Chapter 511
After the twentieth time, I stopped counting.
I couldn't subdue Ellen even once.
The pain amplified in my dreams was more agonizing than actual wounds, but I didn't wake up because of it. Airi was controlling it artificially.
-Rumble
So when I woke up from my sleep, I could see the ominous thunder rolling through the clouded morning sky.
Is a storm coming?
I could feel Airi's hand still on me from just before I fell asleep.
"Did you sleep well...? Hmm, you probably didn't..."
Airi must have been concentrating on my dreams, so she must not have slept at all either. Perhaps because she kept seeing me die miserably in my dreams, her expression wasn't great.
Putting aside whether this method is good or not, there was one definite side effect when I woke up in the morning.
"Anyway... I don't feel refreshed at all."
"It can't be helped..."
I woke up tired.
It's only natural.
Dreams aren't usually experienced for hours on end.
But I had nightmares throughout my sleep, so my brain felt numb as if it was overloaded.
It seemed like a side effect of my brain doing more work while I was asleep.
If we keep doing this, both Airi and I will be exhausted when we need our strength the most.
Every day seems a bit too much; we should probably do this every other day or take a couple of days off in between.
Across the room, Harriet was asleep, hugging a large pillow tightly.
"Uh-huh... Reinhardt..."
Airi hadn't intervened in her dreams, but Harriet mumbled something in her sleep and hugged the pillow even tighter.
Our blockhead can sometimes be so cute that I want to bite her.
"Is this... going to be effective?"
Airi asked in a low voice, careful not to wake Harriet.
I was killed dozens of times in one night. The pain in the dream was more terrible than actual pain.
Compared to the otherworldly spiritual pain that almost devoured my soul, this pain seemed bearable.
But just because I've experienced pain doesn't mean a lesser pain isn't painful.
Luna once said that if you can heal easily, you develop a mindset that it's okay to get hurt easily too.
Since I've been in too much pain, I'm trying to endure this level of pain, which is definitely wrong from Luna's perspective.
I know that I can't buy future happiness with the pain I'm enduring now.
I know that for sure.
But I can't think of any other way.
To avoid the future where Ellen kills me and then ends up committing suicide, as I saw in the preview.
"I think it's necessary."
"...I see."
I'm trying to die a lot now.
"Anyway, let's sleep a bit more."
"Huh?"
"We should still get some proper sleep."
Airi placed her hand on my forehead again.
Since I didn't feel refreshed at all, I had to get at least a little proper sleep.
It must be painful for my dear one to intentionally make me have nightmares.
I could have resisted, but I entrusted my consciousness to her touch.
"I won't let you dream of anything this time."
In truth, both Airi and I knew that the best sleep was when you didn't have any dreams at all.
The elite forces of the Demon King's army, who could be considered the finest, began to gather.
The Vampire Council's leaders and their subordinate vampires.
The Priests and Holy Knights of the Holy Order.
And an army that included some of the most powerful beings among the demons.
Though their numbers were not large, a need for maximized mobility through mass teleportation led to the formation of an elite unit, each member possessing great strength.
The elite soldiers were handpicked by the noble families of the Vampire Lords, the leader of the Holy Order Olivia Lanze, and Regent Charlotte.
The Demon King would lead them to break through the march for the human armies.
An advance guard was being organized, unbeknownst to humanity itself.
-Grrrrrr
An unexpected storm had arrived in Lazak.
The waves grew higher, making it difficult to navigate the ships.
At the docks, people were bustling about, securing the ships more firmly to prevent them from being swept away. The mermaids, responsible for gathering marine resources, also reduced their activities.
At a villa on the outskirts of Lazak.
On the beach in front of it.
"My daughter, why are you sitting out here in the rain?"
Ellena de Grantz, the Duchess.
No, she was no longer the Duchess, but merely Ellena de Grantz, a woman who approached her daughter, who was sitting blankly on the beach in the rain.
"..."
Her daughter, better known by her nickname the Thunder Queen, said nothing and simply stared blankly at the waves shimmering in the distance.
There had been very few opportunities for her to see her mother due to her mission in Port Mokna.
At this point, organizing the army was not within Liana's jurisdiction, so she had nothing to do until the Demon King issued further orders.
So Liana was spending a not-quite-vacation in one of the many villas once owned by the Grantz Duke throughout the continent and archipelagos, and now occupied by her mother on the outskirts of Lazak.
During her first summer break at the temple, Liana had spent a few days at the villa with her friends.
There was no going back to those days. Everything had changed too much.
The word "vacation" was unfamiliar to Liana.
She couldn't remember the last time she had properly rested.
She tried hard.
She tried hard at everything. She thought she had to do something, that there was no time to rest.
There had been many moments of critical decision-making, and Liana had made her choices.
And as a result of those choices.
Liana had brought about another massive disaster in an already tragic world, and she could not be held accountable for it.
Olivia Lanze had.
Reinhardt had.
And ultimately, Ellen Artorius had.
They all took on the origin of the sins committed by Liana.
Liana had nothing she could be responsible for.
Ellena looked at her daughter, who was just staring blankly at the seashore.
She had no title or authority in Edina. However, by the command of the Demon King, she maintained a certain standard of living, albeit not as luxurious as during her time as a duchess, and even had security.
Of course, Ellena knew what her daughter was doing and what important role she held.
Her daughter, whom she had hardly seen, stared blankly at the beach as soon as she returned home.
She was sitting in the pouring rain, getting soaked.
The mother couldn't gauge the extent of guilt in her daughter's eyes, but eventually, she set down her umbrella.
And then, she sat down beside her sitting, blank-faced daughter.
"Liana."
"...Yes."
"Is it very hard?"
"..."
At her mother's question, Liana turned her head slightly and stared at her mother.
"I don't deserve to be struggling."
"..."
"If I'm struggling, I shouldn't say it."
Liana says this and then turns her gaze back to the seashore. Ellena carefully places her hand on her daughter's wet shoulder.
"So, you're struggling that much."
"..."
"It's okay to cry if you're struggling."
She's struggling enough to say that she doesn't deserve to struggle.
It's okay to cry if you're struggling.
At her mother's words, Liana shakes her head.
"You can say that because you're my mother."
"Because I'm your mother, I can say that."
"If it was someone else... they wouldn't be able to say such a thing."
"I don't even have the right to cry."
They were a mother and daughter who had a terribly bad relationship.
But after the death of Duke Grantz and the Gate Incident, many things changed.
In the end, they are the only blood relatives left in the world.
How sad that is.
How fortunate that is, at least.
Now, they both know that fact painfully well.
Ellena doesn't know why her daughter is struggling so much.
"Well, I don't know exactly. I don't know why you're like this, but I guess I can say this because I'm your mother."
Ellena doesn't know what her daughter has done.
But she can read one thing in her daughter's eyes.
An indelible sense of guilt.
"So, no matter what you've done, even if you've committed an unforgivable act, even if you've made a huge mistake..."
"I am your mother."
"You are my daughter."
"You can cry in front of me."
"Even if you can't forgive yourself."
"Even if you think you don't have the right to cry."
"You can cry in front of me."
"That's why we're family."
At those words, Liana looks at Ellena.
Liana, who didn't allow herself to cry because she thought she didn't even have the right to shed tears.
She still can't forgive herself, and she doesn't know how to accept the countless deaths and damage caused by her actions.
She killed many people with her own hands.
And many people died because of that.
-Rumble
In the stormy beach, Liana finally breaks down in front of her mother's smile.
"Mother..."
"Yes."
"I've committed... an unforgivable sin."
"I see."
"I thought it would be unforgivable... but it was worse than I thought... worse than I had hoped... so many unimaginable things happened."
Ellena silently embraces her daughter, who begins to sob with a pitifully distorted face.
"I see..."
"Mother... I... I don't know... what to do..."
Ellena couldn't give her sobbing daughter an answer.
"I... I don't know if hating something, seeking revenge for Father, or being like me is right anymore..."
All she can do is embrace her daughter, who is crying with guilt, and cry with her.
"I see... my daughter. You were thinking... such thoughts..."
Holding her sobbing daughter in the rain, Ellena de Grantz strokes her daughter's wet hair and back.
She can't provide an answer, advice, or anything at all.
She can only hold her daughter and cry together.
That's what family is.
"Whimper... sob..."
The Thunder King, Liana de Grantz, weeps in her mother's arms.
The supernatural who controls lightning finally lets her held-back tears flow.
Then, the sky begins to clear.
The clouds that were once dark and gloomy disperse, and between them, a brilliant sun pours down, creating a miraculous sight.
Amidst the genuine tears, the heavy heart that wept manifested a heavy atmosphere.
The storm conjured by her supernatural powers disappeared within the depths of Liana's wailing.
Both Ellena and Liana had no choice but to gaze upon the surreal landscape, submerged in their tears.
It was Liana de Grantz, who had learned to control lightning in her fury.
Enveloped by sorrow and guilt, Liana's abilities took a step further.
"Uh... What did you say?"
I couldn't help but be dumbfounded upon hearing Liana's words.
"Remember that sudden storm last time? It just stopped."
"Yeah, it did, didn't it?"
The storm had begun out of nowhere, causing chaos for days, only to suddenly clear as if the sky had been torn apart.
It was such a strange phenomenon that not only I but also Lazak was quite alarmed.
Yet Liana came to me, claiming it was her doing.
"So, I'm not sure if the storm ended because of me or if it started because of me in the first place…"
"…"
"I know it sounds crazy. I know."
Was it because she could read the suspicion in my eyes, that she'd gone mad from the series of events? Liana's face flushed as she mumbled her confession.
"But the timing... What am I supposed to do about that? How am I supposed to handle it?"
"What's wrong with the timing?"
"Well… um… that's…"
Hesitant, Liana began to explain the events of the past few days to me.
In the end, she couldn't erase the guilt and remorse that clouded her face, and her eyes welled up as she choked back a sob.
She must have been utterly miserable.
The pain must have been enough to make her wish for death.
Seeing this side of Liana, who had always been strong and rough, was truly heart-wrenching.
Her explanation was lengthy, but the conclusion was this:
The storm had ceased when she had cried in her mother's embrace.
"I know it sounds ridiculous, but the timing… what am I supposed to do about it?!"
Liana's face was bright red, and she yelled, only to suddenly shrink back.
"I shouldn't be angry... Sorry…"
"Act as you usually do. I don't want to blame you, nor do I want to see you change."
It's even more uncomfortable seeing Liana so dejected.
"Hmm… So, we have to verify whether you can control the weather or if you're a delusional patient who thinks she can."
"Hey! Do you have to phrase it like that?"
"Anyway, I can tell for sure that your mental state isn't normal, since you're about to get angry but then stop yourself."
Seeing Liana, who was about to get angry but couldn't because she felt sorry for me, I was sure that she wasn't normal.
"Follow me. We need to check."
I grabbed Liana's arm and led her.
"If you really can control the weather, would doing it here be fine?"
People would go crazy, thinking the sky had gone mad.
Liana's thought could be a delusion.
The lump of emotions she held in her heart manifested as a storm, and when it dissipated, the weather cleared.
If someone told me such a story, I'd introduce them to Airi, telling them that they clearly had mental issues and should seek counseling.
However, the one who told me this story was none other than Liana de Grantz.
In the original work, Liana possessed the power specialized in lightning, but as the story unfolded differently from the original, her ability had become something beyond mere lightning.
She was now able to strike lightning in a clear sky.
Lightning.
An electric discharge from the sky.
The sky itself.
It wasn't impossible that Liana's power could evolve into something related to the weather.
If Liana's ability truly evolved to the point of causing weather changes, it was uncertain how she could use it later.
But first, it needed to be verified.
Naturally, she had to know if she could cause weather changes and to what extent it was possible.
It was impossible to do it in Lazak, so they had to move to an uninhabited area.
"A deserted island?"
"Yes, we need to verify something."
So, I took Liana and went to find Lucinil.
Initially, the Edina Archipelago was a place with numerous islands, so there were plenty of uninhabited ones.
Among them, one nameless island was located quite far from the inhabited ones.
Lucinil gathered information about the deserted island from the merfolk, checked its coordinates, and cast a mass teleport spell to travel there together.
"The view is nice."
This region was known for its emerald-colored sea.
Even during the temple era, people used to visit this place for summer vacations.
The peaceful scenery made it seem as if my heart was at ease, but the disparity between this and the tasks I had to accomplish, as well as the events unfolding on the continent, felt strange every time I experienced it.
"So, what are we supposed to do on this deserted island?"
Lucinil tilted her head as if asking what we were going to do after coming here.
I looked at Liana.
"I suspect Liana's power might have evolved further, so we're going to find out now."
"Evolved further?"
Lucinil tilted her head, wondering what could have evolved beyond her already incredible ability to summon lightning.
Yes, I was curious too.
We found the deserted island, but it was no different from any other sunny beach resort.
"Let's give it a try now, anyway."
Upon hearing my words, Liana scratched her cheek with an awkward expression.
"Well, you know..."
"What is it?"
"No, I mean... before I told you... I hadn't tried it myself..."
Ah.
I think I understood the problem.
"...You don't know how to use it?"
"...Yes."
Liana had some awareness that her power might have evolved, but she didn't know how to use it properly yet. It was also possible that it was just a coincidence.
"Umm..."
Liana concentrated her mind while looking at the shimmering emerald-colored sea.
-Flash!
I could see hundreds of bolts of lightning streaking across the sky and striking the sea.
The flashes of lightning hitting the distant sea.
And then.
-Rumble!
With a time lag, the thunderous sound that seemed to tear our ears reached us.
In a clear sky, she could strike hundreds of bolts of lightning just by concentrating for a moment.
Liana's power was undoubtedly incredible, bordering on catastrophic.
"That's not it."
"...I know."
At my words, Liana nodded her head with a nervous expression.
It was amazing, but what she needed to do now was not summoning lightning but changing the weather. 𝗯𝐞𝗱𝗻𝐨𝘃𝐞𝐥.𝗻𝗲𝐭
"It's a strange feeling... I feel like I can do something, but at the same time, I feel like I can't."
Even the origin and function of their powers were unknown to the users themselves.
So, Liana was in a state where she felt like she could do it, but couldn't grasp it at all.
Lucinil, being an Archmage, knew nothing about supernatural powers and could only tilt her head.
-Flash! Flash! Flash!
In the end, Liana spent a great deal of time striking the sea with lightning.
She seemed to want to summon something other than lightning, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't show any sign of manifesting anything other than lightning.
-Rumble!
About twenty minutes passed like that.
"By the way, Archdemon."
"Yes, my Lord."
"Although lightning falling on the sea surface isn't a big problem... what if a mermaid pops up out of curiosity and gets struck by lightning?"
"Th-That could happen?"
"…!"
There's always a possibility, however slim.
Although lightning falling into the sea doesn't kill fish, a wandering mermaid might stick her head out and get electrocuted.
In the end, the three of us, including Liana, sat down on the beach.
"Was it just... a delusion?"
Liana began to seriously wonder if she was a delusional person who believed she could cause weather changes.
Lucinil, of course, was at a loss.
"But when you were able to summon lightning... it was the same."
"Ah... yeah."
Liana became able to summon lightning amidst her father's death.
And if Liana had truly awakened a new power, it would also be a new power triggered by a certain emotional state.
"So, if you can use the new power in that kind of emotional state..."
"Does that mean I need to be in a similar emotional state?"
It wasn't Liana who continued my words, but Lucinil.
"If supernatural powers respond to emotions, and this time you can... cause weather changes, then all you have to do is be in a similar state to when that happened, right?"
Lucinil said, smiling innocently.
"Let's try to get into that feeling."
However.
It was obvious that she was in a very bad mental state at the time.
Isn't it terribly painful to have to fall into such a state artificially?
Liana's complexion turned ashen at Lucinil's suggestion.
It was obvious that her current mental state wasn't great, but she had to intentionally put herself in that state.
She must have been feeling depressed, or something quite similar.
If she unknowingly caused a weather change in that situation, she would have to deliberately dwell on her depression.
And, to plunge Liana into the depths of despair.
Upon reflection, it's an incredibly easy task.
Liana struggled with a stiff expression, unable to do anything, groaning for about five minutes.
"Hey."
"…Hmm?"
"Help me?"
At my unexpected words, Liana tilted her head.
"Help with... what?"
"Never mind the details, just help me?"
Liana seemed to have no idea what I was talking about.
"If I can help... that'd be... nice."
"Um, okay."
I grabbed Liana's shoulder and looked straight into her eyes.
"What I'm about to say isn't sincere. I'm just trying to help you, so don't misunderstand and listen. Got it?"
"Wh-? No, what are you trying to say..."
"It's all your fault."
Liana shattered.