"He'll go. He'll command the five Black Rose mages, and he'll wipe out those hundred mounted bandits."
Nadalz turned toward the voice. Rose was walking toward him, accompanied by the ancient relic he hadn't seen for a full year.
Seeing how energetic and healthy the ancient relic looked, Nadalz quietly sighed in relief.
If he had been the one to successfully get Lady Rose into bed, her belly would already be swelling long before a year had passed, and he would've been reduced to skin and bones from exhaustion.
That was the confidence of a man with three wives and the chieftain of the Noxii tribe.
His logic was simple: since he was stronger than the ancient relic, the ancient relic obviously couldn't be stronger than him—therefore, he was much stronger.
The reasoning was complicated. Ordinary people wouldn't understand it.
Thus, it was clear that up to this point Lady Rose had remained chaste.
Perhaps she was waiting for him to court her…
His thoughts spun rapidly. Out of some instinctive hostility toward an outstanding male rival, Nadalz spoke up.
"I disagree. He hasn't even mastered Noxian yet—what use would he be? My hundred-man captain, Ottmann, should lead the mages instead. He'd be far more effective."
Rose frowned and was about to argue, but Lester stepped forward, placing himself in front of her.
"Lord Nadalz, I believe my Noxian is now sufficient for normal conversation."
He gave a Noxian military salute. Compared to the elegant gesture he had used when they first met, this salute was less refined, but sharper—clean, crisp, unmistakably Noxian.
Gasps rose from the far side of the square. The grieving youths turned wide-eyed, staring at the man who suddenly appeared before them—a man whose beauty defied description.
Even the harsh, barbaric cadence of Noxian sounded like the polished speech of an iron-blooded noble when spoken from his lips.
The square fell into an eerie silence.
Even the old woman gripping her nail-studded club had fixed her gaze on Lester.
Without giving Nadalz the chance to speak, Lester held the momentum. His voice grew firm, and he turned to address the watching crowd—meeting their uncertain gazes with confidence.
If he acted, he would do it perfectly.
If he killed, he would eradicate the root.
That was his creed.
"I've lived in the Immortal Bastion for a year. From knowing nothing about Noxus, today I stand witness to a battle that will decide life and death for its people.
I've come to love this young nation.
I've come to love its unyielding people.
You possess courage others lack.
Strength the weak cannot imagine.
Devotion unknown to the selfish.
Sacrifice unknown to cowards.
You are worthy of respect—worthy of praise.
It is you who make Noxus great.
And you—you are the greatest of all."
The square stirred. Then gradually stilled.
Many youths who had not understood why their parents were being sent to die, who could not understand why their elders had to march to war, fell silent.
The crying stopped.
The resisting stopped.
Clarity appeared in their eyes.
At last, they understood what "Noxus" meant.
Light flickered in their gaze.
Nadalz, who had never seen such a scene and could never imagine saying such words in his lifetime, closed his mouth again.
He understood—the dazzling man before him wasn't finished speaking.
And he understood something else: he wanted to let the man continue.
Even if, in this moment, the foreign remnant looked more like a Noxian king than he did.
Continue, he thought silently.
Even if it means giving up Lady Rose.
Even if it means giving this man all three of his wives.
As long as the Noxii people understand that Noxus is their new glory—that they are no longer barbarians.
Lester paused for breath. The blood of the crowd seemed ready to ignite.
He straightened his chest.
"For Lady Rose.
For the people of Noxus.
For the great Lord Nadalz—
Facing these brutal raiders,
Facing a Noxus ready to bleed its last drop,
I have no path of retreat.
I understand.
I must stand forward.
Even if I can do nothing—I must stand forward.
To march with you beyond the safety of our fortress,
With weapons that may break at any moment,
With armor thinner than leaves,
With the fiercest, toughest, most terrifying resolve we possess—
With blood that burns hotter than fire—
We will show those who pillage and slaughter Noxians
what a true iron-blooded warrior is!
What true, great Noxus is!!!
What it means—
To draw the blade—
And! Fight! To! The! Death!"
A deafening roar answered him.
"OOOHHHHHH——!!!"
"Kill those bandits!! I'm gonna use their skulls as bowls!!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!!"
"Grandpa! I won't stop you anymore! I'm going with you!!"
"Grandma! Give me your nail-club! I'm gonna smash bandit skulls into a stool for you!!"
"Good child! Grandma's bones are still strong. You grow up well—when I return with bandit heads, I'll make you a bone ball to kick!"
"Big brother! Big brother! Let me fight beside you! I want to kill bandits with you!"
"…"
Watching the boiling square, Ottmann looked left… then right… then at his chieftain—only to realize the chieftain was also staring at that man.
Was he the unnecessary one?
Behind Lester, Rose's eyes were shimmering with layers of tears.
Nadalz let out a long breath, his gaze complicated as he looked at Lester.
"Can I trust you?"
Meeting the hopeful gaze beneath the great beard, Lester didn't reply with words.
Instead, he stepped forward and gave the man a firm, powerful embrace.
"We have an agreement. I'll return with victory. That is a promise between men."
Nadalz's mind went blank.
Warmth and trust—things he had never felt from another man—flooded his heart.
Maybe… that was what being a man meant.
Sometimes, a single embrace was enough.
He hugged Lester back and patted him on the back.
"I believe you. I leave them to you."
The two men released each other. Nadalz drew his Noxian longsword and pointed it skyward.
"I hereby appoint… uh…"
The crowd stared, watching their once-imperious chieftain suddenly falter mid-sentence.
"Lester."
"Oh! Right! I appoint Lester as the supreme commander of the Noxian levy!
All soldiers will obey his orders!
This sword is my authority—see the sword, see me!
Understood?!"
"Understood!!"
Holding the sword out with both hands, he offered it. Lester accepted it with both of his.
Meeting the eager, blazing eyes of the people, Lester raised the blade high.
"March!"