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*****
"My leg!"
Wrapped in the crimson aura from Shuangquan's hands, Viktor instantly felt as though his entire body had been reborn. Most astonishing was the leg that had long been nearly without sensation—suddenly, it became strong and vigorous once again.
When George finally withdrew his hands, Viktor immediately let go of his crutch and, brimming with excitement, ran a few steps around the room.
"So many years… so many years… I can finally walk like a normal person again!"
Tears streamed down his face as he spoke.
"Thank you, Your Highness the Prince. Viktor is willing to devote his entire life to your service!"
Once he calmed down, Viktor dropped to one knee, solemnly swearing allegiance to George.
He had been born into a poor family in Zaun's lower rift zone. Crippled from birth and stricken with a rare, incurable disease, his body was frail and weak.
For years, he had relied on his brilliance and ingenuity, desperately seeking a way to cure himself. This pursuit eventually brought him to the upper city, where he hungrily absorbed every bit of advanced knowledge he could.
Unfortunately, even the most sophisticated technologies of the upper city failed to cure his illness. His body grew weaker with each passing year.
According to the doctors, he had only seven or eight years left before his body would completely collapse.
That meant he would die in his thirties—his prime years—forced to leave this world with bitter regret.
Yet now, under the miraculous power of the Prince's magic, his body felt better than ever before. The weakness and disease had vanished, his limp was gone, and his health was fully restored.
This was not merely a favor—it was a life-saving grace, a rebirth. How could he not feel boundless gratitude?
"No need for lifelong service. Just devote yourself to advancing Hextech properly," George replied with a faint smile, pointing toward the dumbstruck Jayce.
Jayce, stammering, asked in disbelief:
"Y-Your Highness… you can use magic too?"
"That's right. I am a mage. Which means, from now on, I will also be taking part in Hextech research."
George nodded firmly.
Four days later, in Zaun's new lower city, Vander stood uncomfortably dressed in a magnificent king's robe.
"I'll never understand why they like these clothes. They're cumbersome and make it hard to move."
"You're His Majesty the King now. You have to wear them," whispered the former grocer—now the kingdom's regent—beside him. "Dressing properly eases the resentment of the upper city's commoners."
Since he was a king, he naturally needed to look the part. Proper attire projected majesty and authority, ensuring respect.
If he continued dressing as he once did, the upper city's people and merchants would view their new king as nothing more than a savage unworthy of the throne.
"To be honest, I hate this outfit too!"
Vi tugged irritably at her pink dress, regretting that she had been the one to lead the charge into the upper city that day.
Now titled the Grand Princess of the Kingdom, she was also required to maintain a dignified appearance.
"I like it!"
Powder, also dressed in a small frilly dress, clutched her doll with one hand while holding Vi's hand with the other, her face glowing with happiness.
"I think it suits you. It matches your hair perfectly."
George appeared from behind as he spoke.
The pink hair paired with the pink dress, enhanced by the refined styling of the upper city's top makeup artists, transformed the tomboyish Vi into a strikingly beautiful and charming young lady.
The contrast from her usual image was overwhelming.
Of course, that illusion only held until she opened her mouth—her husky, tomboyish voice instantly gave her away.
"This is the last time. Tomorrow I'll be the Captain of Zaun's new Guard, and I'll never wear this kind of thing again."
Vi's mouth twitched in frustration as she glared at the dress with open disgust.
Seeing this, Vander chuckled and shook his head before turning to George.
"George, are you certain this will work?"
"Don't worry. It won't be a problem."
With a wave of his hand, George unfurled his wings and slowly rose into the sky above the lower city.
He stretched out both hands and pointed downward.
"Be cleansed!"
A surge of overwhelming magic erupted from his body. An invisible force spread outward from him, sweeping across the lower city in every direction.
Wherever it passed, poison gas, sewage, garbage, chemical residues—all of it vanished.
Before the astonished eyes of countless onlookers, the filthy, chaotic lower city gradually transformed, becoming spotless and pure, turning into a pristine land.
"I said—let there be light!"
Landing on the ground, George pressed his hands against it, forming a vast magic circle.
The canyon-like terrain of the lower city split apart, opening wide to allow dazzling sunlight to pour down into every corner.
Once shrouded in perpetual gloom, the lower city now basked in sunlight—darkness giving way to light.
"I said—let there be trees!"
Bringing his hands together, the magic circle shifted. From the soil sprouted lush, towering trees.
"I said—let there be flowers and grass!"
As the trees spread, vibrant flowers and greenery bloomed across the land.
"All done."
With a final gesture, George withdrew his power. The once dark and filthy lower city had been transformed into a paradise-like sanctuary.
In contrast to the upper city, it was no longer defined by darkness versus light, poverty versus wealth.
Instead, it became a land where beautiful natural scenery stood side by side with a city of modern technology—each magnificent in its own way.
"Who says magic is only for destruction? This… this is truly miraculous!"
Vander gazed at the transformed lower city, awe written across his face.
For days he had been tormented by the question of how to change the lower city.
Even though he had unified upper and lower Zaun under his new crown, realizing his vision of equal prosperity seemed almost impossible.
The environment was the greatest obstacle. Two centuries of accumulated pollution could never be solved in a short time.
He had even considered relocating all the lower city's residents to the upper city—but that was nearly impossible.
Such a move would only trigger riots among the upper city's citizens and merchants.
Most of them didn't care about who ruled, so long as their interests remained untouched. If pushed too far, they would resist—or leave altogether.
New Zaun's greatest need was stability.
On top of that, many lower city residents were deeply attached to their homeland and unwilling to adapt to the upper city's way of life.
Just as Vander wrestled with these worries, George had discovered his troubles. And now, he had presented a solution—an utterly unbelievable solution—that reshaped the entire lower city.
With the lower city now transformed into a place of breathtaking beauty, once security was ensured, even upper city residents would likely flock here to live or to visit.
That would naturally ease the economic strain as well.
Once the people of both districts mingled freely, it would take only a few short years before the divide between upper and lower vanished completely, along with all hostility.
(End of Chapter)