"Silco, maybe it's time you looked at things from a different angle. In the near future, Piltover will be a part of Zaun too."
Cipher took two glasses of wine from a passing waiter, surveying the banquet hall filled with Piltover's elite. The same people who had called them sewer rats were now eagerly seeking their favor.
"A united city, after all. We must show tolerance and patience to the people who will soon be under our governance."
He handed one glass to Silco.
"Tolerance? For the Pilties?" Silco accepted the glass, his eyebrow raised skeptically.
"Especially for them. Revenge is satisfying, but governance is practical. We need their expertise, their trade networks, their connections."
Silco considered this for a moment. "And you believe they can be trusted?"
"I believe they can be managed. Fear brought them to heel, but competence will keep them useful."
"You're right," Silco said, raising his glass to clink it with Cipher's. Just thinking about the awkward expression on Camille's face in the meeting hall earlier made him want to laugh out loud with joy.
"Careful. Don't let satisfaction cloud judgment. She's dangerous precisely because she's cornered."
"Let her be dangerous. With our advantages, she's a problem for tomorrow." Silco's confidence was visible as he sipped his wine.
"Tomorrow comes quickly in politics. Stay vigilant.
With strong backing from Swain providing development time, and with the advanced technology acquired from the Apex world being implemented in Zaun's industrial production, Zaun would soon surpass Piltover.
But timing would be everything.
"Good afternoon, Cipher."
Councilor Kiramman approached with Caitlyn and greeted him, carrying a small cake.
"Good afternoon, Councilor Kiramman, and Miss Caitlyn."
"I didn't expect your Noxian patron to be Grand General Swain himself. It looks like I should congratulate you in advance on fulfilling your lifelong dream." She raised her glass in a toast. "Zaun's rise is now something Piltover can no longer stop."
Councilor Kiramman clinked her glass against Cipher's. The truth was obvious to anyone paying attention, Swain's backing made it only a matter of time before Zaun rose to power.
Thinking of that, she felt that investing in Cipher back then might have been the most successful investment of her life.
"You were once a selfless contributor worthy of respect. Now, you're just a war profiteer reeking of copper, making money with no regard for your conscience." But Caitlyn, standing behind her mother, couldn't help but comment.
Aspiring to be an enforcer who upheld the law and justice, she looked down on what Cipher had become. The failure of Camille's kidnapping incident had immediately exposed the arms trade between Zaun and Noxus, completely destroying the reputation Cipher had spent years building.
"And what would you have me do instead, Miss Caitlyn? Leave Zaun defenseless while Piltover's enforcers raid our people?" Cipher's response held genuine interest rather than anger.
"Science should serve humanity, not fuel conflicts."
"I agree completely. But sometimes we must secure survival before we can pursue ideals."
"Find a better way!"
"Caitlyn! How can you be so rude!"
Councilor Kiramman's voice turned sharp as she reprimanded her daughter. She had brought her daughter here hoping to foster a connection between her and Cipher thinking that young people would have more to talk about. But with just one sentence, Caitlyn had thrown all her plans into disarray.
Caitlyn turned away, lips pressed together, clearly unwilling to accept her mother's rebuke.
"Mother, I'm going over to talk to Jayce."
Spotting Jayce in the distance, her eyes lit up. She barely acknowledged her mother before walking off toward him. She felt more at ease with scientists like Jayce, who were dedicated to the betterment of mankind. At least with him, she wouldn't have to pretend that war profiteering was noble.
"Sorry about that. I've spoiled her since she was little. Maybe it's time I taught her about the harsher realities adults must face." Councilor Kiramman shrugged helplessly. Yet, from Cipher's expression, she could see he wasn't angry at all. If anything, he seemed to admire Caitlyn's boldness.
His reaction surprised her completely.
Still, she had to keep up appearances. Cipher's current status as Swain's trusted ally now far exceeded that of a Piltover councilor.
"Children… they need to be taught about the beauty and hope in life. There's no rush to burden them with life's harsh realities. After all, the only time we truly live carefree lives is when we are still children." Cipher raised his glass toward Councilor Kiramman, as if to prevent her from being too harsh on Caitlyn later. "And Councilor... don't be too hard on her. The world needs people who care about conscience."
"Perhaps you're right. But for now, I need to teach her how to be a proper lady." She glanced toward Caitlyn, who was chatting happily with Jayce, but to Councilor Kiramman, her daughter's behavior seemed a little too unrestrained.
"I'll take my leave. You're welcome to visit the House Kiramman estate any time," she said with feigned exasperation, though her smile had become more genuine.
Today's banquet wasn't like the usual ones hosted by Piltover's elites. She was worried that Caitlyn's naive and headstrong personality might offend important figures and felt she had to keep an eye on her.
"I will," Cipher replied with a smile, raising his glass to bid farewell to her. "And I'll remember that advice."
"You've got your eye on that girl, haven't you?" Silco suddenly teased after Councilor Kiramman walked away, grinning widely.
With Zaun's rise imminent, even his mindset had quietly shifted, he was relaxed enough to joke.
"Spare me. I really don't have the time for romance." Cipher nearly choked on his wine at the suggestion. "But don't you think that she is exactly the kind of person we'd hope the next generation could become?"
"Naive and confrontational?" Silco raised an eyebrow.
"No, brimming with a sense of justice, with fiery blood flowing through her veins, unafraid of power, unafraid of sacrifice. When kids are young, they should be full of vitality. The future belongs to them," Cipher spoke with genuine emotion.
"You still believe in idealism."
"I believe in balance. Idealism provides direction, pragmatism provides method."
"And when they conflict?"
"Then we choose carefully, case by case. There's no universal answer."
"But eventually, they'll have to face reality," Silco said, sipping his wine. Though he had a different view, he still shared Cipher's hope for the children.
"That can wait until they've grown up," Cipher replied with a soft smile, ending the discussion. There was no need to argue, neither of them was wrong; they just saw things differently.
Both men fell silent.
"Good day. We are mainly dealing in cotton trade."
"An honor to meet you. I extend my respects. We specialize in precision mechanical processing, perhaps we can offer you some assistance."
"Good afternoon. We have extensive partnerships in Noxus and Demacia, particularly in the grain industry, where we have considerable influence."
As soon as Councilor Kiramman left, Piltover's nobles swarmed in, surrounding Cipher and Silco.
Their eyes burned with enthusiasm, as if they were gazing at the god of wealth himself. While offering their congratulations, they eagerly introduced their family businesses, handing over meticulously designed name cards.
These nobles were only minor aristocrats, with limited influence in Piltover. Each family focused on one or two trades, mastering their niche, one could say they possessed their own core technologies.
Unlike his usual hostility toward Piltover's elite, Cipher responded with a smile, politely accepting each card and returning their well wishes.
Swain had given Zaun a large slice of the cake, but Zaun currently lacked the commercial strength to consume it all. Cipher did, in fact, need business partners.
These minor nobles had keenly sensed this, which was why they were scrambling to introduce themselves, eager to catch a ride on Zaun's soon-to-depart express train.
To have survived under the pressure of the great conglomerates, their sense of timing was undoubtedly sharp. In the future, trying to get a meeting with Cipher might be far more difficult.
The round of self-introductions from the minor nobles lasted nearly an hour before finally ending. After the endless continuous introductions, both Cipher and Silco had pockets stuffed with business cards. Their arms, holding wine glasses, were nearly numb from repeated toasts and handshakes.
"Who would've thought we'd become the stars of the party, fawned over by Piltover's high society... So underwhelming," Silco said with a drink, unable to hide his emotion. There was a time when he dreamed of Zaun being treated with such respect by Piltover. Now that it had finally happened, he found it utterly uninteresting, his past ambitions had been far too small.
"Success often diminishes the dreams that created it," Cipher observed thoughtfully.
"Do you ever feel disappointed by achievement?"
"Sometimes. But then I remember that every goal reached becomes a stepping stone to something greater."
"And what's your next stepping stone?" Silco asked, following Cipher's gaze.
Cipher looked toward where Swain stood conversing with Ambessa. "That depends on how tonight's conversations conclude."
"Your thoughts seem to expand as quickly as your influence."
"Perspective always grows with power," Cipher said with a shrug.
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60 Advance Chapters!
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