Riven's POV
I stood. I looked at Catherine. "You stay here. Until you recover." I turned toward the mist. "I'll get rid of it."
Catherine stared at me.
"How?"
I looked down at the crimson fog. I didn't have an answer yet. But I would find one. "I'll figure it out." I took a step toward the edge of the building.
I stood at the edge of the rooftop for a moment, staring down at the crimson fog covering the streets of Aurelia.
The mist moved like something alive. It crawled between the ruined buildings, filled the streets, and swallowed everything in its path. Somewhere inside it, Dreadmaw was waiting.
I took a breath. My lungs immediately burned. I coughed once. "Alright…" I stepped forward. "Let's get rid of this poisonous fog first before it affects me any further." I jumped.
The rooftop disappeared beneath my feet. I dropped straight into the red mist. The moment I entered it, my vision became blurry. The poison immediately began attacking my body. My regeneration activated almost instinctively, fighting against it.
Morrivayne's voice echoed inside my head. "And how exactly are you planning to get rid of this fog?"
I looked around. The answer was obvious. "The source is the monster's blood on the ground ." I raised both hands. "So I'll burn the entire area until the blood evaporates. Fortunately, there don't seem to be any civilians nearby."
Morrivayne was silent for a moment. "That's your definition of fortunate?"
I ignored her. My eyes scanned the surrounding streets. Nothing but destroyed buildings, rubble, blood, and fog.
Then I saw him. Dreadmaw stood several dozen meters away. Even through the crimson mist, I could clearly see his enormous silhouette. He was watching me. And he was smiling. A sinister smile spread across his blood-covered face.
I didn't care. I raised both hands.
"Hellfire."
The world turned black. Flames erupted from the ground. They exploded outward in every direction, swallowing the streets, buildings, rubble, and everything else around me. The temperature rose instantly. The crimson mist vanished into the flames.
Dreadmaw's eyes widened. "What—?!" The black fire reached him. His body ignited. "AAARRRGH!"He screamed.
The sound echoed throughout the ruined city. His flesh burned beneath the black flames. He tried to retreat, but the fire followed him.
The ground beneath him began glowing red. Stone softened. Metal melted. The remains of buildings began collapsing under the extreme heat. Even the street itself started to melt.
I stood in the center of it all. Black flames danced around me. My clothes moved violently in the heat. For nearly a minute, I maintained the spell. The blood on the ground burned. The crimson fog became thinner. Until finally—Nothing remained. Every trace of Dreadmaw's poisonous blood had evaporated.
I lowered my hands. The black flames disappeared. Silence followed. For a moment, smoke was the only thing remaining. I raised one hand.
"Wind."
A powerful gust erupted from behind me. The thick smoke rose into the sky. I increased the pressure. The wind became stronger. Until the smoke was swept high above the city.
I looked around. Then I froze. The entire area had been devastated. Buildings were blackened. Streets had melted. Large sections of stone had simply disappeared. I stared at the destruction.
"…Damn." I looked at my hand. "I think I used more power than I intended."
Morrivayne sounded completely unconcerned.
"You think? you destroyed half the city. but don't worry about it." Her voice was almost lazy. "You can always fix everything in a few seconds."
I sighed.
"Yeah." I turned toward the ruined street. "Let's finish this quickly. I'm starting to feel bored here. I want to go home and rest."
A low growl interrupted me. I looked ahead. Dreadmaw slowly stood. His entire body was covered in burns. Large sections of his skin had been scorched black. Smoke rose from his body.
But even now—His regeneration was working. His flesh slowly began repairing itself.
Dreadmaw stared at me. "You…" His voice was strained. "What are you doing? "I know now." His eyes narrowed. "You could kill me easily. Yet you refuse to."
I remained silent.
"I don't believe you care about the High Priest." He took a step toward me. "So tell me…" His voice became more aggressive. "Why aren't you killing me?"
I looked at him. Then smiled. A small, knowing smirk. I took one step forward. And then—I was standing directly in front of him. My hand was already resting against his shoulder.
Dreadmaw's eyes widened.
"Wha—"
I activated Absorption. Mana poured from his body into mine. A massive amount. Dreadmaw's eyes widened further. "What are you—?!" He swung his claw toward me.
I disappeared. I reappeared behind him. My hand touched his back. I absorbed again. His body suddenly jerked. He spun around. I was already gone. He swung at empty air.
I appeared several meters away. He charged toward me. I waited until the last possible moment. Then disappeared again. I wasn't going to fight him anymore. I had already figured out what I needed to do. Drain him.
His regeneration required mana. His possession required mana. His attacks required mana. So I would simply take it all. Until there was nothing left. Once Dreadmaw became weak enough—I would force him out of the High Priest's body.
And then—I could copy his ability. Dreadmaw swung his arm toward me again. I caught his wrist. His eyes widened. I absorbed another surge of mana.
He tried to pull away. Too late. His strength dropped noticeably. I released him and rushed forward. My shoulder slammed into his chest.
His massive body crashed into the ground. I landed on top of him. Both my hands pressed against his chest. Then I absorbed. More. And more.
Dreadmaw screamed.
"STOP!"
I continued. His mana flooded into me. My body absorbed it greedily. His regeneration slowed. His breathing became heavier. His muscles began trembling.
He roared and pushed me away with tremendous force. I flew backward. I landed on my feet and slid several meters across the ground. I straightened.
Dreadmaw struggled to stand. His chest rose and fell rapidly. His eyes were filled with disbelief.
"What…" He looked at his hands. "What are you doing to me?" He tried to move. His legs trembled. "Why…Why do I feel so weak?"
I didn't answer. I turned around. Someone was approaching. Catherine. She walked through the destroyed street and stopped beside me. She looked at Dreadmaw. Then at me.
"So?" She raised her sword. "Are you ready?"
"I am."
We began walking toward Dreadmaw. He immediately noticed. His expression changed. He took a step backward. Fear appeared in his eyes. He suddenly threw his head back.
"COME!"
His roar echoed through the ruined streets. At first, nothing happened. Then—A sound came from everywhere around us.
Step. Step. Step.
I turned my head. Catherine did the same. From the surrounding streets came soldiers. Hunters. People who had previously been fighting against Dreadmaw. Now they were fighting for him. Their heads were lowered. Their eyes—Completely black.
Catherine tightened her grip around her sword. "…How many are there?"
I looked across the ruined streets. Too many.
Dreadmaw grinned. "You thought I was alone? I have my own army."
I ignored him. I looked at Catherine. "You take care of them." I turned toward Dreadmaw. "I'll handle the monster."
Catherine nodded. "Got it." She jumped. Her body shot forward. She landed directly among the controlled soldiers.
One swung a sword at her. She dodged. Another attacked from behind. She spun. Instead of cutting them, Catherine reversed her sword and struck one of them with the hilt.
The soldier collapsed unconscious. Another charged. She stepped aside and struck him behind the neck. She moved through them with incredible speed. and knocking them unconscious.
I watched her for a moment. Then I turned my attention back to Dreadmaw. The monster stood alone in the middle of the ruined street. His breathing was heavy. His mana was already significantly weaker. and the regeneration that had once repaired his wounds almost instantly was now struggling to keep up. now…There was nowhere left for him to run.
Dreadmaw suddenly lunged at me. His claw came toward my face. I tilted my head slightly. The claw passed beside my cheek. Too slow. He swung again. I stepped backward. Then I moved to the side.
Every movement was becoming easier to predict. His body was still powerful, but his speed had dropped considerably after I drained so much of his mana.
My turn. I clenched my fist. I punched him directly in the stomach. His body flew backward. Before he could regain his balance, I appeared in front of him. Another punch. Each strike sent a shockwave through the surrounding air.
Dreadmaw tried desperately to defend himself, but his arms were becoming slower and heavier. Every time he failed to hit me, I hit him back."
And every time my fist connected with his body, I absorbed a portion of his remaining mana. I didn't even need to touch him anymore. My Absorption had become strong enough that I could pull his mana toward me through the air.
Dreadmaw staggered. His breathing became ragged. His knees almost gave out. Then I punched him one last time. Dreadmaw was launched across the street. His body crashed through what remained of a building before finally hitting the ground.
Dust rose around him. He tried to stand. His arms trembled. He pushed himself upward. But his strength failed him. He collapsed ontohis knees.
I slowly walked toward him. By the time I reached him, Dreadmaw could barely lift his head. I stopped directly in front of him.
He looked up at me. There was something in his eyes that hadn't been there before. Fear. I placed one hand on his shoulder. My Absorption activated.
Dreadmaw's expression twisted in pain.
"No…"
I continued absorbing. More. And more. His remaining mana disappeared rapidly. His body became weaker with every second. Then, suddenly— he moved, Despite everything, he still had one final attack. His arm shot toward my chest, his claws aimed directly at my heart.
I caught his wrist before he could reach me. I looked down at his claw. Then back at his face. I couldn't help but smirk.
"Too slow."
His eyes widened. I squeezed his wrist. He couldn't move. Behind me, I heard hurried footsteps. I glanced over my shoulder.
Catherine approached. She wiped some sweat from her forehead and looked toward the unconscious soldiers scattered across the street.
"I'm finished with them," she said. "I knocked them unconscious. Once we kill this monster, they'll be freed from his control. What about you? Are you finished too?"
I released Dreadmaw's wrist. "Yes." I looked at Catherine. "Now, can you hold him in place with your ability?, I need to remove him from the High Priest's body."
Catherine's expression became serious. "Understood." She stepped forward. Both of her hands rose. Her telekinesis activated. Dreadmaw's body suddenly stopped moving. Invisible pressure wrapped around him and forced him against the ground.
I stared at Catherine. For a moment, I simply watched her ability. Then I felt it. A pulse inside my body. My eyes widened slightly. Power surged through my mana vessel. I smiled faintly. "Copied."
I turned my attention back to Dreadmaw. Now… it's my turn to take what belongs to him. Dreadmaw struggled against Catherine's invisible restraints. "Get away from me!"
I ignored him. I placed my palm directly over his chest. Right above his heart. I could feel his remaining mana moving desperately through his body.
I gathered my own mana into my palm. Until the pressure became almost unbearable. Then I pushed hardly. Into his soul. An explosion erupted inside Dreadmaw. A powerful shockwave burst outward from his body.
The ground cracked beneath him. His entire body convulsed. And then—Something was violently expelled from him. A figure flew backward through the air.
The High Priest. His body rolled several meters across the ground before finally stopping. Catherine immediately released Dreadmaw and ran toward him. Catherine knelt beside the High Priest and checked his breathing.
"He's alive!" She looked at his wounds. "But he's badly injured."
I nodded. Then I looked down at Dreadmaw. He was on his knees breathing heavily. He was alone. And powerless.
I smiled. "Now I'll tell you why I didn't kill you at the beginning."
Dreadmaw looked at me suspiciously. I activated Shadowforge. Dark mana gathered in my hand. A black dagger formed between my fingers.
Dreadmaw's eyes widened.
"What are you—"
I drove the dagger into his body. His expression twisted. I pulled it back out. Blood covered the blade. I brought it to my lips. And licked the blood from it.
For a moment—Nothing happened. Then my eyes widened. A powerful sensation surged through my body. Mana rushed through my veins. My entire body felt different. Stronger. Sharper.
I could feel something new awakening inside me. Multiple abilities. My lips curled into a grin.
Dreadmaw stared at me in horror.
"What… did you do?"
I looked at him. My voice was quiet. "I took your abilities."
I raised one hand. I made a small cut across my finger. Blood appeared. A thin red mist escaped from the wound.
Dreadmaw stared at it. His expression changed from confusion to absolute horror. "You stole my power…"
"No." I looked at the red mist curling around my finger. "I stole all of your abilities. I can now put you under my control and make you my slave. but I won't. Do you want to know why? Because you are truly weak."
I walked over and gently patted his shoulder.
"I don't need you anymore."
Then I turned away. Catherine was still beside the High Priest. I looked at her.
"Hey."
She glanced at me.
"Can you take care of the monster?"I pointed toward Dreadmaw. "I'll take care of the High Priest. I don't have enough mana left to fight anymore."
Catherine stared at me suspiciously.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
She looked at Dreadmaw. Then back at me. "Fine. If that's what you want." She stood. Her hand tightened around her sword. Dreadmaw tried to move. Catherine didn't give him the chance. She disappeared from where she stood. The next instant—
Slash.
Her sword passed through his neck. Dreadmaw's head separated from his body. His body collapsed. Just like that. Catherine lowered her sword.
I barely looked at her. Instead, I walked toward the High Priest. I crouched beside him. He was still breathing. His left side was bleeding badly. He needed healing immediately.
I looked toward Catherine.
"Where is Princess Lyria?"
Catherine looked at the High Priest. Then at me. "I can go find her. I'll be back quickly." She turned and ran. Within seconds, she disappeared from my sight.
Princess Lyria had arrived with Kara after five minutes with catherine.
Princess immediately looked at me. "Riven, are you alright?"
"I'm fine." I looked at her. "Princess, can you help the High Priest?"
She nodded immediately. She carefully lifted the small white fox from her arms and handed her to me . I took the little fox into my arms before she kneeling beside the High Priest.
Her healing ability activated. Soft light surrounded her hands. The wounds across the High Priest's body began closing.
But then something strange happened. The damage on the left side of his body began disappearing too. The side that had been horribly disfigured for the past twenty years…Was healing. Completely.
Kara Looked around and then at the monster's carcass,she said, "Look at what this monster did to the city—it destroyed the whole thing. Was it really that powerful? How did you manage to kill it?"
I said calmly and pointed at Catherine, "She is the one who killed him, not me."
Catherine looked at me, her eyes widening; then she let out a small laugh, as if she couldn't believe her ears.
I raised an eyebrow and said, "What? Why are you looking at me like that? Weren't you the one who cut off his head?"
Catherine laughed and said, "Yes, yes, you're right—I was the one who cut off his head."
Kara was speaking to Katherine in awe, asking her how she had killed a monster. I left them alone, walked a short distance away from them , "I have to fix everything I destroyed before I leave."
I knelt down. I placed my palm against the ground. Mana flowed through my body. I activated Time Manipulation."Rewinding Time." The world around my hand began to distort. The ground trembled.
Then—The destroyed street began moving backward through time. Broken stones flew upward. Walls reconstructed themselves. Cracks disappeared. Destroyed buildings rose from the ground. Roofs rebuilt themselves. Even the rubble that had been scattered across the streets returned to where it had originally been.
It was as though the destruction itself was being erased from reality. I watched silently. Several seconds later—Everything was back. The center of the city looked exactly as it had before the battle.
"…Good."
I turned back toward the others. As I walked toward them, I noticed Catherine staring at me. Her eyebrows were furrowed. She looked completely Astonished. I ignored her.
I approached Princess and saw that she had finished healing the High Priest; even the left side of his body—which had been disfigured for the past twenty years—was completely healed, though he had not yet regained consciousness. The princess called out to the soldiers, "Take the High Priest to the palace to monitor his condition until he wakes up; we will return to the palace as well."
"Yes, Your Highness." The soldiers carefully lifted him. Princess Lyria stood. Then she looked at me. "Riven. What are you going to do now?" She smiled gently. "Why don't you come with us and rest for a while? After that, you can return home."
"Thank you for inviting me." I glanced toward the distance. "But I should go too. I can sense Ren and Lira nearby; I'm going to check on them first , and then I'll head home."
Princess Lyria hesitated. "Alright." She smiled. "I'll see you later, then?" as if asking to make sure.
I gave her a small smile. "Yes." I turned away. "I'll see you later." I walked away from them.
By the time I reached the Hunter's Guild, the chaos in the city had already begun to settle. There were still wounded people everywhere.
Soldiers were carrying injured civilians through the streets. Hunters were securing the surrounding area. Healers were rushing from one person to another, trying to treat everyone as quickly as possible.
I slowed my pace as I approached. Then I saw them. Rin and Lira were standing outside the guild with several soldiers and hunters, helping the wounded.
The moment they noticed me, both of them looked up. Rin's face immediately brightened. He walked toward me with a wide smile.
"Hey, Riven. I knew it was you." He glanced toward Lira and pointed at me. "Didn't I tell you Riven was the one fighting the monster? I knew it the moment we saw those black flames."
Lira hit him lightly on the shoulder. "Of course I knew it was Riven. Who else in this entire city possesses black flames?"
Lira suddenly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me. "I'm so happy you're back."
Then Rin jumped toward us and wrapped his arms around both of us. "And I'm happy you're back ! This place is so boring without you."
I couldn't help but smile. "I'm happy to be back home too." I looked between them. "Are you both alright? And what are you doing here?"
Rin released us and answered. "We've been helping the soldiers protect the civilians and secure the city."
Lira sighed. "A large number of soldiers and hunters were placed under the monster's control. The city was in complete chaos."
She looked around at the wounded people. "But everything is over now. We're helping transport the injured and making sure everyone is safe."
I nodded. "I'm glad you're both alright."
I looked toward the guild. Are you going back home soon?"
Rin shook his head. "There is still a lot of work we need to finish here first. After that, we'll return." He looked at me. "What about you? Are you going home?"
"Yes." I glanced toward the setting sun. "I'm heading back now. and you two Be careful. I'll see you at home."
"See you later, Riven," Lira said warmly.
I gave them a small wave before turning away. And finally…I continued toward the orphanage. The sun was already beginning to disappear beyond the horizon. The sky had turned orange and crimson, and the long shadows of the buildings stretched across the streets.
Normally, I would have enjoyed the walk. After everything that had happened, however, I was exhausted. My body was still aching from the battle. My mana vessel was exhausted. And all I wanted was a warm bath and a bed. I looked down at myself.
"…I look terrible."
The orphanage was still a long way away. I didn't feel like walking anymore. So I decided to use my ability. Mana gathered beneath my feet. Space distorted slightly. The next instant—I disappeared.
I reappeared directly in front of the orphanage. I looked up at the familiar building. I looked toward the front garden. It was empty. That was strange. Usually, at this time of day, the children would be outside playing.
I crossed the garden and reached the front door.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I waited. Footsteps approached from inside. The door opened. I looked at the woman standing there. I didn't recognize her.
She appeared to be in her thirties. She had beautiful blonde hair and clear blue eyes that reminded me of a cloudless sky. She was wearing the same type of nun's clothing as Sister Mary.
I stared at her for a moment. She looks like an angel from those manga books I used to read.
The woman smiled warmly. "Yes? How can I help you?" Her eyes traveled over my blood-covered clothes. "Do you want some food?"
I stared at her. What? Does she think I'm some kind of beggar? Will, I couldn't blame her.
I looked down at myself. My clothes were torn. There was blood everywhere. I opened my mouth.
"I'm…" I stopped. "No,No, wait. Who are you?"
Before she could answer, another voice came from behind her. "Who is at the door?" The moment the voice reached my ears, I recognized it.
Emma stepped into view. She looked at me. Her eyes widened.
"RIVEN!"
She ran toward me, wrapped her arms around me. "When did you come back?! Why didn't you tell us?!"
I gently placed my hand on her head. "I just got back."
Emma pulled away. Her face lit up. Then she suddenly turned around and ran inside. "EVERYONE!" Her voice echoed through the orphanage. "RIVEN IS BACK!"
I blinked.
"…That was fast."
Several seconds later—The building exploded with noise. Footsteps thundered through the halls. Children appeared from every direction. Then they saw me. Their expressions immediately changed.
"Riven!"
"She's back!"
"Riven came home!"
They all ran toward me. Before I could say anything, I was surrounded. Small arms wrapped around my waist.
"We thought you weren't coming back!"
"Why did you take so long?"
"Did you really fight monsters?"
"Did you get hurt?"
"You're covered in blood!"
"Did you win?"
I couldn't help but laugh quietly. I gently patted one child's head. "I'm glad to see you too."
Then a familiar voice suddenly came from behind the crowd. "What is happening here?" Everyone became quiet. Mother Mary stepped outside. "Why is everyone making so much noise?"
Then she saw me. Her eyes widened.
"Riven?"
I smiled.
Mother Mary hurried toward me. "When did you come back? Why didn't you tell us you were returning today?" Her eyes suddenly moved over my clothes. "What happened to you?! Are you alright?"
I smiled.
"I'm fine. This isn't my blood."
Mary stared at me. "You still haven't told me where all that blood came from." She narrowed her eyes. "Why do you always manage to find trouble?"
She sighed. "Come inside first." Then she turned toward the children. "And all of you, leave Riven alone!"
The children groaned.
"But—"
"Inside. Now."
They reluctantly began moving away. Mother Mary looked back at me. "Go take a bath. and dinner is ready. Then we'll talk."
I nodded.
I walked toward my room. Stepped inside. And closed it behind me. The noise of the orphanage became muffled. I leaned my back against the door. I closed my eyes. "…I'm exhausted."
The first thing I did when I entered my room was take a long, warm bath. I stood beneath the warm water and let it run over my body, washing away the blood, dust, and grime that had covered me after the battle.
At first, my muscles were still tense. But slowly…They began to relax. The warmth seeped into my shoulders, my arms, my back.
I stepped out of the bath and changed into comfortable clothes. Then I returned to my room. The moment I entered, I threw myself onto the bed. My body sank into the mattress. I closed my eyes and released a long sigh.
"Finally…"
Silence. Beautiful silence. I almost felt like I could fall asleep immediately. Almost.
"Who was that girl who opened the door for you?"
Something was touching my face. I opened my eyes. Morrivayne was floating directly above me. Her long fiery-red hair hung downward, and several strands were brushing against my face.
I stared at her for a moment. She stared back. I sighed.
"I don't know. I was too tired to remember to ask mother Mary."
Morrivayne smiled. "You really are careless sometimes, little puppy."
I raised a hand and pushed a strand of her hair away from my face. "And could you please give me some space?"
She tilted her head. "No." She smiled mischievously. "You can leave if you don't like it."
I stared at her.
"and Where should I go? There is only one bed here."
She shrugged casually.
I sighed. I closed my eyes again. "Whatever. I am so tired that I don't have the energy to argue with you."
I felt something warm and soft move across my stomach. The little white fox had climbed onto me and settled comfortably there. I gently placed my hand on her head and stroked her fur.
"…No one here understands the meaning of the personal space."
Morrivayne laughed quietly.
I ignored her. The warmth of the bed…The quiet room…My eyelids became heavier. Just for a moment…I closed my eyes.
Something touched my cheek. Tap.Tap. I frowned.
"Wake up."
I slowly opened my eyes. Morrivayne was hovering beside me. "you really fall asleep that quickly?" I stared at her sleepily. "Someone is coming."
I heard footsteps outside my room. A moment later—The door opened. Ben stood there.
"Riven!"
I sat up and yawned.
"Hey, Ben."
"Mother Mary says dinner is ready."
I rubbed my eyes. "Alright." Then I looked at him. "Actually, Ben…There is something I want to give you."
I raised my hand. A thick book appeared in it. It had a dark red cover, with strange golden markings across it.
Ben stared at it.
I held it toward him. "This is a rare book."
His eyes immediately focused on it.
"It contains a lot of information and secrets about other worlds that you won't find in ordinary books. I've already read it. And I liked it." I handed it to him. "I hope you will too."
Ben didn't move. His eyes had grown enormous. He slowly stepped closer.
"Is this…"
He carefully looked at the title. His mouth fell open.
"Is this the Novaris Arcanium? The one written by the first hero from another world about his journey through different worlds?"
"That's the one."
Ben stared at the book as if I had just handed him a legendary treasure.
"But…" He looked at me. "There are supposedly only ten copies in existence!" He hugged the book against his chest. "How did you get one?"
I gave him a small wink. "That's a secret."
Ben continued staring at me.
Then I added, "But don't tell Ken or Heli. I haven't prepared gifts for everyone."
Ben immediately laughed.
"I won't tell them! Thank you, Riven." His smile became brighter. "Thank you so much!" He grabbed my hand. "Come on. Let's go eat."
I smiled. "Alright." We left my room together.
Morivain said sarcastically, "Why didn't you tell the boy that you stole a book?"
I said indifferently, "It's not as if Malvias would mind, and it doesn't count as stealing if the person is dead."
As we walked toward the dining room, I could already hear voices. Rin. He was talking loudly. And laughing even louder.
When we entered the dining room, everyone was already seated. The children were eating while listening to Rin's story. Lira was there too. Apparently, they had returned while I was sleeping.
The moment Rin saw me, his face lit up. "Hey, Riven!" He immediately waved me over. "I'm telling everyone what happened in the city today!"
I walked toward the table. Rin looked incredibly excited.
"And I've finally reached the interesting part!"He stood up slightly in his seat and dramatically spread his arms.
"That's when the black flames appeared! They swallowed the entire center of the city! Then suddenly, the black flames rose all the way into the sky! And there was red smoke everywhere!"
He leaned closer to the children. "And then…" He paused dramatically. "The flames suddenly disappeared!"
The children waited.
Rin grinned. "And the moment I saw those black flames, I knew it was Riven fighting the monster!"
Lira suddenly reached over. Bonk. She hit Rin on the head. "Why don't you sit down and eat quietly?"
"Ouch!" Rin rubbed his head. "But I'm telling them what happened! They need to know the important details!"
I sat down beside them. I glanced at Rin. "I wasn't the only one who fought and defeated the monster."
Rin pointed at me. "See? She's being modest."
Lira sighed.
Mother mary looked at me. She narrowed her eyes. "So that's where all that blood came from."
I smiled.
Then she shook her head. "Why do you always end up getting yourself involved in dangerous situations?"
I didn't answer. I had no good answer.
While Mother Mary was still looking at me suspiciously, my attention shifted toward the woman sitting beside her. The same woman who had opened the door earlier.
Now that I could see her properly, I realized she really was beautiful. Her blonde hair fell gently around her shoulders. Her blue eyes were clear and bright. Her expression was gentle. She looked almost unreal.
I stared at her for a moment. Mother Mary noticed. "Oh! Riven, my daughter, I completely forgot to introduce you."
She gestured toward the woman beside her.
"This is Sister Celestia. She started working here a few days ago. Actually, she volunteered. She doesn't want any payment. She said she simply wanted to help children, and as you know, I'm alone here, and taking care of all the children by myself isn't easy. I decided to accept her request."
Celestia smiled softly.
Mother ary looked toward the woman sitting beside her.
"And this is Riven. She lives here as well, although she has been traveling far from Aurelia for several days."
Sister Celestia turned toward me. She smiled warmly.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Riven. And I'm truly sorry about what happened earlier at the door. I didn't know who you were."
I returned her smile. "It's nice to meet you too. And you don't need to apologize. Mistakes happens."
Celestia nodded.
"Thank you."
I picked up my fork again.
Mother Mary looked at me. "But, my daughter, why didn't you tell us beforehand when you would be coming back?"
"We weren't supposed to return this quickly. But we finished our work earlier than expected, so we decided to come back sooner. There wasn't really enough time to send a letter ."
"I see."
I continued eating quietly. Then Lira suddenly leaned toward me. "Hey, Riven. I've been wanting to ask you this since you came back. What is the story with that little fox?"
I lowered my eyes. The little creature was peacefully resting against me. I gently stroked the top of her head. "I found her alone and injured beside her parents' bodies. I helped her, and since then she's been following me everywhere. So I decided to take care of her."
Lira smiled and patted the little fox. "She's adorable."
Then I looked around the room. There was one person I hadn't seen since returning. "where is Faye?"
Mother Mary's expression softened. "She's been a little sick. she's fine now. She's sleeping. She should be much better by morning."
Mother ary added something that made me pause. "Although… did you know she was depressed after you left? She thought you weren't going to come back."
I pushed my chair back. "I'll go check on her."
Mother Mary immediately stopped me. "After you finish your food. Finish everything on your plate." Mary looked me up and down. "And look at yourself. You've become so thin."
Rin immediately laughed. "Thin? What are you talking about? Look at all those muscles!"
Bonk.
Lira hit him on the head. "Can you please eat quietly for once in your life?"
"Why does everyone keep hitting me today?"
I quietly continued eating. After finishing my meal, I immediately went to check on Faye. She was asleep. I stood beside her bed for a while, watching her peaceful breathing. I smiled faintly. "Sleep well."
Then I left. When I returned to my room, I barely had enough energy to remove my shoes. I collapsed onto my bed. My head touched the pillow. And within seconds…I was asleep.
I thought I wouldn't dream. I was wrong. Something was there. Something dark. Something I couldn't understand. I couldn't tell whether I was standing or falling.
Then—
I woke up. My hands were pressed tightly against my chest. I was gasping for air. My heart was pounding violently. I struggled to breathe. Pain exploded through my chest. It felt as though something was squeezing my heart from the inside.
I threw myself out of bed. I stumbled toward the window and forced it open. Cold morning air rushed into the room. I leaned against the wall and breathed desperately. But the room still felt like it was shrinking around me. The walls felt closer. The ceiling felt lower.
My chest tightened again. I gripped the windowsill. I forced myself to remain calm. Minutes passed. My breathing returned to normal. I remained beside the window, staring outside.
"What in the hell was that?"
No answer. Morrivayne. She had been completely silent. That alone was unusual. "Morrivayne?" She didn't respond.
I eventually left my room and headed toward the living room. When I arrived, I found mother Mary and Sister Celestia talking with a royal soldier.
The moment the soldier noticed me, he immediately stepped forward. He bowed. "I'm sorry for disturbing you this early in the morning, Lady Riven." He pulled out a sealed letter. "I have a message from His Majesty for you."
He handed it to me. I took it. The soldier bowed again. "I'll leave you to read it." Then he turned and left.
I stared at the letter. The royal seal was clearly visible. I broke it. I opened the letter and read it silently. My eyebrows slowly rose.
Mary noticed my expression. She immediately walked toward me.
"Riven. What did you do this time?"
I looked at her. Before I could answer, she grabbed my ear.
"Ouch!"
She pulled me down toward her. Since she was shorter than me, she had to stretch slightly to reach. "What did you do to get summoned by the king?!" She pulled harder. "Why do you always cause trouble?"
"Ow, ow, ow!" I grabbed her wrist gently. "Please let go of my ear first! Then we can talk!"
Behind us, I heard a quiet laugh. I glanced toward sister Celestia. She was covering her mouth, clearly trying not to laugh.
I looked back at mother Mary. "I swear I didn't do anything this time!"
She narrowed her eyes. "Then why did the king summon you?"
"Because…He invited me to dinner."
Mother Mary stopped. But she still didn't release my ear. "…Dinner?"
"Yes. Dinner." I held out the letter. "If you don't believe me, read it yourself."
Mother Mary snatched the letter from my hand. She read it. Her expression slowly changed. Then she released my ear. "Why didn't you say that earlier?"
I rubbed my ear. "Because you didn't give me a chance to speak."
Mother Mary sighed. "I'm sorry, my daughter." She looked at me with a slightly sad smile. "It's just difficult to forget your past when you were younger… and all the trouble you used to bring us."
I continued rubbing my ear. "It's alright. But please don't pull my ear again. It really hurts."
Mother Mary crossed her arms. "I make no promises."
I stared at her. "…Of course you don't."
She smiled. "Now tell me. What does the king want to thank you for?"
I shrugged.
"I don't know."
Then I heard Morrivayne. This time, her voice was completely serious. "Riven. I need to tell you something. That dream you had today…" Morrivayne paused. "It wasn't exactly a dream."
My expression changed. "What do you mean it wasn't a dream?"
She sighed. "Let's get out of here first. We'll talk somewhere more freely."
I glanced toward mother Mary. Then toward sister Celestia. Something about Morrivayne's tone made me uneasy. I turned to mother Mary. "I'm going to see Master Elyra."
Mother Mary raised an eyebrow.
"Now?"
"Yes. I'll probably be back late, so don't wait for me."
Mary sighed. "Alright. Just be careful."
"I will." I walked toward the door. As soon as I stepped outside the orphanage. The morning air was cold against my face.
I looked ahead. "Alright, Morrivayne. talk."
There was a long silence. Then Morrivayne finally answered. And judging from her voice…Whatever she was about to tell me was something I was not going to like.