Chapter 653

Riana and Cliff's tense atmosphere had eased, as they still valued each other. "Ability... to that extent?" "Yes." "I heard there was some strange weather last winter... was that you?" "Yes, it was me." Cliff was taken aback by the fact that Riana could now cause weather anomalies beyond summoning lightning. Riana sat on a rock and sighed deeply. "It's like the stronger the feeling, the stronger the effect... It seems like my ability responds to my emotions. Weather anomalies seem to respond to negative emotions." It was an ability that was not awakened through a good experience. Unless emotions could be controlled at will, there would inevitably be constraints on the activation conditions. "It's a strong ability, but it's not easy to use." Riana shook her head at Cliff's words. "It's not that bad. I can use it whenever I want." "You have to feel bad to use it?" "There's a way." Riana took out a potion from her pocket. To Cliff, it was just a bottle containing an unknown substance. Riana smiled with a creepy expression. "If I drink this, I'll feel so depressed that I'll want to hang myself right away." "A depression-inducing potion...?" "Yes." "You drink that?" "There are no side effects. It's safe. And what if there are side effects? If I can kill tens of thousands of monsters in exchange for feeling a little better, then I should do it." It wasn't like risking her life, just feeling a little, seriously bad. If that was the case, then of course she should do it. But Cliff saw Riana's hand trembling slightly as she held the crystal potion. She was clearly afraid of the terrible feeling she would experience if she drank it. It wasn't without a price, but tens of thousands of monsters. Cliff felt like he was losing his mind just thinking about that number. Even if he added up all the monsters he had killed so far, would it reach tens of thousands? But Riana could make that possible with just one use of her ability. Cliff had become stronger compared to before, but Riana was on a different level. With just one battle, Riana could annihilate a number of monsters that was several times greater than the number of monsters Cliff had killed so far. When Cliff's expression stiffened, Riana took Cliff's hand. "Why... why are you making that face? Don't make that face." "No. You and I have different abilities. I just thought about it for a moment."

"Yeah...."

Cliff knew that they had different abilities. Riana had an excessively powerful ability, and even the number of monsters Cliff had killed so far was an impossible achievement, exceeding thousands. It was just a wrong comparison. Could there be someone with abilities greater than Riana's? The moment Riana became able to summon lightning, Cliff could only recall that memory. Riana screamed in front of her father's grave and awakened her ability. Cliff clearly remembered that moment when Riana awakened that new ability after a shocking experience. And now, she had even greater power. Did she naturally acquire that power? Or...

"Riana."

"Yeah?"

"Did something happen...?"

Her father's death. Did she awaken another power through some other event that was just as significant? Just by seeing Riana's complexion worsen at his question, Cliff could tell that something had happened.

After a moment of silence, Riana briefly explained that she had committed a great sin that could not be undone. It was a difficult concept for Cliff to understand that it was not a sad event but something she had done to herself. Riana said she had killed people, not monsters. So many people that it was impossible to count. She didn't explain anything more than that.

"Why... did you do that?"

Cliff had to ask because he couldn't imagine Riana doing something like that for no reason.

"There was a reason. Definitely."

Riana looked at the ground and the weeds growing beneath the forest with a firm expression. "But I realized too late that there are things that should not be done even if there is a reason." It was something she considered necessary to do, but it turned out to be something that should not have been done. As a result of doing something that should not have been done, someone else was paying the price. "So now, I don't think about revenge or anything like that." She had become someone who found the idea of revenge ridiculous, so she didn't have any thoughts of revenge anymore.

Riana had returned. It was a reunion that could never be long enough no matter how long they talked. Cliff had left, and Riana was waiting for them at the location they had agreed upon. "How did it go?" Riana asked. "You were probably listening in anyway," Hareth and I couldn't help but be surprised by Riana's words. "How did you know?" "You're not that subtle." Was I really that obvious? No, thinking that it wasn't obvious was a bit ridiculous. Riana's expression became lighter. Cliff would probably be the same. But Riana didn't meet Cliff just to gain his support later. There were things that needed to be resolved before the final battle, regardless of political implications. "Do you feel relieved?" I asked. "A little?" Riana smirked and nodded her head. There were still many things in progress. "Let's go back, there's nothing good about staying here any longer," Hareth finished speaking and began casting. Riana was clearly afraid, perhaps of how Cliff had changed. Although Cliff had changed, he had not changed in the way that made Riana afraid. I had taken on a different appearance, but I had checked on how everyone was doing. However, I couldn't tell how they would react when they actually faced me. Just as Cliff was not someone Riana necessarily had to meet, there might be people who didn't resent me in reality, like Scarlet. They might not show it on the surface, but they could be harboring hatred inside like Christina. Riana seemed relieved to meet Cliff, but there was someone she wanted to meet even more. There wasn't much time left. That person she wanted to meet. Not Ellen, just one person. * * * The day before the march, Adriana was in a ranch she had never been to before. She wasn't scared, but she couldn't help but feel nervous in a situation where she didn't know the language. The owner of the ranch was sitting on the desk with his arms crossed, not on a chair. He had a young face. You couldn't tell his actual age, but he looked about six years younger than her. He always had a smiling face, so he seemed like someone who would give a good impression wherever he went. But this was the first time Adriana had confronted him, and she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable from his smiling face. He was smiling, but his smile seemed to be engraved on his face. Adriana felt like he was smiling, but he wasn't really smiling. Adriana, a holy knight, and the supreme commander of the holy knights. Rowen, the commander of the holy war, was in front of Adriana. Really suddenly. Adriana received a call from the commander of the holy war. Although she was a holy knight, Adriana was practically a member of the holy war, moving with the temple army, but she was not under their control. Therefore, the fact that the newly appointed commander of the holy war called her was strange and made Adriana nervous. The story of the sudden replacement of the former commander of the holy war, Ileion Bulton, could be a strange story even to Adriana, who did not move with the holy war. In fact, it was not yet clear how such a thing had happened. Even Adriana did not understand the situation, and it was clear that the confusion within the holy war was even greater. And the confusion was still ongoing. There were rumors that Rowen's background was quite strange, and that he was involved in the dark side of the main religion. There were rumors that he was a heretic interrogator or an assassination unit. Wasn't he someone who shouldn't have come out? Is it really okay? Adriana also felt the ownerless words floating around in suspicion. In suspicion, newly appointed commander of the holy war, Rowen, called Adriana. She is not a high-ranking holy knight and wonders why he called her. Rowen's background is rumored to be strange and involved in the dark side of the main religion, making Adriana suspicious of him. Rowen's expression and reactions are unreadable, making Adriana feel uneasy and even fearful due to his power and authority. Rowen mentions Adriana's impressive career as a Temple Royal Class graduate, but Adriana remains humble. Adriana evaluated herself as inferior compared to those with strong talents. "Why? Are only magicians and psychics considered talented? Your experience in monster subjugation is comparable to that of high-ranking holy knights and priests." Rowen begins to read a document that contains Adriana's history, mentioning her graduation from Temple Royal Class and her involvement in the war against monsters. Rowen approaches Adriana and mentions that they both come from orphanages and have similar talents. Adriana is confused by Rowen's words and feels uneasy when he touches her cheek with his rough hand. Rowen expresses jealousy and envy towards Adriana's position as a lower-ranking holy knight. He then informs her that someone wants to meet her. "The commander of the Holy Knights only made incomprehensible sounds. However, someone wanted to meet her and gave her the location and time. The meeting was at night. Although she didn't understand the order, she couldn't refuse it. Therefore, Adriana headed alone to the southern area of the base where no one else was. She wondered why the commander would give such an order and who would want to meet her. She arrived at a meadow where someone was sitting. She couldn't understand what was happening, but she could guess what was going on. She recognized the person in front of her as someone she cherished deeply. It was her junior, Line Hart."