Chapter 53: You keep writing letters to death

Suno immediately tugged at Nova’s pants. "Beautiful goddess, my brother is innocent. He could never do something like that," he said, staring up at Nova.

"Curse this damn boy," Gabriel thought inwardly, a bitter, hidden tension tightening his chest.

Devin stared at Nova with desperate hope visible in his eyes, the heavy silence stretching thinly between them.

Nova gently patted Suno’s head. "You are telling me this... because you don’t want me to take him to the city, isn’t it?" she asked, staring at Gabriel.

"No... I... I was just concerned," Gabriel replied, sweat forming on his brow.

"If I want to take you to the city, what are your flaws?" Nova asked.

Gabriel’s eyes brightened with excitement immediately, his greed breaking through the tense atmosphere. "I... don’t have any flaws. I am not illiterate, and I am very obedient. Everyone in the village knows me, I was never involved in any evil act," he said with excitement.

Nova chuckled. "A true friend, I see," she said and stared at Devin. "You are just illiterate, not stupid. Can you understand the situation?" she asked.

Gabriel stared at the silent Devin in confusion. "Is she comparing our differences? True, after all, he’s just low-born," he thought, feeling proud.

Devin nodded and smiled, a sharp tension hardening his features. "I understand," he replied. "He... is trying to seize my chance. My so-called friend is just a friend in name," he thought. "But I... still want to go to the city with you," he said, his expression filled with absolute determination.

"Devin," Gabriel called. "Aren’t you afraid she will disgrace you?" he whispered, gritting his teeth together, but Devin ignored him, staring fixedly at Nova.

"I don’t agree!" a female voice echoed violently as she rushed forward, shattering the quiet as she grabbed Devin’s arm firmly with both her hands. "Devin is not leaving this village!" the lady shouted.

"Leave my brother, bad woman!" Suno shouted and rushed forward, biting the lady’s thigh with all his strength.

"Ahhh!" the lady screamed, violently pushing Suno as both her hands released Devin’s arm, dropping down to clutch her bitten thigh.

Before Suno could hit the dirt floor, Nova caught and carried him immediately. Now he was sitting safely in her arms, yet her cold expression hadn’t changed at all.

A shocked, breathless tension rippled through the crowd. Everyone was stunned seeing Nova carrying the dirty little boy.

"She’s a city woman but didn’t feel dirty and carried Suno!"

"She... she’s not like others!"

"This is a total surprise!"

Everyone started giving their opinion. Even Devin was shocked. "She actually carried my brother," he thought, the heavy weight in his chest lightening slightly.

Suno was feeling extremely happy and proud. "I knew the beautiful goddess was different from the others, she even carried me," he thought, feeling incredibly lucky.

The lady who had pushed Suno stared at Nova, stunned for a moment before gritting her teeth together in blinding jealousy. The hostility in the air thickened into something ugly and venomous. "Are city women now coming to our village to rob us of our men? Just with your beauty, do you think you can have everything?" she shouted angrily.

"Watch your manners, Brinda!" Devin snapped, his voice filled with burning anger.

Brinda stared at Devin and laughed mockingly, pushing the confrontation to a boiling point. "What? You are captured by her beauty, now willing to be a dog for a city woman, huh?" Her eyes were red with angry tears.

"You..." Devin clenched his fists together.

Brinda glared at Nova. "You should have some shame. Even if you want to steal someone, it shouldn’t be my man!" she shouted.

Nova chuckled. "Seems like you are married without your notice," she said to Devin.

"I’m not. I don’t have any relationship with her," Devin explained immediately.

Brinda could feel her throat getting bitter. "I have loved you for many years, yet in front of a woman you just met, you say you don’t have any relationship with me! You are just captivated by her beauty, right!" she shouted.

Devin was silent for a while. "Don’t make it sound as if we are in secret relationship. We don’t have any relationship, and I have made myself clear times without number. You are the one that doesn’t want to let go," he said.

"Devin, you... you should pity Brinda, she really likes you," Gabriel commented. "Just go with her already and leave the beauty for me," he thought.

Devin glared at Gabriel with a freezing, cold gaze.

Gabriel was shocked for a moment, then remained silent.

"I still want to follow you to the city," Devin repeated.

Nova rolled her eyes. "Look at you, couldn’t even defend yourself from dog and wolf. You will die for sure if I take you to the city. I’d rather go with your little brother, I don’t want a burden," she said.

Devin clenched his fists even more tightly. "This is exactly what she said in my dream. She didn’t want a burden. Will I really be a burden to her?" he thought.

Brinda spat. "A burden! I think you are just trying to look less bad. You should go away and never step into our village again!" she shouted.

"You are the first person that has insulted me again and again for so long. Despite ignoring you, you keep writing letters to death." Nova’s gaze turned instantly, lethally cold as she fixed her eyes on Brinda. The temperature in the air plummeted, replaced by a suffocating, murderous tension that froze the blood in everyone’s veins.

Brinda was shocked. Absolute, paralyzing fear immediately filled her heart as she took a step back. Her body started shivering uncontrollably under Nova’s demonic gaze.

"What... what do you want to do? I’m telling you, I am the village chief’s daughter. Don’t even try to lay a hand on me," Brinda stuttered.

Nova smiled. Suddenly, in a blindingly fast flash, a dagger appeared in Nova’s hand, and she teleported right before Brinda. With a clean, vicious strike, she sliced her throat, then instantly returned to her original spot. The dagger in her hand vanished into thin air.

The killing intent was executed so swiftly that no one even noticed Nova’s movement—not even Suno, who was still resting securely in Nova’s arms. Everything happened far too fast. The only thing the villagers could see was Brinda suddenly grabbing her neck as dark blood oozed violently down from her throat.

Her eyes widened in ultimate horror, and she dropped to the ground, dead with wide-open eyes. A deathly, chilling silence swallowed the entire space.

Everyone gasped in shock, stumbling back in terror.

"What happened to her?"

"She’s dead! She’s really dead!"

"What really happened to her? She was fine just now!"

"Seems like heaven couldn’t tolerate her anymore and struck her down. Look at how she’s holding her neck!"

"She was too arrogant because she’s the village chief’s daughter. Better that she’s dead now."

Nervous murmurs started among the panicked crowd, yet not a single soul suspected Nova.

Nova’s dark smile widened as her gaze fell on Devin, who was staring fixedly at her through the chaotic tension. She raised one eyebrow, silently questioning him.

"If... if you take me to the city, I... I promise to go my own way. I won’t be a burden to you," Devin said, not even sparing a glance at the dead Brinda.

Nova chuckled and stared at Suno, who was also looking up at her with a pleading gaze.

"Fine. Go take whatever you want from your house. You have just one hour," Nova replied.

"Thank you, beautiful goddess!" Suno laughed happily, kissing Nova’s cheek.

Nova stared at Suno with a genuinely surprised expression on her face.

"Don’t be rude, Suno!" Devin was stunned by his brother’s bold action and immediately apologized to Nova. "I... I’m sorry, he... he didn’t mean to."

"It’s fine. You have just one hour," Nova replied.

Devin bowed excitedly and immediately rushed back to his house to gather his belongings.

"What... what about me, goddess?" Gabriel immediately spoke up, desperation breaking his facade.

"You?" Nova smirked, the heavy, oppressive aura returning in full force as she looked down on him. "You should wait a few more years here. After all, I’m not the one you offended," Nova replied. A dark smile spread on her lips as she opened the door and entered the car with Suno.

"What... what does that mean?" Gabriel murmured, utterly confused and frozen by the lingering dread.

Not long after, Devin ran back holding a large sack bag. He gently knocked on the car window, the door opened, and he entered.

The car door closed, and the driver drove the car away, leaving the rest of the oblivious villagers behind to deal with Brinda’s dead body.

Gabriel clenched his fists tightly together, a toxic, burning jealousy consuming him as he stared at the car disappearing into the distance. "Why are you always the lucky one? Devin, you just wait. I will show you that you were born just to serve me!" He gritted his teeth together and left.