Chapter 652

Living life, one is bound to experience moments where their heart beats so intensely that it feels like it might burst. It could be due to shock, fear, excitement, or a moment that fills one's heart. Right now, Rihanna was experiencing such a moment where her heart felt like it might burst, due to fear. However, fear was not the only emotion mixed in with her racing heart. Moments where one's heart beats intensely can be caused by a mixture of emotions. As intense as her fear was, Rihanna's heart was undoubtedly about to burst. There are moments where one can hear their heartbeat not only in their chest but also in their ears, due to the overwhelming intensity of the moment. However, due to the fear of not knowing what might come out of her mouth, Rihanna couldn't even meet her friend's gaze and was looking down in front of her friend whom she hadn't seen in a long time. There was a moment where they had promised to kill the demon king together. She was so grateful for that sentiment. However, the two who had made such a resolution were too small at the time to even be considered as small beings to write the name of the demon king. There was a time when she had a funny period of wanting revenge on that subject, and her friend. But when was the time when that name became so heavy? The resolution for revenge lost its direction, and Rihanna, who had wanted to kill the demon king, became one of the demon king's closest followers. One of the most important subordinates of the demon king. If you had to be specific. To explain all the things that had happened until now would take several nights, and it still wouldn't be enough. But in the end, a conversation is something that needs to start so that you can share what you want to say. Even though Rihanna hesitated and struggled to say hello, Cliff just looked at her quietly without saying anything. Even in the past, Cliff wasn't someone who talked much. Even when he wasn't facing Rihanna, Cliff was always the listener, and when he spoke, he either answered briefly or rambled on if he had a lot to say. He didn't have much to say. Like back then, he still doesn't say anything now, but Rihanna can't help but notice that he's different from the past. The Cliff of the past had few words because he couldn't find anything to say. But now, he's just choosing his words. It's not that he doesn't know what to say, he's just thinking about what to say. Time passes. People change. Just like Rihanna has changed, Cliff has changed too. "You came to see someone like me." Rihanna felt dizzy from the meaning contained in that one sentence. In that short sentence, all the thoughts, self-loathing, and disillusionment that Cliff had been carrying until now were contained. "What...do you mean...someone like you...?" Rihanna looked at Cliff with shaking eyes. "I'm weak." "...." "So, you left me behind, right?" "!" That's a curse. Not a curse towards Rihanna, but a curse towards himself. "A guy like me who could only enhance his divine power, taking me with you would have been meaningless. It's only natural that you didn't take me with you." Rihanna had no choice but to interrupt Cliff's reproachful words. "No, no...." "If not?" "Uh?" Cliff asks. Rihanna could only bite her lip with a sad expression. "If I went with you, you would get hurt. No, you would die. I didn't want you to get hurt because of me." "That just means if I went with you, I would only die or get hurt. It means that I wouldn't be of any help to you even if I was by your side." "...". It was a way of expressing it nicely, but it meant that even if he was by her side, he was useless and meaningless, and she knew it too. Would the situation have been different if Cliff had been there? No, it wouldn't. He would have become a burden. She didn't want him to get hurt. She didn't take him with her because there was a high possibility of negative variables even if he was there. In fact, they are the same thing, just expressed differently. Cliff accepted it in the latter way, and the content of the latter is still true. But isn't it too harsh of an expression? Isn't the important thing the intention? Isn't it too painful to be seen as an action that ignores you because you are worried about you? Rihanna's intention is not important. I was useless and discarded. I was weak and couldn't go with her. Cliff accepted it that way. Cliff had been thinking that way since the Gate incident. "Rihanna, I'm not saying I'm upset or that you shouldn't have done that. You had to do that. And that was right. I wouldn't have been any help. Definitely." "...". "It won't be much different now either." Cliff, who couldn't even choose the right tone, could suddenly organize his thoughts and speak coldly. But even the direction of all the pouring words is pitiful. It's not resentment towards Rihanna. Disgust towards his own weakness. An evaluation close to self-hatred. Cliff is just stating the facts now. He just lists those facts, without even a hint of resentment towards Rihanna. All resentment and disgust are directed towards himself. If he had been strong enough to be helpful, Rihanna would have asked for Cliff's help. Resentment towards his own weakness. Disgust towards his own weakness. Cliff had been feeling what Ludwig, who lost his arm, had been feeling. That's why Cliff couldn't leave Ludwig alone. Rihanna was definitely afraid. She was afraid that Cliff would curse her, resent her, or blame her for his sense of betrayal. She was afraid of that. But now, Rihanna faces an unexpected sight. Cliff doesn't resent anyone. Not Rihanna. Not the Demon King. No one. "Thank you again." "...." "For coming to see someone like me." However, he was only blaming himself. Rihanna was more afraid of Cliff's appearance. In the end, Rihanna bowed her head with a guilty conscience as she looked at Cliff, who had been destroyed. "I was wrong. I... I'm sorry...." Translation: Cliff watched Rihanna crying with a stern expression. "No, Rihanna," he said. "It's my fault. I didn't do anything to help." He compared himself to Ludwig and felt disgusted with his own weakness. Rihanna apologized to Cliff for not taking him with her, but Cliff didn't resent anyone, only blaming himself. Rihanna felt guilty and apologized again. Cliff asked about Rihanna's father and the reason for her disappearance. He understood why she didn't take him with her. Rihanna became upset and cried, saying that she didn't want Cliff to die because of her. Cliff watched her sadly. "It was because you were precious to me... That's why I didn't want you to die like me... That's why... It wasn't like that. It didn't mean that. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for making you feel that way. I was wrong. I know I was wrong. I was wrong and you were right to leave me. But... Please, you're not worthless. You're not useless. You're not weak. It wasn't like that... Believe me, it wasn't. Just... Just hit me on the cheek or curse at me. Ask me why I left. Call me a traitor... It would be better than nothing... I don't want you to die because of me..." I'm sorry, but the text provided is not in Korean. It appears to be in a different language. Please provide the text in Korean for me to translate. At first, Cliff thought that he was being too precious about Riana, but he was grateful when Riana came to see him a month later. Although it was sad that Riana was blaming herself instead of Cliff, it was touching. In the end, Cliff confirmed that he valued Riana more than she thought. Even when he watched her as a cat, he couldn't tell what she was thinking because she was so quiet. But in the end, she spoke her true feelings in front of Riana. Harry, who had tears in her eyes, started talking comfortably with Riana, and Cliff's face brightened as he watched them start a normal conversation. When Riana said that she was a little nervous, Harry's face twisted, and when she asked if Riana liked something sentimental, Riana asked why. When Harry made a face like she was going to do something crazy, Riana glared at her. Cliff found it difficult to say something sentimental without any buildup. However, Harry said that meeting Riana was the luckiest thing that ever happened to him, and although it was true, Cliff didn't know how to respond. Harry then said that their lovely cat was happy to have a master like her, and Cliff's heart almost stopped.