Runeterra: I actually know a little bit about everything

A clear look of surprise flashed in Riven's eyes. She looked up at the council chairman, who was dressed in official robes, and asked in confusion, "Wasn't I supposed to be sentenced to death?"

"!?"

The astonishment in the chairman's eyes was even more pronounced than that in Riven's.

But she added, "I'm not entirely sure how justice is served in Noxus, but here we believe that justice first and foremost requires understanding and enlightenment."

The magistrate spoke to Raven as if she were addressing a child: “We believe you possess the truth about Elder Souma’s death, and this information is important to all of us. Only after the true cause of the elder’s death is revealed can sentencing and punishment take place.”

Listening to the meeting chairperson's words, Riven pursed her slightly chapped lips.

As the chairman of the council said, the methods used in Noxus to try criminals are completely different from those here.

Noxus reveres force, and trials of criminals are primarily conducted in the purgatory.

For ruthless executioners, they don't care whether you're truly innocent or not, and they won't even care about the onlookers.

But in Ionia, Riven truly experienced a completely different feeling.

"The steward who was in charge of helping Elder Suma prepare his body found this fragment near Elder Suma's neck! And this fragment is the very piece that was missing from your broken sword!"

"Raven, tell me, I need to know the true cause of Elder Soma's death!"

The chairman's authoritative voice rang out once again, and at this moment, the entire conference hall became eerily quiet, with everyone's eyes focused on Riven.

In the deathly silence, Savana's voice, tinged with sobs, drifted out:

"Chairman, this must be a misunderstanding. How could my child be a murderer?"

"Quiet, Aunt Sava, I want to hear what Riven has to say!" The chairperson tapped the gavel and gestured for Riven to continue.

Riven glanced at Sava and Cond, who were sitting in their seats with mournful faces, and said softly, "It was I who killed Elder Soma."

"Wow~!"

In an instant, the deathly silence in the entire hall was completely shattered, and everyone was looking at Riven in the hall with eyes full of hatred.

No one will forget that it was because Elder Souma was murdered that the village lost its protection, which led to the Noxian army's successful invasion of the village, and their children died in the war to defend their homeland.

“Riven, I need to know the specifics of what happened!” The chairman looked directly into Riven’s eyes, waiting for her to continue.

Riven slowly shook her head, seemingly having completely let go and no longer wanting to run away from the mistakes she had made.

"That day, many people died—Ionians, Noxians, my friends."

Riven seemed to be caught up in some painful memory: "I hate Noxus. I don't want to have anything to do with Noxus anymore. I want to destroy this blade that represents my past!"

"So, I came to the village and found Elder Suma."

At this point, the noisy crowd quieted down and listened carefully to Riven's story.

"I beg Elder Suma to help me destroy this greatsword. I really just wanted to destroy it!"

"Elder Suma has agreed, hasn't he?" the chairman of the meeting asked.

“The elder agreed,” Riven said softly. “He said he would help me destroy this blade.”

"A violent gale swept through the entire room; I had never seen such powerful swordsmanship. Dense whirlwinds gathered on my sword, and cracks began to appear on it, until finally, it shattered completely, but..."

As she spoke, Riven's body began to tremble slightly; she seemed unable to contain her emotions.

"Even though this greatsword, which was enchanted by the witch, was damaged, its fragments still carried enormous power, and I watched helplessly as the broken sword fragments flew toward Elder Suma's throat."

"!!!"

By this time, everyone knew why Elder Suma died from the Gale Sword Technique, and why the fragments of the broken sword appeared at Elder Suma's throat.

"Ugh!"

With a long sigh, Sava and Condé slumped into their chairs, staring blankly at the ceiling.

They weren't lamenting that their child was a murderer, but rather that their child might suffer endless pain.

"Riven, is everything you just said true?" the chairman's voice rang out again.

Riven looked at Sava and Konde beside her, her eyes filled with a deep sense of reluctance.

But in the end, she nodded.

"Boom!"

The gavel struck the base once more, and the chairman's pronouncement echoed throughout the hall.

"The criminal Riven will be imprisoned. At this time tomorrow, this court will announce its verdict!"

The villagers left, whispering amongst themselves. Sava and the Condé were the last to leave, and they seemed to be discussing some extraordinary plan.

After everyone had left, only two figures covered in cloaks remained outside the hall.

"younger brother."

Yone's voice rang out, and at the same time he looked at his younger brother beside him.

On Yone's side, Yasuo's gaze remained fixed on Riven, even as she was being escorted back to her cell.

After a long while, Yasuo looked at Yone beside him. Yone's hand was gripping the Wind Blade tightly, and his usually resolute face was now filled with struggle.

All the hardships I had experienced in the past stemmed from that figure ahead of me.

But is it really all her fault?

"Brother, it's me."

Yone placed a heavy hand on Yasuo's shoulder and said softly, "Yasuo, follow your heart!"

Yone glanced in the direction Riven had disappeared, his heart filled with endless shock.

He was actually right.

That person seems to really know everything.

Chapter 55 Yasuo's Reconciliation!

(Bonus chapter for a 10,000-yuan reward)

About a day earlier, Zuo Chi and Ali followed a pre-planned route to the edge of Navoli Province.

It was here that they saw the girl being escorted by a troop of cavalry.

Looking at the girl who was completely locked up, Zuo Chi couldn't help but sigh softly.

It was around that time that he and Ahri found the Yasuo and Yone brothers, who had been wandering around the village.

"Yasuo, go back to the village. Perhaps then your inner conflict will be resolved."

At night, a cold halo surrounds the full moon in the night sky.

Moonlight streamed into the cell through the open door, casting a furtive shadow in the passageway in front of Riven's cell.

Riven, with her hands and feet chained, knelt in the middle of the messy thatch, lost in thought with her eyes closed. Suddenly, Riven opened her eyes and looked ahead.

"Dad, what brings you here?"

"Shh!"

Outside Riven's cell, Kong De, carrying a small soft cloth bag, crept furtively to the door of Riven's cell.

Although he was already in his twilight years and his health was not what it used to be, Conde's actions remained incredibly resolute.

"Son, put the lock here with your father!"

The moonlight shone on old man Kongde's face, making the deep lines on his face even more pronounced.

While looking at the various tools in the soft cloth bag, he muttered to Riven, "Son, they all say you're a bad person, but your dad and mom don't think so!"

"Do you think we, as parents, can't tell if someone is a bad person or not?"

"Ding! Ding!"

Old Man Kongde kept fiddling with the hammer and nails on Riven's chains, while nonchalantly saying, "I'm an old man who's enjoyed half my life. It's nothing for me to suffer a little for my children in my old age!"

"Once Dad unlocks the chains, you should run quickly. Go wherever you want, as long as you can live a safe and happy life."

"I came here secretly without telling your mother, I didn't want her to worry! Your father, as the only man in the family, naturally has some abilities!"

"Daddy"

Looking at the old man bowing his head to unlock the door for her, and listening to his nonchalant words, Riven felt as if the softest part of her heart had been struck hard.

However, in the next instant, Riven suddenly grabbed Kong De's hand.

"Dad, hide! Someone's coming!"

Upon hearing Riven's words, Kong De did not hesitate and quickly hid in the shadows to the side.

A few breaths later, a strong gust of wind blew through the corridor, around the pillars of the hall, and in the light of a beam of moonlight, a figure stood at the door of Riven's cell.

At this moment, the figure no longer wore the cloak worn during the day, but changed back into the dark blue shawl he used to wear.

Yasuo looked at Riven kneeling in the cell in front of him, a dense aura of wind swirling around her Wind Blade.

"Oh!"

Without saying a word, Yasuo threw the broken sword that had been placed in the meeting hall earlier that day in front of Riven. The heavy sword slammed into the ground with a dull thud.

Not only that, Yasuo even threw the last missing piece of the broken sword in front of Riven.