MARVEL-THE MULTIVERSE TRADER

→ 20 REVIEWS= 2 BONUS CHAPTER

→ 150 POWER STONES= 1 BONUS CHAPTER

→ 300 POWER STONES= 2nd BONUS CHAPTER

CURRENT PROGRESS:↓

– FIRST OBJECTIVE:- 8/20 REVIEWS

– SECOND OBJECTIVE- 150/150 P.S ✓

– THIRD OBJECTIVE- 314/ 300 P.S ✓

----

Congratulations readers! You all have completed the last weekly objective...So this is the BONUS chapter...Yup, as today wasn't a posting day, according to schedule....

----------

The massive gates of the Magic Knights' Headquarters loomed ahead, the towering stone spires catching the afternoon sun. Enchanted sigils shimmered faintly against the stone, and a quiet, disciplined atmosphere hung over the area. No merchants. No bystanders. No chaos. Only sanctioned personnel passed through this place.

Nova and Celise approached side by side, and though the air was clear of noise, Nova could feel the eyes on them — or rather, on Celise.

She cut a perfect figure: polished, poised, and every inch the noble-born lady she was raised to be. Her elegant dark dress hugged dangerous curves in ways only the boldest would dare glance at, yet her refined posture, carefully schooled expression, and the understated gleam of noble jewelry made it clear she wasn't some barmaid or courtesan to be approached casually.

Nova grinned to himself.

She could probably walk through the royal court and have half the old men breaking their necks.

As they crossed the main yard toward the entrance, a familiar voice called out — smooth, eager, and unmistakably flirtatious.

"Well, hello there… I don't think I've seen you around before, beautiful."

A tall, well-dressed man with styled blond hair appeared just ahead of them, leaning slightly in Celise's direction with that practiced smile he probably thought was charming. His squad mantle fluttered faintly, marked with the insignia of the Black Bulls.

Finral Roulacase.

Celise, to her credit, turned toward him with the perfect blend of polite detachment and noble courtesy. She gave a light nod, her voice refined and calm.

"I'm here on official business, sir. If you'll excuse me."

But Finral wasn't the sort to take a hint on the first try. He opened his mouth to press his luck, only for a hand to casually snake around Celise's waist — Nova's hand, possessive and unapologetic, settling low on her hips as he stepped forward with an easy grin.

"Sorry, space-boy," Nova drawled, eyes gleaming. "You've got no chance. Not in this lifetime. Not in the next."

Finral stiffened, blinking at the boldness. "H-Hey now, I was just saying hello—"

A low, amused chuckle came from a short distance behind them.

"Yup," a rough, gravelly voice remarked. "You never had a chance with a beauty like that, kid."

Nova turned his head, finding a tall, broad-shouldered man leaning casually against a nearby pillar — spiky black hair, thick arms, a cigarette dangling lazily from the corner of his mouth, and sharp dark eyes that regarded Nova with open, unapologetic interest.

Yami Sukehiro, Captain of the Black Bulls. The magic knights group, around which the plot revolves.

Celise gave a respectful nod, her voice composed."Captain Sukehiro."

Yami waved a hand. "Easy, lady. Don't gotta be formal with me — but hell, credit where it's due. That's one hell of a wife you've got, kid."

Nova grinned, slipping a possessive hand around Celise's waist. "Appreciate it, Captain. Name's Nova Ashbourne, and this is Celise Vernette, my secretary."

Celise offered a polite nod.

Right then, Finral still hovered nearby, glaring at Nova in frustrated envy. Yami gave him a look.

"Oi, quit gawkin'. She's way outta your league and open the portal to the base."

Finral sulked but didn't argue.

Nova chuckled, tightening his grip on Celise's waist ever so slightly. "Nice meeting you, Captain. We've got an audience to attend."

Yami gave a short nod, cigarette bobbing between his lips. "Good luck with that, kid."

Without wasting another second, Nova and Celise moved on.

-----

As the tall doors to the Wizard King's chambers opened, Nova's sharp gaze immediately fell on the man waiting inside.

Marx Francois — short blue hair, sharp eyes, dressed in immaculate court mage robes, and radiating the cold efficiency of a man who ran half the kingdom's administrative affairs by sheer willpower alone.

Ah… Marx. Mind magic specialist. Keeps Julius from running off after every shiny new spell he hears about.

Nova smirked internally.

Poor bastard probably aged ten years just dealing with Yami.

Marx stepped forward, giving them both a curt nod."Master Ashbourne. Lady Vernette. His Majesty will see you now."

Celise responded with a graceful, practiced curtsy. "Thank you."

Nova gave a casual dip of his head and followed as Marx turned and gestured them inside.

The chamber was spacious, lined with towering bookshelves and floating tomes. At its center, surrounded by piles of reports and scattered relics, sat a man Nova had seen a hundred times on screens back in his old world.

Julius Novachrono.

Blond hair. Warm, curious eyes that somehow missed nothing. Dressed in a white and gold robe that made him look both kingly and entirely too casual for it.

There he is, Nova thought. The most dangerous man in the kingdom. The person with a terrifying grimoire and even more special magic— the Time magic. If I didn't know the canon, I would have thought that this guy is the protagonist.

Julius looked up from a parchment, and that bright, easy smile spread across his face.

"Ah, so you're the Ashbourne boy."

Nova gave a polished smile, inclining his head."Nova Ashbourne, Your Majesty. An honor."

Celise offered a flawless curtsy beside him.

Julius set aside the document and leaned back in his chair. "I must say… it does my heart good to see the heir of the Ashbourne line still standing. Your family's contributions to this kingdom's artifact trade have been invaluable for generations. It's good to know that legacy continues."

Nova's smile held, a faint glimmer of genuine pride flickering behind his eyes. "I intend to expand upon their work, sir."

Julius grinned. "Excellent. The kingdom can always use clever hands."

Marx stepped forward, presenting the paperwork. "The permits and documentation, Your Majesty."

Julius accepted the parchments, scanning through them swiftly. A few quick signatures later, he passed them back to Marx, who nodded and handed them to Celise.

Julius glanced back to Nova. "Now then… you wouldn't happen to have brought anything interesting with you, would you? It's been a dull morning of tax reports and border disputes."

Nova's grin widened. "Actually… yes."

He reached into his cloak and withdrew a slender silver ring, its surface etched with delicate, glowing runes.

"I think this might liven up your afternoon."

Julius's eyes lit up like a child at a festival.

"Oh? Let's see it."

The Wizard King took the ring, letting his mana wash over it — and his expression immediately shifted to one of sharp interest.

"A spatial enchantment…? No, it's something more."

On impulse, Julius placed his hand on a small table beside him and sent a pulse of mana through the ring. The table vanished with a shimmer.

Julius's brows shot up, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Fantastic! A spatial storage artifact. I've never seen anything like this."

He moved to release the table from the ring — but as his mana brushed it again, his brow furrowed.

"There's… time fluctuations. Faint, but distinct."

Nova allowed a smirk."Indeed, Your Majesty. The inner space of the ring isn't just storage. It's locked in stasis. Time stands still for anything placed within."

For a heartbeat, the entire chamber went still.

Then Julius gave a sharp, delighted laugh, turning the ring over in his fingers. "Marvelous. Absolutely marvelous! This could change the very nature of artifact storage… potions, perishables, even unstable spell components…"

His bright, eager eyes fixed on Nova.

"So your magic is time magic, then?" Julius asked with a grin. "As expected of someone with a four-leaf clover grimoire."

Marx, standing silently nearby, felt his brow twitch.

First, the ring itself had already surprised him — a storage artifact with time fluctuations was something even he had never heard of.

Now, hearing Nova casually identified as a four-leaf clover grimoire holder made his stomach tighten in quiet surprise.

He studied Nova again. The man looked maybe twenty at most. Which meant he'd had his grimoire for five years now… and yet no one in the capital had ever heard of him.

A four-leaf user, with suspected time magic. And now another anomaly sharing a name and magic with their Wizard King.

Marx sighed inwardly.

Both time magic. Both named Nova. Should I just start naming my future children Nova too? Maybe they'll get time magic as well.

His gaze flicked between Julius, practically glowing with childlike glee, and Nova, who on the surface seemed perfectly composed — polite, well-spoken, dressed like a noble should be.

But Marx shook his head, a faint, resigned sigh in his chest.

Looks normal enough… but so did the Wizard King once. And anyone who makes artifacts like this is probably a lunatic under the surface too. After all, I've heard it said enough — inventors are always half-crazy.

He adjusted the stack of documents in his arms, his expression impassive as ever, though his sharp blue eyes lingered on Nova for a heartbeat longer before turning back to his work.

x------x

CHAPTER:- (29- THE MAGICAL MARATHON) IS AVAILABLE ON MY P@TREON.

https://www.patreon.com/Ghost_0007?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator