MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 895: Suggestion

The air became extremely silent and heavy as everyone simply stared in absolute speechlessness. Not a single person knew what to say, nor how to react. Words refused to form, emotions tangled within their chests, and all that remained was a thick, suffocating quiet. Although they had all only met Aura Nova a few hours ago through Charles Evander, it had not taken long for them to understand the kind of woman she was.

She was cheerful, lively, and remarkably easy to talk to, someone whose presence naturally brightened the atmosphere around her. No one would ever look at Aura Nova and suspect that she carried such a past… such a deeply tragic story hidden behind her smile.

They tried to imagine the scene of Aura Nova crying, but no matter how hard they tried, they simply could not picture it. The image refused to settle in their minds. After all, Aura Nova herself had said that that particular night was the first time she had ever cried in her entire life. They could not help but feel a deep sense of pity and sympathy for her. With scars like that etched into her heart, it would undoubtedly be difficult to fall in love again.

Yet, on the other hand, love itself was a mysterious and uncontrollable thing. People did not choose whom they loved, nor when they fell in love. It simply happened, often without warning. So even if it might be hard, they silently wished that one day she would find someone worthy of her, someone who would give her the perfect ending she deserved.

“No need for the mood to become tragic like I had died. It’s just a heartbreak and a relationship breakup. Many people have gone through the same thing,” Aura Nova spoke, a gentle smile gracing her lips as she said those words. Her tone was light, almost dismissive, as though she were speaking of something trivial. Her relationship with Alexandra had ended over a century ago, and the love she once had for the man had long since vanished into the flow of time.

To the men present, Alexandra was nothing more than a complete fool. Aura Nova’s beauty was top-notch, captivating without being overwhelming, and the only person present who surpassed her in beauty was Vega. Even aside from that, even without her mana core, Aura Nova still had Rain by her side. So even if everything Alexandra had said had been a lie, even if fear had gripped his heart, he should have stayed, at least for a while.

How much hatred, how much cowardice, did one need to vanish at the first sight of disaster?

Vega walked forward, her movements gentle and unhurried. She wrapped her arms around Aura Nova and spoke in a soft, comforting tone, “I know you might already be over it, but I’ll still give you a hug.” She patted Aura Nova’s back gently, her touch warm and reassuring.

Aura Nova smiled and returned the embrace without hesitation. “Thank you,” she replied softly, her voice calm and sincere.

Although Vega herself did not have a tragic story in her life like some of the people present, that did not mean she could not understand what Aura Nova had gone through. Pain was not something that needed to be experienced personally to be understood. Sometimes, empathy alone was enough.

Veronica stepped forward next, her expression calm yet resolute. She placed a hand on Aura Nova’s shoulder and spoke with utmost certainty, “My best friend and I will make it our duty to find you the perfect man.”

Aura Nova’s lips twitched slightly at those words. Just because she had told her story did not suddenly mean she wanted a man in her life right now. She was perfectly fine on her own. It wasn’t as though she couldn’t survive or live without a man.

“I’m fine, really. There’s no need to trouble yourself,” she said, trying to brush it off. But even as she spoke, it was clear that Veronica had already made up her mind.

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll start with the best of the best,” Veronica continued cheerfully. “Anthony has seven men under him, all ridiculously powerful and handsome. We’ll start from them and work our way toward love.” She smiled brightly, completely serious about her words. To her, leaving a fellow girl hanging was unacceptable. This was a girl-helping-girl moment, and she intended to see it through.

Anthony, upon hearing Veronica mention his subordinates, simply arched an eyebrow. His sky-blue eyes shifted toward Vega, already knowing that she must have told Veronica about his ten subordinates. Vega noticed Anthony’s gaze and merely shrugged, offering no explanation and saying nothing at all.

Altheria, Aaaninja’s girlfriend, did not know how to react to the situation or what she should even say. She remained beside Aaaninja, feeling that she could not simply walk up to Aura Nova and act cheerful in such a moment. So for the time being, she stayed where she was, quietly observing.

“What Veronica said is indeed true,” Anthony spoke up, his tone relaxed. “I have the best of the best under me. I’m sure your big heart will resonate with one of them.” He winked at Aura Nova and gave her a thumbs-up, clearly enjoying the situation.

Aura Nova sighed softly, accepting her fate. She knew that no matter what she said, she wouldn’t be able to escape the matchmaking plans that Vega and Veronica were already cooking up in their minds.

“Can you summon them now?” Veronica asked, her white eyes shifting from Aura Nova to Anthony.

Anthony nodded briefly, then closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again. “I can’t. They’re currently in the middle of seclusion. Maybe another time,” he explained calmly.

Vega and Veronica nodded in understanding. Even though those men were Anthony’s subordinates, they understood that he couldn’t simply pull them away from their training whenever he pleased.

‘They’ve achieved planetary-level battle prowess… impressive,’ Anthony thought to himself, a light smile appearing on his face.

“I still can’t understand how someone can be with another person for three whole years and not grow even the tiniest bit of emotion toward them,” Lucian stated as he gazed at the ceiling, his expression thoughtful, almost troubled. “Even if it was all a facade, still…”

Aaaninja, who had remained silent until now, let out a quiet sigh before speaking. “I think this is the reason why humans are always compared to demons when it comes to greed, heartlessness, scheming, and the like,” he paused briefly, then continued, “But I have to say, you are indeed strong. Not just physically or magically, but emotionally as well. If I were in your position, I would have long since killed Alexandra.” His tone was not cold or threatening; it was as calm and neutral as ever.

Aura Nova smiled at Aaaninja’s words. It wasn’t the first time she had heard something like that. Charles Evander, Valak, and even Rain had said the exact same thing. Yet they had all refrained from killing Alexandra on her behalf because she had told them not to.

“Maybe I’ll do that after my next relationship,” Aura Nova joked lightly. “If that one also turns out to be a lie.” Her words earned a bit of laughter, lightening the heavy mood surrounding everyone.

Lucian’s black eyes shifted from the ceiling to Kingsley, then to Aura Nova, then back to Kingsley again. With a playful smile, he spoke, “Since you two are single, why not just treat this ramen timeline as your first date?”

Everyone turned toward Lucian as though they were staring at an idiot. Aura Nova burst into laughter and shook her head. “Thanks for the suggestion, but I’m fine,” she replied.

As for Kingsley, he remained silent, his expression as flat and unreadable as ever. Yet even without him speaking a single word, everyone understood that his answer was no different from Aura Nova’s.