25 - Love Makes Fools, War Makes Kings
Next, Cipher visited Piltover's richest person, Councilor Medarda.
He adjusted his collar as he approached her residence.
A guard with perfectly polished armor stepped forward.
"State your business."
"I have an appointment with Councilor Medarda."
The guard's eyes narrowed. "The chemtech stink gives you away, Zaunite. Papers?"
Cipher produced Jayce's letter. The guard's demeanor shifted instantly upon seeing the signature.
"My apologies, sir. Right this way."
Amazing what a few ink strokes from the right person can do, Cipher thought as he followed the guard.
---
Mel sat behind an ornate desk, sunlight streaming through tall windows and catching on the gold ornaments adorning her dark skin.
She examined the proposals with keen interest, her fingers trailing along the detailed plans.
"These infrastructure projects could benefit both our cities," she said with a slight smile.
She was easier to talk to than he had imagined.
Without much effort, he secured her support.
The big "trump card" he had prepared for Noxus wasn't even needed, which felt a little unreasonable.
Thinking it over, he believed that the key factor was Jayce's handwritten letter of recommendation. The familiar handwriting seemed to soften something in Mel's expression as she read it.
Looking at it now, Jayce and Mel likely had a close and ambiguous relationship for a long time. Perhaps they were already romantically involved.
Otherwise, there was no way to explain her attitude. She didn't even bother negotiating for more benefits; she simply agreed readily without much discussion.
Love really did make fools of us all.
He is truly something else. He's got the charm to completely captivate Mel.
Cipher secretly grumbled about Jayce. It would be a lie to say he wasn't envious.
Mel had no flaws.
She was wealthy, beautiful, capable, gentle, and considerate—the perfect supportive partner.
Cipher also wanted to live the easy life. Unfortunately, he didn't have Jayce's charm and strength.
Some guys get all the luck—and the abs.
After venting about Jayce, he quickly returned to Zaun. The familiar smell of chemicals and industrial waste replaced Piltover's air.
The initial funding was now in place, and Zaun could begin its massive infrastructure projects.
With such large-scale investment, all that remained was to keep the production line steady, and everything would fall into place.
So far, everything was going smoothly, and he was in high spirits. The streets of Zaun felt less gloomy today.
"We need to re-establish contact with Swain. Send him samples of the explosive rounds and wireless communication equipment." He gathered his men, their faces eager for direction.
"Although I need his support, that 10% revenue cut isn't for free. I'll ask him for an interest-free loan in return."
Upon returning to the Black Lanes, Cipher immediately ordered a meeting with top leaders such as Silco and Sevika.
The meeting would focus on two main topics: How to spend the money effectively — this time, it had to be spent on sharp, impactful endeavors, not wasted carelessly. And how to handle Swain's docks and show proper respect.
Each point needed careful consideration.
---
Knock knock!
A young Noxian commander knocked on the door of Swain's office.
"Come in!"
A steady, magnetic voice came from within.
Just hearing that distinctive voice was enough to reveal the presence of a powerful figure who had long held authority.
He openend the door and entered the office.
The expansive office was adorned in only black and red tones, exuding an atmosphere of iron and blood.
The most eye-catching feature of the room was a large military operations map hanging on the wall, along with Noxus's black flag. Pins and markers dotted the map, each representing armies and resources.
Swain, the general most trusted by the Emperor of Noxus, was known as the most loyal Raven of Darkwill.
Why? Because he had personally sent his treacherous parents to the guillotine for the empire.
At this moment, he stood before Noxus's black flag, focused on reviewing war intelligence sent back by his men.
"Teacher, you summoned me?"
The young man bowed his head, full of respect.
He noticed two peculiar red bullets and two black metal boxes on Swain's desk. They seemed out of place among the military documents.
Swain was the cornerstone of Noxus's new military aristocracy. Without his support, the new nobles would have been suppressed to death by the old nobility, who held vast political resources.
"Lester, I need you to select and dispatch a team of a thousand elite soldiers to Zaun."
Swain paused his work, looked up, and fixed his gaze on his promising disciple. His eyes seemed to pierce through pretense, reading intentions like open books.
Lester, born a slave, had earned recognition on the battlefield with his bravery and achievements. Swain saw potential in him, brought him under his wing, and personally promoted him to a military noble.
"Zaun?"
He was stunned. He knew little about that place, only that it was a poor and backward city with no apparent value for conquest.
What could be worth sending a thousand of our best to that toxic pit?
Compared to Zaun, he was more interested in the wealthy city of Piltover.
He had once dreamed of leading troops to conquer it, bringing immense wealth to himself and his mentor. The fantasies of glory had kept him warm on cold campaign nights.
However, Piltover was already marked as the private territory of the Matriarch of the House Medarda, a Noxian military leader who fiercely guarded her family's interests.
Her influence stretched far and deep. Her armies were not to be trifled with.
The matriarch, despite being an old warlord, was known for her valor in battle and was highly praised by Swain. There was potential for a political alliance with her.
Because of this, Lester had long given up his ambition to conquer Piltover.
As for Zaun, he only knew that his teacher had a close collaboration with a certain scientist from there.
The details had always been kept from him.
"Lester, as a general of the Empire, you need more than just martial strength. You must also have vision and be adept at identifying what is valuable to Noxus," Swain said, noticing Lester's distracted look.
"Based on the intelligence, our collaborator in Zaun is far more capable than we initially thought."
He handed Lester a document detailing everything Cipher had done after seizing power in the Undercity.
The pages were filled with neat script.
"Militarily uniting Zaun, leveraging our partnership to lift Piltover's restrictions on Zaun, securing investments, vigorously developing industry, introducing wireless communication devices and explosive rounds…" Lester read aloud, his eyebrows rising with each achievement.
"This Cipher has done well, but Noxus has far more capable individuals in the realm of politics," Lester said after reviewing the document.
"In terms of political achievements, I believe his weapon developments are more impressive. He seems better suited for a laboratory than for leadership. I don't understand why you place such importance on him."
"Is that so? Lester, would you ever grant freedom and dignity to the serfs in your lands and allow them to live respectable lives?" Swain asked.
"This…"
Lester was at a loss for words. Of course, he wouldn't. It wasn't just a matter of willingness—doing so would bankrupt him.
The very idea seemed absurd.
"Cipher would. And so far, he's doing it very well."
"Zaun's finances are healthy, and the people have a high degree of satisfaction with him as their leader. They're even willing to shed blood and sacrifice for him." He gestured to the reports spread across his desk.
"I'm also very interested in his idea of state-owned factories. A novel concept—facilities that don't belong to any individual or organization, but to the nation itself, to protect the country's core interests."
In Cipher, he saw the potential for something that could make Noxus even stronger. The possibilities stretched before him like an unfolding map.
He needed to closely observe Cipher, watching everything he did in Zaun. Each success or failure would be a lesson.
Only then would he decide, based on Cipher's challenges and accomplishments as a leader, whether to push for similar reforms in Noxus.
Swain was treating Zaun as a pilot city for Noxus's potential reforms. If Cipher succeeded, it would prove what Swain had long suspected—that the empire needed to evolve beyond its old ways to truly prosper.
He studied the reports on his desk one last time before looking up at his student. "Change is coming, whether we like it or not. The question is: will we lead it, or be crushed by it?"
Lester shifted uncomfortably under his mentor's piercing gaze. Why is he telling me this now?
"This time when you go to Zaun, your official mission is to oversee the commercial collaboration regarding explosive rounds and wireless communication equipment."
"But in reality, your task is to carefully observe everything Cipher does and monitor the changes taking place there." He leaned forward slightly, his gaze intense. "You must also write a detailed report."
He picked up one of the metal boxes from his desk, turning it over in his hands before extending it to Lester. "Take this wireless communicator. With it, I can contact you at any time."
"When do I leave for Zaun?"
"Tomorrow. And Lester?" Swain's voice held a note of warning. "Remember—observe everything, but don't interfere. Sometimes the most valuable lessons come from watching others struggle through their challenges."
Lester bowed and left the office.