What?" she asked. "Don’t tell me you aren’t angry." She frowned before crossing her arms tighter. "How dare that stubborn bastard go and marry someone else like that?"

Selena’s mouth opened.

"I... I..."

But no words came out.

Her face only looked even more pitiful than before. Tears were still fresh on her cheeks. Her emotions were already completely out of control after everything that had just happened. Now Nova suddenly asked something like this, making Selena’s already confused heart become even more chaotic. It was probably the worst possible timing to ask such a question.

Unfortunately...

Nova simply wasn’t the kind of person who noticed things like timing.

And even if she had...

She probably would have asked anyway.

That was simply the kind of person Nova Virelan had always been.

"You..." Nova suddenly narrowed her eyes before pointing a finger directly at Selena.

"You made such a huge move just to marry that idiot." She folded her arms tightly across her chest, staring at Selena with complete disbelief.

"Don’t tell me..." She leaned forward slightly, her voice becoming even more serious. "...that you’ve accepted defeat just because that stubborn bastard married some fish lady." She frowned deeply before immediately shaking her head herself.

"No." Her purple hair swayed with the movement.

"That can’t be it." There was no hesitation in her voice. She simply refused to believe it. She knew how much Selena loved Razeal. She had seen it herself after reading Selena’s memories. There was no way someone who had loved him that deeply would simply give up because another woman had appeared. It didn’t make sense to her.

Hearing those words, Selena’s body visibly stiffened. The warmth that had slowly begun returning to her heart disappeared almost instantly. Her eyes slowly lowered toward the floor once again, and the little strength she had managed to gather seemed to leave her body. The mention of Razeal’s marriage immediately reminded her of everything once again. The guilt. The regret. The countless moments she wished she could take back.

The fact that another woman now stood beside the man she had always loved. It hurt so much that she couldn’t even find the strength to answer. She simply lowered her head in silence. Her fingers quietly gripped the edge of her own sleeve while tears threatened to gather again.

Seeing Selena fall silent once more, Nova’s patience finally snapped.

"Oh, for..." she muttered under her breath before stepping forward.

Without giving Selena any chance to avoid her, Nova reached out and firmly grabbed her chin, gently but forcefully lifting her face until their eyes met once again. Selena instinctively froze. She looked miserable. Her eyes were still red from crying, tears clinging to her lashes while her cheeks remained wet. She looked so fragile that anyone else would have hesitated.

Nova didn’t.

"Look at me."

Her voice wasn’t loud. But it carried enough authority that Selena instinctively obeyed.

Nova’s royal purple eyes stared directly into Selena’s trembling ones.

"Tell me."

Her expression became unusually serious.

"Do you still love that idiot?"

The question echoed inside the quiet room.

Selena remained completely silent.

She simply looked into Nova’s eyes. Inside those deep purple irises, she could clearly see her own reflection staring back at her. A broken girl with swollen eyes, messy hair, tear-stained cheeks, and a face filled with endless regret. She looked so pitiful that even she barely recognized herself anymore.

But... The moment she heard that question...

Something inside her heart answered immediately.

Slowly...

Very slowly...

A gentle smile appeared on her lips.

It was small... Soft.

Almost unbelievably peaceful.

Even while fresh tears continued rolling down her cheeks, her eyes curved ever so slightly, becoming warmer than they had been since Nova entered the room.

There wasn’t even the slightest hesitation.

"Always."

She whispered only one word.

Quiet.

Gentle... Yet carrying feelings so deep that they almost hurt to hear.

The room fell silent.

Nova simply stared at Selena.

For a brief moment...

She completely forgot what she was going to say.

There was something almost heartbreaking about the expression Selena wore. She wasn’t smiling because she was happy. She wasn’t smiling because she had hope. She smiled simply because the answer had never changed. Even after everything... after losing him... after being hated... after watching him marry someone else... after believing she no longer had a place beside him...

She still loved him.

Without conditions.

Without expecting anything in return.

That single smile somehow carried more pain than all of Selena’s tears.

"...That asshole."

The words escaped Nova’s mouth almost instinctively. She wasn’t talking about Selena.

She was cursing Razeal inside her head.

What the hell are you missing, you stubborn little bastard...?

For just a brief second, even Nova couldn’t help feeling frustrated at him. If he could only see the girl standing before her now... if he could only see how much she still loved him despite everything... perhaps...

No.

Nova immediately cut that thought off herself.

She already knew the answer.

That idiot would still refuse.

"...Always... haa.. "

Nova quietly repeated inside her head. The word lingered strangely in her ears.

It sounded so simple.

Yet somehow...

It was one of the saddest words she had heard in a very long time.

She let out a slow breath.

Then suddenly

Clap!

Nova loudly clapped both her hands together, completely breaking the heavy atmosphere inside the room.

"Good!"

She nodded once.

Then again.

And again.

"As long as that’s the case..." A grin slowly spread across her face. "...then let’s go."

Selena blinked.

"...Huh?"

She hadn’t even processed what Nova had just said before Nova suddenly grabbed her wrist.

Without warning

She started dragging Selena straight toward the door.

"W-Wait...!"

Selena stumbled after her, nearly losing her balance.

"N-Nova!"

But Nova ignored every protest.

She simply continued marching forward as though she had already decided everything herself.

By the time Selena fully realized what was happening, they had already stepped out of Razeal’s old room.

"N-Nova...!"

Selena hurried after her, almost being pulled through the hallway.

"W-Where are we going?" Her voice still trembled from crying, confusion completely replacing her sadness. Everything had happened so suddenly.

Just moments ago they had been talking about Razeal...

About guilt...

About forgiveness...

And.... love...

And now so suddenly Nova was dragging her somewhere without even explaining anything.

Selena couldn’t understand what was happening anymore.

It all felt far too sudden.

Without slowing down, Nova casually reached into her coat with her free hand.

A moment later, she pulled out a beautifully sealed invitation.

Holding only one corner of the envelope between her index and middle finger, she lazily waved it beside her face.

"We’re going..." she said with a grin slowly spreading across her lips.

"...to somewhere I just got invited to."

The moment those words left her mouth...

The calmness completely disappeared from Nova’s face. Her purple eyes suddenly lit up with their familiar wildness.

A dangerous excitement appeared inside them. The same crazy sparkle Selena had always known.

The mature, understanding Nova from a few minutes ago seemed to disappear in an instant.

She was back.

Completely.

Selena, still being half dragged down the hallway, hurriedly wiped the remaining tears from her face with her free hand before looking at the invitation in confusion.

"...Invited?"

She blinked several times.

"...Invited where?"

Her voice carried nothing but genuine confusion.

She truly couldn’t follow Nova’s train of thought anymore. Weren’t they just talking about Razeal?

Hadn’t Nova just been trying to convince her not to give up on him? Then why were they suddenly leaving the mansion?

Why was Nova smiling like that?

And... Why did Selena suddenly have a very, very bad feeling about whatever Nova had just decided?

Knowing Nova...

It was almost certainly something completely insane.

——