"Good evening, I am Quiletta." A blonde woman approached with a glass of wine in hand. Even at a banquet, she hadn't removed her armor.
"Commander Swain instructed me to ensure your safety. Honestly, this is the first time I've seen him so invested in someone. What makes you so special?"
Her sharp eyes studied Cipher with curiosity. For someone as pragmatic as Swain to take an interest in him, Cipher had to be someone of significant value.
Behind her stood a towering man, over two meters tall, devouring an entire roasted lamb at an astonishing speed. Several attendants remained at his side, constantly replenishing his drinks and fruit.
"Good evening, General Quiletta. I appreciate the commander's concern. You'll find out soon enough. I only hope you won't find it boring." Cipher clinked his glass against Quiletta's before letting his gaze linger on the steel beast. He noticed that the armor adorning its body was engraved with runes.
From both its presence and equipment, it seemed even stronger than Lester.
As he shifted his attention back, a faint smile played at the corner of his lips. Swain really sent Quiletta? That was unexpected, she was Darius' wife.
And Darius... in the future, he would become the very symbol of Noxian military strength, one of the most powerful figures in the empire.
So did Swain think he alone wasn't enough to ensure my safety and decided to send over Darius as well?
"Boring? In my experience, people he finds interesting tend to lead very eventful lives," Quiletta raised an eyebrow, studying his reaction.
"Then I suppose I should prepare for more excitement than I'd prefer."
"I look forward to it." Quiletta took a sip of her wine, having noticed Cipher's earlier interest in the steel beast. She took the initiative to explain.
"The one behind me is currently serving as my adjutant. He was selected from Noxus' elite high-command forces, strong, disciplined, resolute. A total of 300 such soldiers have been assigned to me to maintain order between Piltover and Zaun."
There was pride in her tone. This high-command force had been built by her husband through years of military merit. It only accepted elites and had won countless wars. Each soldier represented countless battles, rigorous selection, and the kind of training that broke weaker men.
"An impressive warrior. Are the rest of your soldiers of the same caliber?" Silco couldn't help but ask. The strength of Quiletta's troops directly impacted Zaun's security, and his experienced eye for military matters had immediately grasped the strategic value of such forces.
He assessed the "giant's" armor. Just from the luster of the metal, he could tell it was made from an extremely rare and valuable alloy.
"A little weaker than him, but still outstanding. You don't need to worry about security. Handling that person will be more than sufficient." Quiletta raised an eyebrow, fully understanding what he was concerned about.
Before arriving, she had already reviewed the detailed reports provided by Swain. Every significant player had been analyzed and documented.
Her gaze briefly flicked to the corner of the room, where a certain woman sat alone. Even without drawing attention, her presence was like a blade sheathed but ready.
"Facing off against the commander yet still maintaining such poise… She's certainly composed. I don't even see a hint of fear on her face."
This was the first time she had seen someone so calm, and graceful under the weight of Swain's attention. Most people either cowered or postured when faced with such scrutiny.
It was the very definition of elegance.
Cipher shrugged. "She underwent augmentation surgery and lost much of her humanity. Other than her family, she has no weaknesses."
"No weaknesses? That sounds advantageous," Quiletta replied, though her expression suggested she sensed there was more to the story.
"Is it? If not for her family, I suspect she might have given up on life already. To be transformed into something like that, living must feel like a form of suffering." He paused, studying Camille's distant figure. "Perhaps death would have been kinder. When you sacrifice your humanity for duty, what's left to protect becomes both your strength and your prison."
"How tragic." Quiletta shook her head. Having grown up as an orphan alongside Darius, and with no children of their own, she couldn't understand such devotion to a family name. The bonds she valued were forged in battle, tested under fire.
Just as Cipher was about to continue speaking, Jayce and Mel suddenly approached.
"Apologies, I hope we're not interrupting."
Jayce first offered his apologies before getting straight to the point.
"Not at all, Councilor Talis," Quiletta responded.
"Cipher, where exactly are Professor Heimerdinger and Viktor right now? When will they be back?"
Worry was written all over Jayce's face. Despite his best efforts to look presentable, his dark circles were obvious, he clearly hadn't slept well in a long time.
Heimerdinger's sudden disappearance had caught him off guard. He was forced to take over the Professor's position on the Council without being fully prepared.
Back when Viktor was around to assist, he had been able to keep everything organized and on track. But now, with him also missing, everything was a mess.
Wave after wave of influential figures had just approached him, all pressing him to accelerate his research on Hextech weaponry. They bombarded him with arguments, urging him to step up as Piltover's most brilliant scientist and a member of the council. It was his duty to develop weapons strong enough to ensure Piltover's security against Noxus' military threat, they insisted.
The burden on his shoulders felt unbearable. The blast from Swain's flagship was still fresh in his mind.
Faced with the overwhelming march of hundreds of thousands of Noxian soldiers, he felt powerless. The numbers alone were crazy, but it was the quality of their equipment and training that truly terrified him.
With the fate of the entire city resting on him, he could hardly breathe. Desperate, he longed for the guidance of his mentor, Heimerdinger, and the support of his closest friend, Viktor.
"I can only tell you that they are safe. As for where they are or when they'll return…" Cipher paused, meeting Jayce's desperate eyes with something approaching sympathy. "Sorry, Jayce. I can't tell you that right now."
He refused him, knowing the truth would be impossible to explain.
Viktor and Heimerdinger were currently learning new technology in the DC universe. They wouldn't be returning anytime soon, at least not in any way that Jayce would understand or accept.
Hm... Viktor might occasionally come back to oversee production lines, but that was it. The greater work continued beyond Jayce's reach.
After all, Jayce hadn't endured the hardship of dragging himself up a cliff with broken legs to survive in the wilderness. He hadn't truly suffered and wasn't one of them. The secrets of other worlds couldn't be shared with him.
"Without them, I feel like I'm going insane! How did everything suddenly turn out like this?" Jayce ran a hand through his hair in frustration but didn't press further. He knew the rift between them had long formed due to ideological differences. Now, their relationship wasn't as close as it had been when they first developed Hextech together.
No matter how much he pushed, Cipher wouldn't tell him.
"I think what you need right now is the comfort and guidance of a mature woman. Why not seek more advice from Councilor Mel?" Cipher raised his glass, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. He was clearly teasing him, but there was wisdom buried in the jest.
Jayce wasn't stupid. He immediately caught the meaning behind Cipher's words. Looking embarrassed, he muttered a quick farewell and hurried off with Mel. "I... we should... thank you for your time."
Mel could only flash Cipher a helpless smile, as if apologizing on Jayce's behalf.
"This Councilor Talis…" Quiletta watched Jayce rush in and out in a frenzy, unsure what to make of him. Her expression carried the disdain of a professional soldier observing civilian weakness.
"He's Piltover's light. The potential of Hextech is vast. The Hexgate alone is a revolutionary invention." Cipher offered a brief explanation on his behalf, though his tone suggested he wasn't entirely convinced of Jayce's readiness for the challenges ahead.
"But he still seems like a kid who hasn't grown up."
"Thanks to Draven, Darius and I were already more reliable than him at seven or eight years old." Quiletta watched Jayce's retreating figure, finding herself instinctively disliking him. She felt they were completely different kinds of people.
"That just means Jayce has been too sheltered, never truly suffered. When the time is right, I'll make sure he gets some real experience. Then you'll see him develop true leadership qualities. Trust me, he's got potential."
Cipher clinked glasses with Quiletta again, the grin on his face refusing to fade as he considered the possibilities. He had already envisioned the script for what was to come.
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60 Advance Chapters!
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