Nova

Tarsonis City is a black dragon flowing with silver blood, its majestic scales and wings shrouded in the morning mist. This unparalleled metropolis is the center of the Terran Confederacy, and rightfully so, the center of the world.

"Don't want!"

November Annabella Terra awoke with a start, sitting up in a cold sweat from her sleep.

A floor-to-ceiling window faces the gradually brightening sky, dotted with countless stars. Hundreds of giant buildings and millions of roads and streets shimmer with bright lights under the night sky. Occasionally, silver meteor showers streak across the sky, the trails left by spaceships passing through the atmosphere of Tarsonis.

The giant chandelier on the ceiling is fifty feet above the ground, and most of its components are made of mirror-like natural crystal that reflects light of various colors, creating a flowing, water-like play of light and shadow.

A shield force field device, designed by Kemorian Lars Technologies and ATVX, covers the entire Terra Sky Tower. Occasionally, a polygonal matrix network appears, blocking any flying objects deemed threatening, while larger ones are immediately shot down by laser cannons.

Terra Sky Tower is one of the buildings in Tarsonis that is closest to the sky, overlooking the brightly lit cityscape. Anyone who has visited Tarsonis is sure to be impressed by this magnificent structure.

"What's that?" She turned on the wall lamp beside her bed, which was decorated with elaborate and ornate ornaments. She touched her throbbing forehead with her right hand and looked around at her cozy room.

A smart drone servant powered by a VTOL turbofan and a vertical stabilizer automatically activated, unfolding a Holographic Projection screen with an indigo hue in front of it, displaying the weather interface of Tarsonis ' main city.

Nova's IAA-115 horsefly robot is a highly intelligent and human-like machine servant, the latest design from the Terra Family's robot manufacturing plant. Nova is the nickname used by November Annabella Terra Family to address her.

"I saw it. Blood and death." Nova's eyes widened, her pupils trembling.

Scenes flashed rapidly before Nova's eyes like a revolving lantern. Gunshots rang out everywhere in the darkness, and one Terra Family security guard after another fell into pools of blood. The groans of metal breaking and the dying cries of people seemed to still echo in her ears. In her last moment, she saw her father Constantine's face.

"Dad!" Nova got out of bed, put on her shoes, and hurried to the wardrobe.

Bathed in the pale golden light of the rising sun, Nova ran in her nightgown, her smooth, firm skin as silky as alabaster, her golden hair scattering a golden glow.

Nova is ten years old.

Her body had begun to develop, and the loose nightgown could no longer conceal the hazy curves and beauty that lay between girlhood and womanhood.

The IAA horsefly robot servant still followed Nova, its turbine blades humming almost imperceptibly. The Terra Family mostly employed human servants, but robots still held a place in the family's daily life.

"Zebe! Zebediah!" Nova, wearing a pretty wrap sundress, went out of her room and rang the doorbell twice per second in front of her Zebediah Terra's room.

"Hey kid, what are you doing?" After a while, a boy wearing a sponge-colored nightcap came out. His beautiful eyes, inherited from his family, looked lifeless due to past sleepiness and surprise.

"It's only 6:30, Nova, what's wrong with you today?" Zebediah poked her head out, but didn't intend to let her sister in.

Zebediah's Terra Family lineage endowed him with striking good looks and light blond hair. He was a few years older and much taller than Nova. Compared to her brother, Nova was truly tiny, barely reaching his chest.

Zebediah is Constantine Terra's second child and only son, and he will, barring any unforeseen circumstances, become the Heir to the Terra Family.

"Someone wants to kill Dad," Nova told Zebediah.

"Children shouldn't use that word." Zebediah raised an eyebrow, his eyes widening slightly. "Who would want to kill their father?"

"You had another nightmare?" He stepped aside, gesturing for Nova to come in from the side. "You can sleep with me."

"Hmm," Nova pouted, her cheeks puffing out like balloons.

"I'm telling the truth. I had a dream where so many people died— Anna, Raknock, Anson. I even saw servants." She rattled off the names of many Terra Family servants in one breath. It was rather strange that a noblewoman who was only ten years old could remember so many servants.

"How could that be? Don't think like that. That was a dream, and dreams aren't real." Zebediah blinked. He knew his sister was different from ordinary people. To be precise, her ability to perceive emotions was much stronger than that of ordinary people. In a normal family, she would be called a psychic child.

Generally speaking, children with this talent, even if not sent to the Ghost Academy in Tarsonis by their parents, will suffer from exclusion and bullying during their childhood. Only the most loving parents and families can ensure that these children can grow up healthily.

Fortunately, the Terra Family is one of the Old Families of the Terran Confederacy, and no one can take Constantine Terra's most beloved youngest daughter away from him.

"Alright, before you fall asleep, I'm going to tell you the story of Augustus defeating the braggart Duke, right up until you're asleep." Zebediah never thought that Nova's telepathic abilities made her any different from others.

Zebediah is a fan of the Revolutionary Army Marshal Augustus Mengsk, and he has consistently condemned the atrocities committed by the Confederacy forces against the people of Korhal.

Occasionally, Zebediah would overhear the servants in his household referring to Nova as a witch and a terrible child, but that would invariably provoke his wrath. There was no child in the world kinder than his sister Nova.

Zebediah's connection with Augustus stemmed from a brief encounter a few years prior at the birthday banquet of Andrea Tagore, the head of the Tagore Family. Without a doubt, Augustus was the most outstanding young nobleman in Zebediah's memory.

"Oh dear—" Nova frowned upon hearing Zebediah's words. "I'll go find my father myself."

Nova dislikes Augustus Mengsk.

To be precise, Nova disliked death; even those living in misery could bring her to tears, and the sight of corpses strewn across the fields was even more unbearable for her. Nova disliked Augustus, the man who brought war.

Four years ago, Nova had met the man named Augustus once.

Of course, Nova didn't have a deep impression of Augustus; her memories were mostly of her mother Annabella's fantasies about Augustus.

What's so good about that kind of person?

"Alright, alright, let's go find Dad." Zebediah casually threw on a coat and went out. Although Zebediah was always seen as a humble and elegant nobleman by outsiders, he was quite casual at home.

"Where's Clara?" Nova simply looked at Zebediah again.

Clara is the eldest sister in the Terra Family. She is of marriageable age but still stays at home.

"Clara has an ancient court etiquette class today, waking her up wouldn't be wise." Zebediah shrank back, recalling the times his older sister used to beat him when he was a child.

"Forget it, I swear I'll never speak to her again in this lifetime." He turned away with a flourish.

"They'll make up eventually anyway," Nova said.

"Not this time." Zebediah raised an eyebrow. "I misjudged her. I thought Clara was a like-minded partner, but it turns out there's an insurmountable gap between us in our understanding of Marshal Augustus."

"What does she take Marshal Augustus for? How could someone like him marry a vulgar woman like her?"

Clara Annabella Terra could never forget Augustus Mengsk, whom she had met at the ball. Clara was not a sentimental woman; she had had many boyfriends by the time she was twenty, but she believed that none of them could compare to Augustus.

"You shouldn't have said that to my face," Nova sighed.

"Clara should have faced this fact long ago: she's willful and capricious, neither lovable nor understanding." Zebediah pulled Nova away.

Zebediah and his sister Nova walked through the house's wide hallway, taking several minutes to cross the huge rooms.

The Terra Family servants, who had gotten up early to clean, bowed to greet Zebediah and Nova, a gesture they were already accustomed to.

"Euphrasia, where's Dad?" Zebediah found a tall, curly-haired young woman among the servants; she was one of her father Constantine's mistresses.

"He's in the meeting room on the top floor." Euphrasia has always gotten along better with the children like Zebediah, and even cares for them more than their mother.

"Meeting the ambassador of Umojan?" Nova asked. She could read minds, so Euphrasia's thoughts were naturally impossible to hide.

"You can't tell anyone, okay? Three months ago, the Confederate Congress expelled the last Foreign Minister of the Umojan Republic and declared that no Umojan citizen could legally enter the country anymore. If others find out about this, your father will have another headache." Euphrasia was a beautiful woman with a slight smile always on her lips.

"I know," Nova said.

"You are such a clever and intelligent little angel," Euphrasia said, bending down.

"Take us to find our father," Nova said to Euphrasia.

He's in danger.

"You had another nightmare," Euphrasia said with a laugh.

"Yes, but many of my dreams have come true," Nova said.

"But there are so many more that haven't happened." Euphrasia put her finger to her rosy lips.

"You're just too scared. The news is full of reports about Earthlings and rebels launching massive invasions of the Confederacy's territory, affecting many immigrant worlds. But Tarsonis is absolutely safe, Nova," she said.

"As long as the moon shines, Tarsonis will not fall."

"Please, Euphrasia, take me to him, Daddy is in danger." Nova's eyes reddened, which sent a chill down Euphrasia's spine.

"As long as such a dream coming true has been proven to be real even once, the possibility of it happening again cannot be ignored." Zebediah's green eyes looked at Euphrasia.

"Euphrasia, when you see Dad, tell him it was me who asked you to do this."

"Alright, I'll take you to wait for him outside the reception room." Euphrasia took Nova's Small Hands.

"However, if the enemy really comes, the people you should worry about the most are yourselves, not your father. He is surrounded by a large number of guards and agents."

"Well, I'd like to know where Augustus's army is? Any news today?" Zebediah asked Euphrasia on the way to the reception room.

"You don't have to ask every day, but I have to tell you, today Pridewater (the Confederacy's Edge World) has fallen." Euphrasia sighed softly.

"When will they come to Tarsonis to take me away?" Zebediah sighed.

"Your father is waiting for you to take over the Terra Family," Euphrasia said sternly. "Do you want to drive him to his death?"

"Why not just let Clara be the Heir?" Zebediah said indifferently, "I want to become a hero like Augustus."

"Many people don't see Augustus as a hero," Euphrasia said. "Don't you know that what he wants to overthrow is Old Families like Terra Family?"

"He was my father's closest friend, and our family has been secretly helping the Korhal and the Revolutionary Army." Zebediah revealed a shocking secret.

"Who knows if he'll destroy the Terra Family after he achieves his goal? Even if he doesn't, Augustus will definitely use the opportunity to weaken the Terra Family's power, making it easier for him to control the family and its vast corporate assets." Euphrasia was clearly more than just a lover; she had considerable inside knowledge.

Never trust someone who truly wields real power.

"Augustus different," Zebediah said.

"How is it different?" Euphrasia asked.

"I don't know." Zebediah shrugged. "Who knows? I don't care."

Suddenly, Nova grabbed Zebediah's pants with her right hand, so forcefully that she almost ripped them off.

A distorted figure shrouded in black smoke appeared in Nova's mind, followed by severed limbs and the horrified expression of the dead man's wide-eyed stare.

"Don't take my pants off." Zebediah pulled up his pants.

"How's it going?"

The next moment, a huge explosion came from the top floor of the Terra Family's house.

After that, several servants who were wiping the statue in the corridor tore off a rag, took out a miniature Electromagnetic Rifle from their work clothes, and ran towards Nova and Zebediah, while the other servants were stunned by the sudden turn of events.

It's not that I wanted to end the chapter, I almost didn't finish writing it.

Before her family was destroyed, Nova was truly a kind-hearted noblewoman; her later transformation into such a cold-hearted person can only be attributed to the cruel twist of fate.